Writing

I’m the author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less (US | UK); Shorter: Work Better, Smarter and Less– Here’s How (US | UK); and The Distraction Addiction (US). Together, these books have been translated into more two dozen languages. I also wrote a more academic book, Empire and the Sun: Victorian Solar Eclipse Expeditions, which was based on my Ph.D. thesis. My op-eds and articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, the South China Morning Post, and many other venues.

Work

I work with 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit devoted to advancing the 4-day week. I’ve organized national 4-day week trials in the United States and Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union: this involved design the curriculum, facilitating workshops, leading companies through their strategic planning processes, and helping organizations troubleshoot issues during their trials. This work has been written about in the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Financial Times, the Guardian, and other venues.

My company Strategy and Rest supports my writing and speaking.

Speaking

I speak around the world (and also virtually) about the 4-day week and future of work, and how deliberate rest makes creative careers more productive and sustainability. I’ve given talks and led workshops around the world, from California to Korea to Azerbaijan. I also lead workshops and consult with companies and individuals who want to learn how to over-perform without overworking.

Personal

I was born in California, but grew up all over the world. My father was an historian, and I spent years of my childhood in Brazil.

I received my B.A. and Ph.D. in history of science from the University of Pennsylvania. I also studied corporate planning with Russell Ackoff and the Social Systems Sciences group at the Wharton School. My current work blends these two worlds.

Before becoming a consultant I taught history of science at Williams College, UC Berkeley and UC Davis, and worked for several years as managing editor of Encyclopedia Britannica. I launched Strategy and Rest after working as senior consultant at Institute for the Future and Strategic Business Insights, two of Silicon Valley’s most venerable think tanks and futures-oriented organizations.