Deep Questions with Cal Newport

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by the writers Brad Stulberg and Clay Skipper to talk about the topic of “greatness.” They attempt to pick apart the weird moment we are in where, on the one hand, we feel aversion to performative demonstrations of “pseudo-greatness” (think: Elon Musk on-stage with his chainsaw) but on the other, still admire useful skill and seek it in our own lives. 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Greatness on Trial (w/ Brad Stulberg and Clay Skipper)

Links:
https://www.landroverusa.com
https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

How do escape a life of shallowness and distraction to cultivate something deeper and more meaningful? In this episode, Cal draws from both algorithm theory and the habits of a reclusive author to highlight an effective strategy for achieving this goal – one that underscores the advantages of the small targeted changes versus major grand leaps. He then answers listener questions and reviews the five books he read in February.

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com!

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Good Life Algorithm [1:42]

- How should a federal worker navigate all the negative news? [23:56]

- How do I get my non-geeky partner on board with the deep life! [26:40]

- How can I develop a schedule with flexibility following a health setback? [29:08]

- How should I reshape a once successful aerospace company? [35:06]

- Are there perceived benefits to pseudo productivity? [43:32]

- CALL: What does it mean to work enough each week? [50:19]

CASE STUDY: Can knowledge workers be happy doing less? [58:55]

FEBRUARY BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in February, 2025 [1:07:50]

- Moral Ambition (Rutger Bregman)

- Brotherhood of the Rose (David Morell)

• - How Dante Can Save Your Life (Rod Dreher)
• - Buzz Saw (Jesse Dougherty)
• - The Siren’s Call (Chris Hayes)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

newyorker.com/culture/office-space/the-hollow-core-of-elon-musks-productivity-dogma

tim.blog/2019/02/18/jim-collins/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Tim Ferris is working on a new book about saying “no” and has posted the introduction online. In this episode, Cal reads an excerpt from this introduction and then tries to make sense of it with a metaphor about a shipwreck that helps unwind the complexity of dealing with the scourge of having too much to do. Cal then answers listener questions and reacts to a productivity meme inspired by a recent episode.

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com!

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Drowning, Treading, or Swimming [6:27]

- Will AI productivity gains reduce quality? [27:30]

- Can you elaborate on the Digital Declutter? [33:38]

- Is reading a book considered deep work? [38:41]

- What are Cal’s thoughts on content aggregator services such as Inoreader? [43:49]

- Can a large team with ever-changing demands avoid pseudo-productivity? [51:47]

- CALL: Dealing with doom-scrolling [58:31]

CASE STUDY: A UFC announcer applies Cal’s principles [1:07:40]

CAL REACTS: Productivity Meme [1:19:42]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

tim.blog/2025/01/13/the-no-book/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Sometimes the quest for productivity can seem like the embrace of activity for the sake of activity, a prospect that inevitably leads to exhaustion. In today’s episode, Cal explores this idea by discussing “productivity rain dances,” why they’re dangerous, and what works better instead. He then answers listener questions and ends with a Tech Corner segment in which he fact checks Joe Rogan’s understanding of ChatGPT.

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com!

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Productivity Rain Dances [7:04]

- How should I take notes during a meeting? [26:31]

- How could a layman (not a computer scientist) test the veracity of the claims of an AI system or its potential? [28:53]

- How can I utilize my full-days in my cube with cancelled telework to best make progress on my phantom “part-time” job? [33:37]

- Can I be a CS instructor with a PhD? [37:45]

- Can I convince my advisor to “do fewer experiments” for my doctoral thesis? [42:47]

- CALL: College in the modern digital environment [48:28]

CASE STUDY: Managing multiple email inboxes [54:22]

TECH CORNER: Does ChatGPT have “survival instincts”? [1:05:17]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

x.com/firelog_io/status/1887541363287138445

x.com/ChrisWillx/status/1800198794107064646?lang=en

youtube.com/watch?v=HigVe4IqsBM

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by to you BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best self.

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com!

In a recent appearance on the Tim Ferriss podcast, the prolific fantasy author Brandon Sanderson revealed how he reshaped his media company to help him do what he does best. In this episode, Cal explores the idea, and asks the key question: why is this not more common? While exploring an answer, Cal uncovers a bigger issue in modern digital knowledge work and points towards potential answers. He then answers listener questions and concludes with a tech corner about Alan Turing.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Let Brandon Cook [4:56]

- What is your opinion on mind mapping and have you ever used it? [32:35]

- What “really matters” to develop career capital for a civil servant? [36:28]

- What’s your view on Daniel Immerwahr’s recent New Yorker article on the attention crisis? [42:23]

- How does mentoring fit into knowledge work development? [49:54]

- Is it possible to use Paul Jarvis’s approach to start a company to merge the divide with Slow Productivity? [57:20]

- CALL: A 15-year-old and a smartphone [1:03:28]

CASE STUDY: Using AI to expand work skills [1:07:59]

TECH CORNER: Let Turing Cook [1:21:41]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

tim.blog/2025/02/05/brandon-sanderson/

spectrum.ieee.org/alan-turings-delilah

podcast.feedspot.com/computer_science_podcasts/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com!

One of the most common complaints from listeners to the podcast is the feeling that they’re too distracted; both at work and at home. In today’s episode, Cal reviews five major explanations for this current state of affairs, and then uses this new understanding to identify concrete actions to make things better. He then answers reader questions and reviews the five books he read in January.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Why You’re Always Distracted [3:50]

- How should I use social media for my documentary film project? [29:40]

- How can I master a new job skill in a busy schedule? [37:11]

- Any advice for developing and nurturing my “second mountain” values? [42:10]

- How can overcome project paralysis? [48:41]

- Is my knowledge work role doomed to fail? [52:10]

- CALL: Supporting a spouse during stressful career planning [58:01]

CASE STUDY: The benefits of a commute [1:05:35]

JANUARY BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in January, 2025 [1:14:13]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors:

thrivemarket.com/deep

shopify.com/deep

landroverusa.com

vanta.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Remote work is a hot discussion topic right now as president Trump moves to eliminate it from government work. For those who are still allowed to work from home this new focus provides a good chance to rethink how to get the most out of these arrangements. In today’s episode, Cal presents three foundational ideas from his reporting about what makes remote work actually work, and for each provides concrete advice individuals can apply to make their own virtual setups better. He then answers reader questions and ends with a tech corner focused on what the law says about whether social media should be banned for kids.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Hacking Remote Work [4:58]

- How does Cal explain time management vs. focus and attention management? [40:53]

- How can I self study hard, technical concepts? [50:12]

- Should I quit my PhD program after 3.5 years? [54:13]

- Does Slow Productivity work for college students? [1:08:35]

- CALL: Organizing a writing sabbatical [1:16:55]

CASE STUDY: A software engineer removes distractions [1:25:41]

TECH CORNER: Is Social Media More Like Cigarettes or Junk Food? [1:33:11]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/is-social-media-more-like-cigarettes-or-junk-food

youtu.be/-U7D4Fw67Zs?si=srHaYr3inZ9uAd0p

Thanks to our Sponsors:

zocdoc.com/deep

oracle.com/deepquestions

notion.com/cal

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In a recent article for The Atlantic, Derek Thompson writes about the troubling trends toward increased solitude. In this episode, Cal looks at the role technology plays in these trends, pointing out some surprising factors and then using these insights to come up with a practical plan for reconnecting with the world. He then answers listener questions and concludes with a tech corner segment inspired by yet another New Yorker column.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: On Screens and Solitude [3:09]

- How can I study at night after my doctor work? [26:49]

- Can you comment on Leopold Aschenbrenner’s Situational Awareness essay? [36:45]

- How do I successfully pursue my non-work values? [51:33]

- How can I become a better writer? [1:00:56]

- Can someone break into the top 0.1% of their respective field without periods of unsustainable and obsessive work? [1:02:44]

