This is one of those rare books that had an immediate impact on my behavior. I have liked other books and articles by Mr. Newport, so it didn't surprise me that he had good takes, but the simplicity of his argument was stunning.
My key takeaway was that email, like many of the electronic communication tools we use today, is forced into our world, instead of figuring out how to use them most effectively. His argument is specific to email, but I think the same applies to text, chat, Slack, Teams, etc.
As I evaluated my actions, I realized that I was guilty of exactly what the book says. I use my communication devices as they intend, not how it best suits my work. For example, I am constantly checking my email. I could explain to people that email isn't for immediate responses (and rarely do they require immediate responses), but I don't. I change my behavior to suit the tool. I don't use the tool to make my life better.
Rating: Highly Recommended.
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