Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less

Americans live in a strung-out, always-on, overstimulated culture—but this isn’t the way to get good work done, says business consultant Pang (The Distraction Addiction). He recommends seeing work and rest as partners, not polar opposites, and allowing for more rest and downtime. “Over the course of a life,” he coaches, “deliberate rest restores your energy, gives you more time, helps you do more, and helps you focus on doing the things that matter most while avoiding those that don’t.” Sound familiar? To most business and leadership readers, it probably will; Pang’s earnest take on the essential function of rest in a hyper-connected society doesn’t break much new ground. He presents lessons from a sabbatical he took with his wife, and backs up his prescriptions (structured days, walks, naps, sleep, and “deep play”) with tales of how the great minds of history approached the work-rest balance. It’s undeniable that modern office workers are overworked and overstimulated, doing more commuting and housework than ever before while checking email until midnight, but this is a problem whose solution has been sought in dozens of books before this one, and Pang’s approach is far from novel. Agent: Zoë Pagnamenta, Zoë Pagnamenta Agency. (Dec.)