- CALL: Managing active projects [1:08:42]

CASE STUDY: A follow-up from Episode 323 [1:13:02]

CAL REACTS: An Offline Person Tries TikTok for the First Time [1:19:34]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

axios.com/2024/06/23/leopold-aschenbrenner-ai-future-silicon-valley

theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/02/american-loneliness-personality-politics/681091/

• newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/what-happened-when-an-extremely-offline-person-tried-tiktok

Thanks to our Sponsors:

upliftdesk.com/deep

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most popular and most derided topics in online productivity spaces are so-called morning routines. In this episode, Cal wades into this content, identifying three major categories of these routines. For each, he explores what’s good and what’s bad. In the end, he uses these lessons to update his own daily routines in some highly specific ways. He then answers reader questions and ends with a “tech corner” segment that builds on Cal’s latest essay for The New Yorker.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: On Morning Routines [4:04]

- How should I choose what podcasts to listen to? [41:49]

- How does Cal track daily steps? [52:57]

- Can I switch my office hours around? [57:23]

- How long should I remain at a large marketing firm? [1:02:37]

- How can I reject meetings? [1:10:02]

- CALL: How to obsess over quality while researching [1:13:22]

CASE STUDY: A career transition to become a pastor [1:18:57]

TECH CORNER: YouTube and the Creative Middle Class [1:28:18]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

x.com/jockowillink

tiktok.com/@spartan/video/7259530421099056427

nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/i-tried-miracle-morning-routine-month-here-s-what-happened-ncna981786

youtube.com/watch?v=roK4g1e28mM

newyorker.com/culture/rabbit-holes/a-lesson-in-creativity-and-capitalism-from-two-zany-youtubers

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

cozyearth.com/deep (Use code: DEEP)

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal talks about his journey into the tinsel-tinged world of Hallmark Christmas movies, where he discovered an unexpected connection between these low-budget productions and a key idea in the quest to cultivate a deep life in a distracted world. He then answers questions from listeners and reviews the books he read in December.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Hallmark Movies and the Deep Life [2:31]

- Does Cal use a Commonplace book? [22:53]

- How do I create an effective weekly template? [25:54]

- Is your monthly book reading separate from “work” reading? [31:18]  

- What are the best strategies for a college student to learn calculus? [36:38]

- What are other book recommendations that dive deeper into Slow Productivity? [43:50]

- CALL: Struggling to apply multi-scale planning to grow a business [46:15]

CASE STUDY: Transitioning to knowledge work [52:18]

DECEMBER BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in December, 2024 [1:03:17]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

nytimes.com/2024/12/08/arts/christmas-movies-hallmark-lohan.html

imdb.com/title/tt29378386/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

landroverusa.com

rhone.com/cal

shopify.com/deep

drinklmnt.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: 4 Pieces of Advice to Start 2025 [2:14]

- How do I stop doom-scrolling before bed? [32:47]

- What is the role of craft in Cal’s “Deep Life Stack 2.0” idea? [36:09]

- How do I save money? [41:04]

- Do writers need social media audiences? [50:12]

- How should I make the most of 90 minutes of commute time? [53:57]

- CALL: Life after a career in law [57:31]

CASE STUDY: A digital declutter with LinkedIn? [1:01:53]

TECH CORNER: Is Social Media Like Dying Malls? (A Debate) [1:07:46]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
honest-broker.com/p/are-social-media-platforms-the-next

Thanks to our Sponsors:

landroverusa.com
zbiotics.com/deep
eightsleep.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

- Who are Cal’s “must read” writers? [6:03]
- Does Cal think he can get better at writing? [13:37]
- When does Cal find time for academic papers? [24:09]
- How do you get unstuck? [26:44]
- How should students pick a college? [34:04]
- What is Cal’s shutdown ritual? [43:00]
- Does Cal think about retirement? [48:00]
- CAL REACTS: Elon and Twitter [54:30]
- Is cal still using his ReMarkable? [1:03:17]
- What’s Cal’s post-mortem on his latest book? [1:08:10]

FINAL SEGMENT: Checking in on Cal’s New Year Plan [1:26:10]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/see-how-elon-musks-online-audience-dwarfs-donald-trumps/?itid=hp_world-biz-tech_p006_f008

Thanks to our Sponsors:

notion.com/cal
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal welcomes the bestselling author Michael Easter to talk about the importance of embracing discomfort in the quest to cultivate a deep life. Drawing from Michael’s two books, THE COMFORT CRISIS and SCARCITY BRAIN, as well as Michael’s personal journey from an unhappy office worker with an alcohol problem to a full-time writer who enjoys daily hikes in the desert, Cal and Michael get into the weeds of our human wiring and what it feels like to build an intentional life.

Video from today’s episode: https://www.youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Bestselling author Michael Easter [5:56]

Links:

https://www.landroverusa.com
https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most important but often overlooked elements of cultivating a deep life is the role of money. In this episode, Cal takes a contrarian look at this topic, arguing that the monetary cost of your vision is not actually the most important metric. He then answers listener questions and reacts to an article that many people sent him this past week.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Money and the Deep Life [3:17]

- How can I tame my wandering mind when reading? [23:34]

- How should I schedule time blocks as a real estate agent? [27:21]

- How can I improve my quarterly planning? [32:33]

- How can I balance intense motivation with finding inner peace? [38:29] 

- How can a jobseeker demonstrate actual productivity? [45:37]

- CALL: Trying to do more with a newborn [53:34]

CASE STUDY: A 39-year-old juggling school and work [1:00:18]

CAL REACTS: ‘Brain Rot’ [1:12:51]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

corp.oup.com/news/brain-rot-named-oxford-word-of-the-year-2024/

youtu.be/mHU_K1o3B-4?si=Tsk1GEgzrhlCiaGw

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Australia recently passed a world-first law banning social media use for kids under the age of 16. In this episode, Cal looks carefully at the arguments in favor and against this new law before detailing his thoughts. He then connects this specific argument to all of our larger battles to tame technology’s impact in our lives. This is followed by listener questions and a review of the books Cal read in November.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Tackling Social Media’s Hidden Dangers [2:08]

- How do I find friends now that I don’t use social media? [37:13]

- Is continuous hard activity desirable? [42:47]

- How does Cal research his books and articles? [46:49]

CASE STUDY: A Phone Addict Seeks a Fresh Start [51:08] 

- How does the idea of the idea of the deep life “Longer Short Way” connect to Slow Productivity? [1:02:07]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in November, 2024 [1:10:34]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

cnn.com/2024/11/28/australia/australia-passes-social-media-law-intl-hnk/index.html

apnews.com/article/australia-social-media-children-ban-safeguarding-harm-accounts-d0cde2603bdbc7167801da1d00ecd056

Thanks to our Sponsors

mybodytutor.com

cozyearth.com/deep

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byloftie.com (use code: DEEP20)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

This IN-DEPTH is brought to you by Defender. 

