The Science of Rest and Changing How We Work with Alex Pang

The Sonya Looney Show

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, author and speaker, is the global programs and research manager for 4 Day Week Global, a non-profit focused on advancing the 4-day work week. He speaks around the world about the 4-day week and the future of work, and talks about how deliberate rest makes creative careers more productive and sustainable.

Alex is the author of four books including Shorter: Work Better, Smarter, and Less - Here’s How, and Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

He received his B.A. and Ph.D. in history of science from the University of Pennsylvania. He also studied corporate planning at the Wharton School. He taught history of science at Williams College, UC Berkeley and UC Davis and also worked for several years as the managing editor of Encyclopedia Britannica. He launched his company Strategy and Rest after working as a senior consultant at Institute for the Future and Strategic Business Insights in Silicon Valley.

In this week’s podcast, Alex and Sonya talk about the benefits of rest, the future of work, and more.

Key Takeaways:

• Why we overwork and don’t rest
• What is deliberate rest?
• Default mode network and mind wandering
• The power of naps
• Intellect and athletics
• The 4 ways to rest
• Power of routine for creativity
• How many hours should we work?