Narrated by Kevin R. Free, A World Without Email by Cal Newport has a runtime of 9 hrs 16 mins on Audible.
Publisher’s Summary
A New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller
From New York Times bestselling author Cal Newport comes a bold vision for liberating workers from the tyranny of the inbox–and unleashing a new era of productivity.
Modern knowledge workers communicate constantly. Their days are defined by a relentless barrage of incoming messages and back-and-forth digital conversations–a state of constant, anxious chatter in which nobody can disconnect, and so nobody has the cognitive bandwidth to perform substantive work. There was a time when tools like email felt cutting edge, but a thorough review of current evidence reveals that the “hyperactive hive mind” workflow they helped create has become a productivity disaster, reducing profitability and perhaps even slowing overall economic growth. Equally worrisome, it makes us miserable. Humans are simply not wired for constant digital communication.
We have become so used to an inbox-driven workday that it’s hard to imagine alternatives. But they do exist. Drawing on years of investigative reporting, author and computer science professor Cal Newport makes the case that our current approach to work is broken, then lays out a series of principles and concrete instructions for fixing it. In A World without Email, he argues for a workplace in which clear processes–not haphazard messaging–define how tasks are identified, assigned and reviewed. Each person works on fewer things (but does them better), and aggressive investment in support reduces the ever-increasing burden of administrative tasks. Above all else, important communication is streamlined, and inboxes and chat channels are no longer central to how work unfolds.
The knowledge sector’s evolution beyond the hyperactive hive mind is inevitable. The question is not whether a world without email is coming (it is), but whether you’ll be ahead of this trend. If you’re a CEO seeking a competitive edge, an entrepreneur convinced your productivity could be higher, or an employee exhausted by your inbox, A World Without Email will convince you that the time has come for bold changes, and will walk you through exactly how to make them happen.
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 9 hrs 16 mins
- Publisher: Penguin Audio
- Release year: 2021
- Audible category: Business & Careers / Management & Leadership / Management
Listener Ratings
A World Without Email holds an average listener rating of 4.5/5 from 605 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.7/5
- Story: 4.5/5
- 5-star ratings: 69% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
4/5 stars — “Another one, nothing but net!”
Thank you Cal Newport for reinvigorating my insane cleaning and organizing. This is especially helpful now as many of my other teachers are sinking into the bog of eternal stench.— Kelli Bodle, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Very interesting take on pervasive societal issue”
Email drain most people time and attention and its detrimental impact to knowledge workers and career capital is profound. Cal did a good job discussing the issue and it’s implications for non believers and people that ignore the issue. In my view the solutions proposed are not yet fully developed, but it is a good beginning.— Faslimavet, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Outstanding for anyone struggling with mental overload “
Excellent book – well researched and outlined. There are 2-3 ideas I’m going to implement In my organization immediately… If not, attempt a total rehaul of how we work— Rajat Kapur, Audible listener
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