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal welcomes the bestselling author Kendra Adachi to talk about her new book, THE PLAN, which introduces the innovative idea of “compassionate time management.” Kendra and Cal discuss how to move beyond the forever pursuit of “greatness” to instead seek satisfaction in your current life; the ways in which time management and productivity writing ignores the specific concerns of women; and why flexibility and pivoting are more important skills than precise planning. 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Links:
https://www.landroverusa.com
https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We cover a lot of advice on this podcast, covering a lot of different topics. In today’s episode, Cal takes on the challenge of summarizing every big idea he promotes in less than five minutes. He then provides some theoretical connective tissue to explain how they all connect. This is followed by reader questions and a rant about “productivity.” 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Tao of Cal [2:53] 

- Why is time blocking more demanding than using a weekly template? [25:04] 

- Is moving to the country a bad idea? [29:54] 

- How can I consolidate my email accounts without being stressed out? [34:47] 

- What’s the best approach to read for general knowledge? [36:20] 

- How do I apply Slow Productivity without losing career capital? [43:12] 

- CALL: Should I adjust my deep life lifestyle? [45:58] 

CASE STUDY: Cultivating the deep work muscle [56:38]  

CAL REACTS (e.g., Rants): “Productivity” Tracking Software [1:05:58] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/1gwg7rk/employee_monitoring_software_has_gone_off_the/?rdt=41693

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

There’s a video trending on the internet at the moment arguing that its audience (presumably, young men) should disappear from the world to focus on going “beast mode” on their goals. Cal takes a closer look at this video and argues that it points toward a much larger issue – a mismatch between the modern digital environment and our human brains – that affects all of us. He then answers listener questions and calls and concludes with a tech corner segment. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Analog Mode [2:39] 

- How do I go about restructuring my life after a shake-up? [29:50] 

- Should I take breaks from my AirPods? [36:03] 

- How can I adopt the discipline ladder to “multi-scale” planning? [38:54] 

- How do I regain a sense of time in a period of isolation and challenge? [43:41] 

- Should I quit some of my side projects? [48:50] 

- CALL: How should I time block on sabbatical? [55:27] 

CASE STUDY:  Building Studio Z [1:03:18] 

TECH CORNER: Section 230 and Poison Pills [1:15:10] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

youtube.com/watch?v=p5a7whN1k64

promarket.org/2020/12/13/liberals-conservatives-wrong-section-230-reform-repeal/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Almost everyone feels uneasy about their relationships with their smartphones. But the question is why? In today’s episode, Cal looks past the most common answers to seek a deeper understanding built on an unexpected source: the moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant. He then answers listener questions and ends the show with another edition of the tech corner segment. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Would Kant Use TikTok? [6:13] 

- Do “distraction free” apps work? [30:36] 

- How can I finish what I start? [34:24] 

- Is context shifting slowing down my work as a teacher? [37:42] 

- How should I organize my official podcast duties with my traditional teaching requirements? [43:08] 

- Is “slow living” and “slow productivity" the same thing? [49:00] 

- CALL: Deep work blocks in the afternoon [55:58] 

CASE STUDY:  Re-designing a life with a new job [1:00:07] 

TECH CORNER: How do recommendation algorithms work? [1:11:00] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? 

youtu.be/SeZ1YOgbz18?si=kuCksvy_dGoOfx8Q 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

shopify.com/deep 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

During the election season our devices take a particularly hard tole on our health and happiness. Now that the votes have been cast and counted, Cal proposes it’s time to take a temporary but radical break from the exhausting digital chatter. He then answers questions from his listeners and discusses Martha Stewart and the problems of “aesthetic productivity.”

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Time to Unplug [2:49]

- How do I organize all the information in my life? [39:04]

- How can I do a side hustle if it’s against company policy? [42:23]

- What is “Humanist Productivity”? [48:46]

- Should I use a flip phone in college? [57:05]

- How can I work at a natural place in a software company? [1:01:27]

- CALL: Oliver Burkeman and imperfectionism [1:08:32]

CASE STUDY: Managing with slow productivity [1:13:16] 

CAL REACTS: Martha Stewart’s Productivity Tips [1:21:36]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

calnewport.com/after-you-vote-unplug/

today.com/shop/martha-stewart-shares-her-favorite-tips-staying-organized-t171345

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

A common theme on this show is the importance of focus and the need to train the ability. This can be a long term project, but are there things you can do right away to improve your ability to concentrate? In this episode, Cal explores five easy ideas that will immediately improve your focus ability. He then answers listener questions and reviews the books he read in October 2024. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Simple Focus Protocols [2:09] 

- Can I time-block my personal time if it’s more busy than work? [25:57] 

- How do I prioritize when I have so much I want to do? [29:46] 

- How can I do deep work to increase my job skills if my days are filled with meetings? [34:50] 

- What are your all-time favorite books? [39:25] 

- How can I apply the principles of Slow Productivity as a business owner with multiple projects? [44:41] 

- CALL: Eyeglasses as a proxy for meaningful effort [49:39] 

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in October 2024 [59:01] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions 

grammarly.com/podcast 

zocdoc.com/deep

shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

We talk a lot on this show about how to organize your professional efforts. But what about all your obligations outside of work? The personal goals, the household repairs, the family tasks? In this episode, Cal discusses organizational strategies custom-fit to these types of obligations. He then answers listener questions and checks in on a hidden trend in the world of technology. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Taming Non-Work Tasks [4:48] 

- How do you manage unexpected projects in your time management system? [26:57] 

- How can I implement lifestyle-centric planning if my life has been directed by other people? [29:36] 

- How do you figure out what your rare and valuable skill is? [33:57] 

- Should I return to social media to promote my new book? [37:30] 

- How can I do fewer things if I’m expected to bill 40 client hours every week? [46:23] 

- CALL: Hiring an administrative assistant [50:08] 

CASE STUDY: A software developer’s “pull” system [57:35] 

TECH CORNER: The Quiet Revolution [1:08:34] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? 

newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/the-frightening-familiarity-of-late-nineties-office-photos 

youtube.com/watch?v=-lRkCbhABvo

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

One of the most common complaints from people attempting to cultivate a deep life in our distracted world is procrastination. You want to make regular progress on something important but find you just can’t get going. In this episode, Cal discusses a less well understood cause of some procrastination and offers unconventional advice for facing it. He also answers listener questions and reacts to an article about a famous author’s unexpected regret. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Strategic Procrastination [4:46] 

- Should I change my job? [20:28] 

- Should I automate my busy work? [24:20] 

- How can I speed up my reading? [27:01] 

- Should I quit my job to get my PhD? [31:41] 

- My team of 3 has 37 open projects. How do we avoid burnout? [43:29] 

- CALL: An engineering student’s commute [50:52] 

CASE STUDY: Doing a master’s later in life [59:50] 

CAL REACTS: Anne Patchett’s Biggest Regret [1:09:40] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

nytimes.com/2024/10/15/opinion/ann-patchett-regret-email.html

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, a semi-regular interview series with people at the frontiers of deep living, Cal welcomes the bestselling author Oliver Burkeman to the Deep Work HQ to talk about his new book, MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALS, and more generally the tension between wanting to get your act together and becoming unhealthily obsessed with productivity.

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: New York Times best seller Oliver Burkeman [3:40]

Links:
https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do you struggle to consistently make progress on hard things that are important to you? In today’s episode, Cal describes a way to improve this state of affairs: a systematic training regime called the discipline ladder. He then answers listener questions about their own struggles with discipline and reacts to an article claiming that professors are lazy (gasp!). 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Discipline Ladder [4:29] 

- How can I overcome procrastination? [24:42] 

- How can I make my daily metrics more personal? [27:16] 

- How can I get my discipline back on track after a negative event? [32:47] 

- How can I be more disciplined to find time for my part-time project? [39:50] 

- How can my organization adopt slow productivity principles? [43:49] 

- CALL: Process centered emails [50:41] 

CASE STUDY: Leveraging Career Capital [58:02] 

CAL REACTS: Are Professor’s Lazy? [1:07:19] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

city-journal.org/article/professor-mia

newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/what-kind-of-writer-is-chatgpt

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

It has become second nature to maintain a continuous partial participation in the world of digital networks. In today’s episode, Cal reflects on a week in which he spent too much time online, and argues why this continuous partial participation is dehumanizing, and what you can do to escape. He then takes questions and calls from listeners and reviews the five books he read in September. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: How Your Phone Is Changing You [1:43] 

- How do I teach my bosses to be deeper? [28:34] 

- How can I focus as a doctor when I have to keep switching from one patient to the next?” [35:46] 

- How do I overcome notebook overwhelm? [39:13] 

- Can “creativity” be added to the deep life buckets? [40:47] 

