Rest - by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang (Paperback)

About the Book

"For most of us, overwork is the new normal and rest is an afterthought. In our busy lives, rest is defined as the absence of work: late-night TV binges, hours spent trawling the internet, something to do once we've finished everything else on our to-do lists. But dismissing rest stifles our ability to think creatively and truly recharge. In Rest, Silicon Valley consultant Alex Pang argues that we can be more successful in all areas of our lives by recognizing the importance of rest: working better does not mean working more, it means working less and resting better. Treating rest as a passive activity secondary to work undermines our chances for a rewarding and meaningful life. Whether by making space for daily naps, as Winston Churchill did during World War II; going on hours-long strolls like Charles Darwin; or spending a week alone in a cabin like Bill Gates, pursuing what Pang calls "deliberate rest" is the true key to fulfillment and creative success. Drawing on rigorous scientific evidence and revelatory historical examples, Rest overturns everything our culture has taught us about work and shows that only by resting better can we start living better"-- Provided by publisher

Book Synopsis

An updated edition for the classic book on escaping the drudgery of overwork and finding excellence and happiness--by doing less

Overwork is the new normal. Rest is something to do when the important things are done--but they are never done. Looking at different forms of rest, from sleep to vacation, Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang dispels the myth that the harder we work, the better the outcome. He combines rigorous scientific research with a rich array of examples of writers, painters, and thinkers--from Darwin to Stephen King--to challenge our tendency to see work and relaxation as antithetical. "Deliberate rest," as Pang calls it, is the true key to productivity, and will give us more energy, sharper ideas, and a better life. Updated with a new epilogue on rest and successful aging, Rest offers a road map to rediscovering the importance of rest in our lives, and a convincing argument that we need to relax more if we actually want to get more done. 

Review Quotes

"[Pang] writes with an admirable focus on balance, on pleasure as well as success; in the end, it's difficult to argue with his conclusions."--Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe

"Alex Pang wants us to treat work and rest as equals. In his fascinating, well-researched and highly readable new book Rest, he makes an excellent case for the critical importance of rest in our lives, drawing from the rest habits of some of our most famous scientists, writers and creatives from history, from neuroscience research as well as examples from some of the most productive people working today. You will consider how and why you rest in a completely new light after reading this book."--Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D. professor of neural science and psychology at New York University and author of Healthy Brain Happy Life

"Blending scientific research with examples of writers, painters and thinkers, from Darwin to Stephen King, the author exposes how we have underestimated the power of rest for our success."
--Daily Examiner (Australia)

"Consider this a much-needed guide for the overworked: a credible, factual case for chilling out and getting rest, by a well-known Silicon Valley consultant."
--VanityFair.com

"Finally, a full-throated, exhaustively researched argument for why we should all work less and rest more-not just because we'll feel better (no small thing) but because we'll actually be more creative and productive as a result."--Mason Currey, author of Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

"Finally, indisputable proof that to raise happy, healthy, and productive adults, parents and educators must teach the next generation how to practice intentional rest...how to partner work with play, exercise, and sleep."--Nanci Kauffman, head of Castilleja School

"I love this book. Rest weaves fascinating research and captivating stories into a wise prescription for a healthier, more creative, and more fulfilling life in a technology saturated world. At heart, it is rest, in the many ways Pang describes, that contributes to our ability to be the best of what we can be."--Linda Stone, former executive, Apple and Microsoft

"I recommend Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang...The title says it all-if you're prone to burnout or still believe that overwork actually works, this book will set you straight."--Arianna Huffington in an interview with Lifehacker.com

"In his important new book, Pang calmly and meticulously shows us how the best, most creative work, and the most meaningful and joyful lives, are built on the skills, not of mindless busyness, but of deliberate rest, deep play, and taking time to think. A game-changing book for the weary modern world."--Brigid Schulte, award-winning journalist and author of the New York Times bestselling Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time

"It's high noon for the global economy's thinking class, who are locked in a losing battle for clarity in a crowded, clickable world. This book is a science-packed call to arms: it's time to claim rest as a right and pay close attention to the needs of our beleaguered brains."--Anthony Townsend, author of Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia

"Whether by making space for daily naps, as Winston Churchill did during World War II; going on hours-long strolls like Charles Darwin; or spending a week alone in a cabin like Bill Gates, pursuing what Pang calls 'deliberate rest' is the true key to fulfillment and creative success."--BizTimes

"You're holding some terrific advice in your hands on the virtues of walking, napping, and playing. Pang has written a delightful and thought-provoking book on the science of restful living."--Clive Thompson, columnist for Wired magazine and the author of Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better

About the Author

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang has spent the past twenty years studying people, technology, and the worlds they make. A professional futurist with a PhD in the history of science, Pang is a former Microsoft Research fellow, a visiting scholar at Stanford and Oxford universities, and a senior consultant at Strategic Business Insights. Pang is the author of four books, including Shorter and The Distraction Addiction, and his writings have appeared in Scientific American, American Scientist, and the Los Angeles Times Book Review, as well as in many academic publications. He is based in Silicon Valley.