In academia, productivity is often linked to constant output, but when constant activity is equated with constant output, this approach leads to burnout. Enter the concept of slow productivity by Cal Newport; a more sustainable way of working that focuses on doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and prioritising quality.
The Fallacy of Constant Hustle
In academic culture, there’s often an expectation of working at full speed all year round. September to May requires juggling marking, teaching, and research, then the summer months are either posited as the time to get some real writing done, or more likely, the time to lie down and feel guilty about not writing. Constantly pushing yourself to work at maximum intensity 12 months a year is a recipe for exhaustion, but taking the summer off to recover is a recipe for academic career freefall. Slow productivity is a hinterland - it teaches us that it's not about working harder, it’s about working smarter and respecting the natural rhythms of your particular academic calendar.
Slow productivity is about consistency, not intensity: not needing to be at full throttle all the time.
Seasonality: A More Humane Pace
Seasonality, as explained by Cal Newport, involves adjusting your pace up and down based on the time of year and the energy demands of your academic responsibilities. You don’t have to be working at full capacity all year, indeed not everything you do requires your full brain capacity, to think otherwise is to misunderstand the nature of your academic job.
Creating a Sustainable Writing Habit
One common challenge for academics is the struggle to maintain a consistent writing habit because they mistake this for working at full pelt. This often leads to periods of intense, last-minute writing followed by burnout, internalised as rest. A better approach is to create a habit where you show up to write every working day, but without the expectation of maximum productivity each day. Working at a natural pace is about working in a way you can repeatedly do, not on your best day, but every day.
During periods of low intensity, such as when grading, don’t feel pressure to complete massive writing tasks. Instead, focus on smaller, more manageable writing goals without abandoning contact with your project. Even a small amount of writing each day helps maintain your habit without overwhelming you.
Understanding Your Own Intensity Rhythm
Understanding the natural ebb and flow of your work is crucial. For instance, in my own experience, the first semester was the best time for intense writing because I had more energy and fewer external demands. Even though I had consistent teaching all your round, I had fewer drains on my resources Sep-Dec. Conversely, February and March were times of high stress and low energy when I would adjust my expectations and focus finishing rather than starting new projects.
Your experience will be unique, depending on your teaching load, administrative duties, and personal commitments. The key is recognising your own intensity rhythm and adjusting your work accordingly.
Steps to Implement Seasonality
Audit your academic calendar: Take a moment to map out the peak and low intensity periods of your academic year. Identify when you’re likely to have more energy and when you’ll need to scale back.
Adjust your writing goals: During high-intensity periods, focus on small tasks, like editing or reviewing previous work. In slower periods, set bigger, more ambitious writing goals.
Build in rest: Don’t forget to rest and recharge. Rest isn’t a break from productivity; it’s an essential part of maintaining long-term productivity. Recognising when to take your foot off the pedal is just as important as knowing when to push harder.
Reflect and adjust: Regularly audit your progress. Look back at your workload and energy levels to adjust your pace for the future. Are you pushing yourself too hard during a low-intensity period? Could you take a break without losing momentum?
To be able to practice slow productivity, there are a myriad of skills you need to develop so you can unlock working at a natural pace. Slow productivity requires active pipeline management, great drafting techniques that enable you to write without intensity or time, and ways to manage yourself and your choices so that you can protect your writing energy. You can find all these in my Writer’s Collective SCRIBE training.