- How do I overcome the guilt of no longer being pseudo-productive? [44:51] 

- CALL: The Pomodoro Technique and overcoming distraction [49:33] 

CASE STUDY: A 39-year-old changes careers [54:21] 

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in September 2024 [1:02:50] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

zocdoc.com/deep

shopify.com/deep

zbiotics.com/cal
 

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

One of the single most important factors in your attempts to cultivate a deep life is your job. Yet, many people don’t give much thought to the role their work will play in their conception of a life well-lived. In this episode, Cal looks deeper at this topic. He starts by outlining four common traps people fall into when thinking about their work and happiness, then offers an alternative model that works better. He continues by answering listener questions about jobs and happiness, and ends with a look at Robert Caro’s writing shack.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Jobs and the Deep Life [3:43]

- How can I tame my 12-hour work days? [26:25]
- Should I worry about having too many daily metrics? [29:49]
- How can I create an inspiring deep work environment if I work out of my car? [33:24]
- How can I remain accessible to my kid's daycare without being constantly distracted? [35:36] 
- How can I use the principles of slow productivity for my MBA studies? [39:58]
- CALL: Applying Cal’s principles as a new parent [45:49]

CASE STUDY: Focused work for a PhD program [51:37] 

CAL REACTS: Robert Caro’s Budget Writing Shack [1:01:18]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?tumblr.austinkleon.com/post/761805215728009216/in-the-shack-with-robert-caro-he-bought-the-prefab

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, a new semi-regular interview series with people at the frontiers of deep living, Cal interviews bestselling author Ryan Holiday about the systematic construction of an intentional life. They begin by talking about lessons from Ryan’s new book. RIGHT THING, RIGHT NOW, then go deep on Ryan’s own journey from a college drop-out working in a Hollywood talent agency to becoming a fully independent and massively successful writer and media personality.

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Mega-bestselling writer Ryan Holiday [3:33]

Links:
https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Why can you never seem to find enough time to make progress on the non-urgent but important priorities that can move you closer to the ideal of the deep life? In this episode, Cal reviews three common “time destroyers,” and for each offers solutions to fight back. He then takes questions and calls from his listeners and ends with a discussion of Amazon and the bureaucracy mailbox. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Reclaim Your Time [3:43]  

- Is Agile compatible with slow productivity? [34:20] 
- How can I better structure my days as a master’s student with a job? [36:37] 
- How often and in what medium should I check my calendar? [42:43] 
- On days when I have no time, does reading for 20 minutes actually do anything? [46:52] 
- Will slow productivity make me less ambitious? [52:16] 
- CALL: Different types of Deep Work [58:04] 

CASE STUDY:  A teacher’s shutdown ritual [1:03:55] 

CAL REACTS: A Bureaucracy Mailbox [1:10:24] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/ceo-andy-jassy-latest-update-on-amazon-return-to-office-manager-team-ratio

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

drinklmnt.com/deep
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

One of the more viral suggestions from Cal’s recent book, SLOW PRODUCTIVITY, was to occasionally skip out of work to see a movie. In this episode, Cal dives deep into criticisms of this advice and decodes what this tells us about where knowledge work is faltering and how we can make things better. He then answers questions from listeners and reacts to some productivity advice given from a well-known CEO. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive:  [7:47] 

- Can I work deeply in my chaotic job? [27:17] 

- Can I use my inbox as a task list? [31:36] 

- How do you look at travel within your plans for a deep life? [35:12] 

- How can I get my partner to stop talking about work? [41:14] 

- How do I practice slow productivity with health issues? [44:54] 

- CALL: How can I decide on what career path to pursue? [49:14] 

CASE STUDY: Switching careers after a 20 year law stint [56:11] 

CAL REACTS: The CEO Who Swears by Time Blocking [1:05:04] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

cnbc.com/2024/05/09/want-to-boost-your-productivity-hit-the-movies-during-work-expert-says.html

cnbc.com/amp/2024/09/09/whole-foods-ceo-swears-by-time-blocking-to-boost-productivity.html

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Becoming notably good at something valuable is one of the most powerful tools for crafting a deep life. But how do people do this? In this episode, Cal explores three useful rules for getting good in search of depth. He then answers listener questions and reacts to a remarkable collection of advice from almost seven decades ago. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The 10-Year Rule [2:29] 

- Why can’t I succeed with Cal’s time management system? [32:03] 
- Can RSS feeds make “fast content” slow? [39:06] 
- Can persuading people be considered deep work? [45:05] 
- How can I guide my teenage son towards a deep life? [47:05] 
- How do I find time to launch my new business? [49:53] 
- CALL: Testing a book idea without social media [55:04] 

 CASE STUDY: A professional athlete utilizing career capital [1:06:10] 

 CAL REACTS: C.S. Lewis’s Advice for Writers [1:15:32] 

 Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/ryan-holiday-stoic-king-bastrop-painted-porch/
youtube.com/watch?v=hB3tBI-KNLk
twitter.com/InfiniteB88ks/status/1824108211081019821

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

The fall is the perfect time to tune up your productivity and organizational systems. With this in mind, in this episode, Cal discusses a tool he has long used in his own life but never discussed before in public: the weekly template. He then answers questions on the theme of personal productivity from listeners and reviews the books he read in August. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Weekly Templates [3:29]

- How does Cal schedule his evening writing sessions? [26:08]

- How can I leverage my current career capital to become an entrepreneur? [30:30]

- How do I find time for non-urgent but interesting deep work? [35:59]

- Is afternoon deep work possible? [39:16]

- Can I use slow productivity to help prepare for a job interview? [45:49]

- CALL: How do I not be reactionary during my busy season? [51:42]

CASE STUDY: Using Cal’s toolkit while working in the Peace Corps [56:52]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in August 2024 [1:06:05]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

zocdoc.com/deep

notion.com/cal

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this classic episode, Cal talks about the surprising myth of doing less. Cal then answers questions about discipline and solving complicated problems. Cal concludes the episode with a review of the books he read back in April 2022.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Surprising Math of Doing Less [3:33]

- How do I improve my discipline?  [20:01]
- How do you break down a complicated problem? [31:04]
- CALL: Has Cal read “Stolen Focus”? [34:07]

The Books I Read in April 2022 [40:28]

LISTENER CALL: Playbook for writing in The New Yorker [1:05:30]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors:

drinklmnt.com/deep
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this classic episode Cal talks about the elements of the Deep Life. He then answers a variety of questions about work, family, and phone distractions.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: The Elements of the Deep Life [2:31] 

- How should I get started in a new remote work job? [17:39] 
- How I time block a purely reactive job? [22:49] 
- Should I bother capturing tasks that are fast to complete? [26:20] 
- How do I tame multiple concurrent projects? [29:53] 
- How do I schedule optional deep work in an exhausting job? [32:51] 
- How much time is left for family after goals and deep work? [39:56] 
- Is there such a thing as deep fun? [42:44] 
- I am addicted to my phone. What do I do? [44:48] 
- How do I make a big life decision when I have lots of options? [50:35] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

 cozyearth.com/cal 
mintmobile.com/deep 
policygenius.com/deepquestions 
blinkist.com/deep 

 Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Summer is the perfect time to ready yourself for significant changes in your life. A chance to seek more depth in a distracted world. But for many, the goal for these changes is unclear. They know they want something deeper, but they don’t know what exactly that is. In this episode, Cal describes a method called structured journaling that can help you clarify your vision for what you seek. He then answers readers’ questions and ends with a final segment in which reacts to a provocative claim by Jon M. Chu, the director of the new WICKED film adaptation.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Structured journaling [6:10]

- What does Cal think of goal planning systems? [30:32]
- How can college students cultivate a deep life? [32:44]
- Can I live a deep life as a lawyer? [40:19]
- How does Cal keep track of the books he wants to read? [46:19]
- I finish all my work in a single day. Is this unethical? [49:15]
- How do I cultivate a deep life in a busy career? [53:11]
- CALL: Should I leave a perfect job? [56:54]

CASE STUDY: Career capital theory in action [1:02:38]

FINAL SEGMENT: Jon M. Chu on Creativity and Hard Work [1:10:05]

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
• Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
• nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02540-0
• nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02381-x

Thanks to our Sponsors:

• grammarly.com/podcast
• mybodytutor.com
• rhone.com/cal
• shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

It’s mid-summer, people have some extra breathing room in their schedule, they’re relaxed. This moment of quiet seems like a perfect time to revisit some of this show’s most popular ideas about finding productivity in a world drowning in digital distractions. In this episode, Cal reviews his five most effective productivity related ideas. He then answers reader questions and reviews the seven books he read in July 2024.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Productivity Basics [2:55]

- How closely should I schedule my leisure activities? [46:32]

- How do I time block a day that lasts longer than 11 hours? [51:57]

- Can I save mental energy at work to be more alive outside of work? [58:59]

- How do I actually motivate myself to execute the work I planned? [1:04:38]

- Am I obsessing over the right things for promotion? [1:10:16]

- CALL: Dealing with AI driven calendars [1:16:29]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 7 Books Cal Read in July 2024 [1:26:11]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

zocdoc.com/deep

expressvpn.com/deep

drinklmnt.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In our current digital world, distracting world events have a way of completely destabilizing our ability to focus on work that matters. In today’s episode, Cal provides advice for escaping these destabilizing attention environments and regaining some sense of mental peace and depth. He then answers questions, takes a call, and reports on some fun sightings of his book Deep Work out in the wild. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Finding focus in distracting times [7:06] 

- How can I convince my boss to stop interrupting me? [34:05] 

- Should I switch jobs? [41:13] 

- How do I integrate unpredictable calls into an otherwise structured schedule? [43:38] 

- What’s the ideal reading ratio of difficult to easy books? [47:25] 

- I just turned 30. Am I too late to apply the slow productivity principles? [50:32] 

CASE STUDY: Using lifestyle-centered career planning to improve work and pursue a hobby [57:07] 

CALL: Switching roles to an unstructured team [1:02:06] 

CAL REACTS: Two Wild Deep Work Sightings [1:11:45] 

Links: 

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? 

nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/authors-top-books-21st-century.html 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

oracle.com/deepquestions 

indeed.com/deep 

notion.com/cal 

shopify.com/deep 

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Discipline is critical to cultivating a deep life, but what exactly does this concept mean? In this episode, Cal uses a concrete case study from Reddit to dive deeper into the nuances of discipline and to then identify concrete, practical advice for improving your ability to take disciplined action. He then answers listener questions and asks for Jesse’s judgment on a battle of the writing sheds. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive:  Rethinking Discipline [5:44] 

- Should I work harder at finding a job? [36:13] 

- How can I measure the Discipline layer of the Deep Life Stack? [39:38] 

- How do I stay off my phone in times of stress? [44:34] 

- How can I regain the control over my phone that I once had in college? [48:44] 

- Does Cal only write on a laptop to avoid distractions? [51:54] 

- How can a new knowledge worker apply the slow productivity principles when starting a new job? [58:13] 

CASE STUDY: Shifting jobs between teaching and administration [1:04:10] 

FINAL SEGMENT: Battle of the Sheds [1:12:01] 

Links: 

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 
• Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? 
• reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/15sjr2h/lpt_request_how_to_stop_favoring_short_term/ 
• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2958859/ 
• sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240607121448.htm 
• english.elpais.com/lifestyle/2024-07-06/cal-newport-the-man-who-never-procrastinates.html 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• mintmobile.com/deep 
• rhone.com/cal 
• greenlight.com/deep 
• blinkist.com/deep 

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

On this show, we often talk about major overhauls to your work and life. In this episode, we go the other way and focus on the small habits that can make a big difference. In more detail, Cal describes eight surprisingly small strategies – four focused on work and four focused on life outside of work – for finding more depth in a distracted world. He then answers listener questions and reacts to a recent article about pushback to calls to limiting social media for kids.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Habits [2:46]

- Can I keep my weekly plan in my workingmemory.txt file? [31:13]
- Do you experience any pleasure during deep work? [33:39]
- How many deep work sessions should I do each working week? [38:23]
- How can I prioritize my goals in my personal life? [40:58]
- Does the suggestion to “limit daily goals” conflict with time blocking? [44:09]
 
CASE STUDY: Building my career around a desired lifestyle [45:53]

CAL REACTS: Countering Pushback to Limiting Social Media for Kids [54:26] 

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
• Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
• washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/06/27/social-media-warning-label-surgeon-general-counterarguments/
• english.elpais.com/lifestyle/2024-07-06/cal-newport-the-man-who-never-procrastinates.html

 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• grammarly.com/podcast
• cozyearth.com/cal
• mybodytutor.com
• drinklmnt.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the trickiest aspects of new technology is that it can sometimes destabilize parts of our lives that we didn’t even realize existed and are important. In this episode, Cal talks about one such idea: the quiet mind. Our constant phone usage is eliminating this critical cognitive state, and by doing so is diminishing our humanity. Cal makes the case for the importance of the quiet mind, and then gives concrete ideas for cultivating it in a distracted world. He also answers questions from listeners and reviews the five books he read in June.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive:  The Power of the Quiet Mind [3:58]

- What are the benefits of walking meditation? [29:13]

- How can a new dad find time to advance his career? [34:16]

- How do I manage a temporary increase in admin responsibilities? [38:48]

- How can my son organize his sports and school schedule? [43:31]

- How can I do less when my colleagues are getting ahead for doing more? [45:54]

- CALL: Pre-scheduling with a pull system [51:14]

CASE STUDY: Collaborating with colleagues to effectively do hard work [57:54]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in June 2024 [1:08:05]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors:

indeed.com/deep

notion.com/cal

shopify.com/deep

expressvpn.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Why are we comfortable with the idea that ultra-processed foods are bad for us but feel somehow anti-technology to say something similar about the ultra-processed content generated by social media platforms. In this episode, Cal draws analogy to the food system to find a more sustainable and practical way to repair our relationship with various forms of media. He then answers questions and calls, shares an inspiring case study, and, due to popular request, gives his opinion on Jonathan Haidt’s new book, THE ANXIOUS GENERATION.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive:  Ultra-Processed Content [2:11]

- How would Cal update his college books to deal with the modern day technology distractions? [28:38]

- How can I introduce more balance into my highly focused life? [34:56]

- Is it ok to play Candy Crush while listening to podcasts? [42:23]

- How do I find time for deep thinking in a distracted life? [45:26]

- How can I work deeper in a shallow pond? [49:48]

- CALL: Using extended periods of time to plan [57:36]

 CASE STUDY: Making a career change with a safety net [1:00:29]

CAL REACTS: The Anxious Generation [1:10:20]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://calnewport.com/on-ultra-processed-content/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions
https://www.zocdoc.com/deep
https://www.drinklmnt.com/deep
https://www.ladder.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the simmering concerns surrounding the current AI revolution is the fear that we might accidentally create an “alien mind” smarter than we expected. In this episode, Cal puts on his Computer Scientist hat and directly addresses this potential by sketching his emerging concept of intentional artificial intelligence (or, iAI for short). He then answers tech-themed questions from listeners and reacts to an article that many, many different people sent to him last week.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive:  Defusing AI Panic [5:23]

- Will A.I. agents spread misinformation on a large scale? [46:31]

- Is lack of good measurement and evaluation for A.I. systems a major problem? [51:16]  

- Is the development of A.I. the biggest thing to happen in technology since the internet? [56:50]

- How do I balance a 30 day declutter with my overall technology use? [1:00:40]

- How do I convince my team that prioritizing quality over quantity will help them get promotions? [1:07:46]

- CALL: Distributed trust models and social media [1:13:12] 

CASE STUDY: Using Deep Work and Slow Productivity to engineer a better work situation [1:22:55]

CAL REACTS: Employees fired for using “mouse jigglers” [1:32:03]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?v=448bf8afad0740d18f6b109b4bd40d51 

axios.com/2024/06/18/wells-fargo-mouse-jiggler-fired-employee-productivity

nytimes.com/2023/03/24/opinion/yuval-harari-ai-chatgpt.html

arxiv.org/pdf/2303.12712 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

moshlife.com/deep

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grammarly.com/podcast

rhone.com/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Oliver Burkeman recently noted that time blocking seems oppressive? In this episode, Cal responds to this reaction in a surprising way. He then answers questions from listeners and reacts to this podcast being featured at the recent Apple WWDC event.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive:  Is Time Blocking Oppressive? [2:38]

- Can Cal elaborate on his experience with his Acceptance and Commitment therapy? [26:46]
- How can I sustain my deep life program? [35:03]
- How can I stop my girlfriend from always checking her phone? [38:07]
- How long are your time blocks in your planner? [43:07]
- How do I obsess over quality with filling into procrastination? [47:07]
- CALL: Getting back on track after travel [55:10]
 
CASE STUDY: Adopting principles from Cal’s book to design my life [1:00:11]

CAL REACTS: Deep Questions featured at Apple’s WWDC! [1:10:32] 

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
• Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?v=448bf8afad0740d18f6b109b4bd40d51
• shows.acast.com/farewell/episodes/045-the-reason-you-cant-ever-get-through-your-to-do-list-wit
• developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2024/102/

 
Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• drinklmnt.com/deep
• cozyearth.com/cal
• mintmobile.com/deep
• policygenius.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In a recent interview, held to promote his new Netflix movie, Jerry Seinfeld went on a remarkable 10-minute run in which he rattled off one insight after another about deep work, procrastination, and the quest to live an intentional life in a distracted world. In this episode, Cal extracts four key lessons from this segment of Jerry’s interview. He then takes listener questions and ends with a segment in which he apologizes to an internet personality whom he incorrectly associated with the dreaded “hustle culture.”

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive:  Seinfeld on The Deep Life [4:31]

- Do I need to practice outside of work to improve my craft? [30:26]
- Can I tackle learning goals sequentially? [38:44]
- How do I get through “grinding” at work? [43:10]
- How can I build my craft to grow my YouTube channel? [49:56]
- Can Cal talk about being an assistant professor with young kids? [54:49]

CASE STUDY: Using lifestyle-centric career planning to upgrade my job and life [1:00:09]

CAL REACTS: James Scholz studies twelve hours a day [1:05:19]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
youtube.com/watch?v=TXAvkqXD-Fc
youtube.com/c/jamesscholz

Thanks to our Sponsors:

drinklmnt.com/deep
blinkist.com/deep
mybodytutor.com
shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

The desire to cultivate a more intentional and remarkable existence – what we call “the deep life” – is universal. In today’s episode, Cal talks about one of the most common traps in this pursuit: hoping that the achievement of a singular grand goal will make all parts of your life better. Cal discusses the problems with the grand goal approach and argues why the more systematic lifestyle-centric mindset will not only produce better results, but end up leading to remarkable opportunities anyway. He then takes questions and calls from readers and reviews the five books he read in May.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: How to create a deep life [9:55]

- Is it too late to start living deep at the age of 27? [31:29]
- Is it possible to cultivate a deep life at a job that requires full attention? [36:05]
- How come there are different Deep Life Stacks? [38:57]
- How do I cultivate a deep life with small children? [46:40]
- Do I need to “limit my missions” if I have a standard day job? [54:40]
- CALL: Keeping focus after having children [58:28]

CASE STUDY: Finding books to help cultivate a deep life [1:12:18]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in May 2024 [1:22:47]

Science and Human Values (J. Bronowski)
The Hot Zone (Richard Preston)
Extinction (Douglas Preston)
When the Shooting Stops…the Cutting Begins (Ralph Rosenbaum and Robert Karen)
The Great Partnership (Jonathan Sacks)

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

 
Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions
• zocdoc.com/deep
• expressvpn.com/deep
• notion.com/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We talk a lot on this show about how to organize and execute your work, but not enough about where to do it. In this episode, Cal explores the theory and practice of “adventure working,” in which you escape to novel and inspiring locations to tackle your most demanding and interesting cognitive efforts. He then answers reader questions about habits and rituals, before ending with a critical look at a famous football club’s distressing embrace of pseudo-productivity.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Re-Enchanting Work [5:39]

- What are Cal’s health habits? [31:12]
- What’s the difference between discipline and rituals? [34:08]
- How does Cal read so much? [37:37]
- What are Cal’s writing-related rituals? [40:44]
- Should I go slow in my job hunting? [45:05]
- CALL: Working at a natural pace as a teacher [49:47]
- CALL:  How to navigate the “pull system” [54:31]

CASE STUDY: Organizing files in a household [1:00:57]

CAL REACTS: Manchester’s United’s Pseudo-Productivity [1:11:13] 

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
• calnewport.com/adventure-studying-an-unconventional-new-approach-to-exam-preperation/
• calnewport.com/bonus-post-an-adventure-studying-case-study/
• instagram.com/p/B1y5dV3HSC9/?igshid=1r2acwbmfztew
• apcc.org/pond-stories-mary-olivers-blackwater-pond-provincetown/
• scottishfield.co.uk/scotland-travel/the-black-heart-of-scots-crime-writer-ian-rankin/
• calnewport.com/the-power-of-the-outdoor-office/
• calnewport.com/deep-habits-my-office-in-the-woods/
• theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/08/sir-jim-ratcliffe-manchester-united-remote-work-ban-email-traffic
• theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/hybrid-work-attention-productivity/677598/

 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• shopify.com/deep
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, the proverbial tables are turned, with Cal being interviewed by Jordan Harbinger about time, focus, and the quest for a slower notion of productivity. (This interview originally aired as episode 975 Jordan's can’t-miss podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show).

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

- INTERVIEW: Cal being interviewed by Jordan Harbinger [1:54]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors:

mintmobile.com/deep
grammarly.com/podcast
landroverusa.com/defender
rhone.com/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

There has been a lot of attention paid recently to the impact of technology like social media on the mental health of young people. But this is not the only technology trap lurking for this generation. In this episode, Cal talks about three subtle but significant ways in which our current technology culture is setting up young people for professional failure in the years ahead. He then provides some advice for resisting this fate. In addition to this discussion, he answers questions from the audience and reacts to one of the coolest examples of slow craft that he’s encountered in a long while.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Burnout Society [7:53]

- How can I stop distraction relapses? [35:18]
- How can I reduce my social media addiction without abandoning these technologies? [39:37]
- How can I schedule deep work with a scattered class schedule? [44:29]
- How should I reintroduce video games after a successful digital declutter? [47:14]
- How do I apply Slow Productivity later in life? [51:04]
- CALL: How to formulate a deep life when you’re young [54:41]   

CASE STUDY: Tweaking the time block planner [1:06:44] 

CAL REACTS: A Slow Reconstruction of an Ancient City [1:11:00]

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEJ4hkpQW8E
• www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2023-cs-smartphone-research-report_final-for-web.pdf
• tenochtitlan.thomaskole.nl/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• drinklmnt.com/deep
• cozyearth.com/cal
• expressvpn.com/deep
• mybodytutor.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Cal has been writing professionally about issues related to personal productivity for two decades. In today’s episode, he provides a short history of what he’s observed during this period about out constantly shifting relationship with this topic, from the quiet optimism of the 1990s, to the techno-mania of the early 2000s, to the whiplash shift from anti-distraction to anti-work sentiments in the 2010s. He ends with a summary of where we are today and what he currently thinks matters in thinking about getting things done. During the Q&A session, Cal is joined by special guest host Scott Young (whose new book is GET BETTER AT ANYTHING) to help answer your questions. We conclude with a list of the books Cal read in April.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The 20-year history with personal productivity [4:20]

- How does Cal organize his files as a technical researcher? [1:04:55]
- How slow is too slow? [1:18:48]
- Does “Monk Mode” actually work? [1:27:25]
- How do I adapt my organizational systems to do more complicated work? [1:36:07]
- What are the most underrated habits for living a great life? [1:49:46]

CASE STUDY: Unconventional slow productivity [1:55:56]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in April 2024 [2:04:51]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?v=448bf8afad0740d18f6b109b4bd40d51
moehrbetter.com/gtd-advanced-workflow-diagram.html

Books Discussed in Deep Dive:

7 Habits of Highly Effective People
How To Become CEO
Getting Things Done
The Four Hour Work Week
Essentialism
How To Do Nothing

April Books:

An Empire of Their Own by Neal Gabler
Co-intelligence by Ethan Mollick
Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan
The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb
To Heal a Fractured World by Jonathan Sacks

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions
notion.com/cal
zocdoc.com/deep
shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We think of information as something neutral; a spotlight that helps illuminate the reality of the outside world. Accordingly, more information is better than less. In this episode, Cal pushes back on this model, arguing that the form in which information arrives can strongly impact the understanding we extract. We must therefore be more intentional about what and how we pay attention. He then answers reader questions and surveys some unusual but entertaining stories about slowness.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Rethinking attention [4:08]

- What books should I read to help me develop a deep life? [34:35]
- Does writing by hand have benefits for your brain? [38:40]
- Should I get a brain scan to prove I have a low IQ? [43:46]
- Should I use ChatGPT for book recommendations? [47:39]
- How can I avoid wasting your gap year? [49:40]
- CALL: Is “Slow Productivity” related to “The Burnout Society” by Buying-Chui Han? [55:32]

CASE STUDY: Utilizing the phone foyer method [1:01:58]  

FINAL SEGMENT: Slow news [1:10:58]

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 
• Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/  
• Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?v=448bf8afad0740d18f6b109b4bd40d51 
• slow-watches.com/
• penguinrandomhouse.com/books/318747/help-wanted-one-rooster-by-julie-falatko-illustrated-by-andrea-stegmaier/
• rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/1108/1415296-why-handwriting-is-good-for-your-brain/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• mintmobile.com/deep
• mauinuivenison.com/deepquestions
• notion.com/cal
• listening.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Why do you struggle with your grand attempts to escape distraction and aimlessness to make your life deeper? In this episode, Cal draws on an unexpected metaphor – Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and the Analytical Engine – to help identify the subtle obstacle on your path to increase depth. With this new understanding in hand, he then details a specific gameplan to get around it. Later, he takes questions from the audience and reacts to the new AI Pin, a tool intended to render smartphones obsolete.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Deep Life Hardware [4:09]

- Does personal productivity make us anxious? [34:04]
- How can I build skills without getting in the way of my existing work? [42:11]
- How can I build a deeper life after years of neglect? [46:00]
- How is Sam Sulek’s stripped down YouTube channel doing so well? [52:12]
- How can I convince my husband that I’m not a time management snob? [1:02:38]
- CALL: Obsessing over quality [1:06:04]

CASE STUDY: Shifting a mindset to do more deep work [1:11:04] 

CAL REACTS: Is the Al Pin the End of Smartphones? [1:17:46]

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 
• computerhistory.org/babbage/engines/
• theverge.com/24126502/humane-ai-pin-review
• podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversation-with-cal-newport-the-key-to/id1498802610?i=1000652834277 
• samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/363-knowledge-work 
• Use this link to preorder a signed copy of “Slow Productivity”: https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• rhone.com/cal
• shopify.com/deep
• policygenius.com/deepquestions
• grammarly.com/podcast
• tim.blog

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In the first ever live episode of Deep Questions, recorded at People’s Book in Takoma Park, MD, Cal extracts a modern productivity lesson from the tale of Jane Austen’s frustrated ambitions, before taking questions from the audience.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Jane Austen’s To-Do List [3:22]

— Is Cal building his YouTube channel with social media tactics? [27:36]
— How can I do less in such a busy world? [31:53]
— How do I escape the flow state? [37:01]
— How can someone become a star while obsessing over craft? [40:52]
— How can I apply Slow Productivity to unrelated projects? [46:40]
— How does Cal develop his writing frameworks? [50:20]
— How can I apply Slow Productivity principles to a team? [52:48]
— How can I avoid the Zoom apocalypse? [57:48]
— Is there a conflict between working at a natural pace and obsessing over quality? [1:07:16]
— How can a personal trainer build a wellness solution company? [1:09:46]
— How can our team not get delayed with technical problems? [1:13:00]
— How can a young lawyer manage peer relationships with teams? [1:16:38]         


Links:

— Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
— Use this link to preorder a signed copy of “Slow Productivity”: peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/
— Cal’s Monthly Books directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?v=448bf8afad0740d18f6b109b4bd40d51


Thanks to our Sponsors:

blinkist.com/deep
drinklmnt.com/deep
expressvpn.com/deep
cozyearth.com  (Use promo code “Cal”)


Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode Cal takes a closer look at a growing trend of artists quitting social media and instead reverting to old-fashioned websites. Are these acts of principled sacrifice or a sustainable way to be creative online? Cal argues for the latter, showing how the internet without social media curation algorithms can be a place of rich discovery and audience building. He then takes questions on similar topics and ends by playing a few rounds of “deep or crazy” during the final segment.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: A Quiet Revolt Against Social Media [7:37]

- Is my deep living too extreme? [45:06]
- LinkedIn is getting toxic. Should I quit that too? [47:39]
- Where do online articles fit into the life of a digital minimalist? [51:09]
- Did Cal design the specifications for the hardcover copy of “Slow Productivity”? [54:04]
- How do I not feel overwhelmed by online content after a Digital Declutter? [58:07]
- CALL: Obsessing over quality [1:01:08]

CASE STUDY: Applying lessons from “Digital Minimalism” [1:06:37]

CAL REACTS: Deep or Crazy? [1:13:54]

Links:

• Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
• peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
• twitter.com/HumanitiesGU/status/1772436799727472942
• youtube.com/watch?v=W3h9gV_z8OM
• youtube.com/watch?v=tV6BbPTN5PQ
• youtube.com/watch?v=r0RqucKwIcw

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• mybodytutor.com
• shopify.com/deep
• drinklmnt.com/deep
• mauinuivenison.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the biggest problems afflicting knowledge workers in the digital age is frantic busyness; days filled with emails, chats, and meetings, without much to show for all the effort. In today’s episode, Cal dives into one of the most-discussed ideas from his new book, Slow Productivity, which offers a simple, tactical assault on this state of persistent busyness. He then answers listener questions about similar issues and lists the book he read in March.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  hyoutube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: A Tactical Assault on Busyness [3:47]

- How can I stop chasing the “perfect” productivity system? [34:51]
- How do I avoid losing my day to distraction? [39:08] 
- How do I help my partner escape meeting quickstand? [42:31]
- How do we design the perfect client/task/scheduling system? [48:59]
- Can Apple Vision Pro help deep work? [54:46]

The 5 Books Cal Read in March 2024 [1:06:43]

A Short History of England (Simon Jenkins)
Into the Impossible (Brian Keating)
The Amen Effect (Sharon Brous)
Sink the Bismark! (CS Forester)
Hidden Potential (Adam Grant)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/can-an-ai-make-plans
Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions
expressvpn.com/deep
zocdoc.com/deep
notion.com/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Imagine a world in which AI could handle your email inbox on your behalf. No more checking for new messages every five minutes. No more worries that people need you. No more exhausting cognitive context shifts. In this episode, Cal explores how close cutting-edge AI models are to achieving this goal, including using ChatGPT to help him answer some real email. He then dives into his latest article for The New Yorker, which explains the key technical obstacle to fully automated email and how it might be solved. This is followed by reader questions and a look at something interesting.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link:
bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Can A.I. Empty My Inbox? [4:33]
- Should I continue to study programming if AI will eventually replace software jobs? [44:40]
- Is it bad to use ChatGPT to assist with your writing? [49:22]
- How do I reclaim my workspace for Deep Work? [55:24]
- How do I decide what to do on my scheduled mini-breaks at work? [1:00:11]
- CALL: Heidegger’s view on technology [1:02:48]
- CALL: Seasonality with a partner and kids [1:09:11]

CASE STUDY: A Silicon Valley Chief of Staff balancing work and ego [1:20:07]

Something Interesting: General Grant’s Slow Productivity [1:30:08]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity”at calnewport.com/slow

newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/can-an-ai-make-plans


Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• listening.com/deep
• rhone.com/cal
• drinklmnt.com/deep
• shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

On his recent book tour, Cal found great success using a small notebook dedicated to developing a single idea. In this episode, he explores this “single-purpose notebook” strategy, identifying when it makes sense and why it works. He also takes listener questions about his new book, “Slow Productivity,” and reacts to a recent article about TikTok’s stumbles.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Single-Purpose Notebooks [5:02]

- If “pseudo-productivity” isn’t effective, why is it so common? [27:07]
- Can you explain the difference between limiting missions, projects, and daily goals? [34:59]
- Should everyone buy a $50 notebook? [39:21]
- How does “Slow Productivity” relate to mental models and first principles? [48:12]
- Should I read your new book slowly? [52:44]
- CALL: Does Cal ever stress about work? [55:24]

CASE STUDY: Applying lifestyle-centric career planning [1:00:31]

SOMETHING INTERESTING: TikTok Falters [1:08:56]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

• bramses.notion.site/bramses/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?v=448bf8afad0740d18f6b109b4bd40d51
• notebookstories.com/2013/05/06/picasso-sketchbook/
• anothermanmag.com/life-culture/10788/remembering-bruce-chatwin-the-greatest-travel-writer-that-ever-lived
• notebookstories.com/2023/12/22/a-notebook-in-the-movie-elf/
• com/tech/personal-tech/quitting-tiktok-less-swiping-more-sleeping-1e166a39?page=1
• newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/tiktok-and-the-fall-of-the-social-media-giants

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• mintmobile.com/deep
• policygenius.com/deepquestions
• notion.com/cal
• cozyearth.com (Use promo code “Cal”)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

What does the story of the rise of the singing superstar Jewel teach us about escaping busyness in our knowledge work jobs? In this episode, Cal makes the connection, extracting a key lesson about quality as an engine for slowness, and then providing concrete advice and examples for applying this lesson to your own professional life. Also: listener questions and the books Cal read in February.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Doing Better, Do Less [5:00]

- Is my job too hard? [38:25]
- How do I sell myself better? [42:52]
- How do I convince myself to do actual hard work? [45:42]
- How do I find time to get better if I'm busy? [48:46]
- What is the values plan? [53:23]

The 5 books Cal read in February 2024 [1:01:45]

The Sabbath (AJ Heschel)
Making Movies (Sidney Lumet)
Killer of the Flower Moon (David Grann)
Orthodoxy (G.K. Chesterton)
The Good Shepherd (CA Forestor)

Links:
FREE download excerpt and 2 Bonuses for “Slow Productivity”:
calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

shopify.com/deep
drinklmnt.com/deep
mybodytutor.com
blinkist.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most common strategies for achieving a powerful ideal lifestyle vision is to leverage entrepreneurial activities to find a stable source of income that allows autonomy and flexibility. To help understand how to succeed in such ventures, Cal interviews the entrepreneur and author Noah Kagan about his new book, "The Million Dollar Weekend." Recording on the road as part of his book tour for "Slow Productivity," Cal also shares some lessons about what he's been observing.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Marketing guru Noah Kagan [11:06]

Links:
Use this link to preorder a signed copy of “Slow Productivity”:
peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/
FREE download excerpt and 2 Bonuses for “Slow Productivity”:
calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at
betterhelp.com/deepquestions
mauinuivenison.com/deepquestions
zocdoc.com/deep
expressvpn.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

How did we end up tyrannized by our inboxes? How is this related to Tyrannosaurus? What was it like working at a high-tech company at the exact moment email was introduced? In this episode, Cal weaves together all these questions into a story about the unexpected ways technology impacts our lives and what we can do after the fact to make things better.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Email Catastrophe [3:47]

- How do I deal with email overload in a government job? [45:34]
- How do I deal with an employer who demands constant responsiveness?[55:36]
- How can I concentrate when coding when I need to use my web browser? [58:27]
- How do I overcome my fear of missing important emails? [1:02:35]
- CALL: Can slow productivity work for an academic? [1:06:38]

CAL REACTS: Reader Comments on his NYT Op-Ed [1:17:47]

Links:

• newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/08/the-day-the-dinosaurs-died
• pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1817407116
• newyorker.com/magazine/1994/01/10/e-mail-from-bill-gates
• blog.rescuetime.com/communication-multitasking-switches/
• nytimes.com/2024/02/16/opinion/creative-work-productivity-seasonality.html
• Use this link to preorder a signed copy of “Slow Productivity”: peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/
• FREE download excerpt and 2 Bonuses for “Slow Productivity”: calnewport.com/slow

 
Thanks to our Sponsors: 

• zocdoc.com/deep
• policygenius.com/deepquestions
• blinkist.com/deep
• moshlife.com/deep
• shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We’ve become so used to our phones in our lives that we’ve stopped realizing how arbitrary and unusual the content we’re watching really has become. In this episode, Cal looks closer at what we’re really spending time doing on our phones, then provides step-by-step instructions for healing this relationship. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Confronting Your Phone [4:30]

- What does Cal think about Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves To Death”? [28:35]
- Can you pursue high quality leisure after a day filled with deep work? [33:14]
- Can commercial breaks be used for high quality leisure? [37:24]
- Will digital minimalism work in an age of augmented reality? [40:34]
- How can a full time YouTuber practice digital minimalism? [46:53]
-CALL: How to share content online? [52:38]

CASE STUDY: Cost-benefit analysis of technology usage [1:00:39]

CAL REACTS: J. R. R. Tolkien’s Search for Depth [1:06:43]

Links:
twitter.com/explore/tabs/trending
instagram.com/explore/tags/popular/?hl=en
tiktok.com/foryou?lang=en
newcriterion.com/blogs/dispatch/the-consolations-of-fantasy
Use this link to preorder a signed copy of “Slow Productivity”:
peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/
FREE download excerpt and 2 Bonuses for “Slow Productivity”:
calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

ladderlife.com/deep
mybodytutor.com
rhone.com/cal
mintmobile.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

A deep life requires that you encounter and make sense of a large amount of incoming information, from narrow data relevant to a professional project, to broad insights into your purpose. How do you keep track of all of this? In this episode, Cal proposes a minimalist approach aimed at minimizing the friction required to keep tabs on what matters.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: How to track information that matters [2:55]

- How should I make use of non-cognitive time? [27:37]
- Can people with ADHD become better at learning? [32:49]
- What does Cal think of Gloria Mark’s “4 myths of attention span”? [36:31]
- How can I concentrate on my dissertation when I have a full-time job? [47:04]
- How can I stop wasting my afternoon time blocks? [53:20]
- CALL: How can I better organize my idea notebooks? [1:01:38]

CASE STUDY: Avoiding the hyperactive hive mind to work more efficiently [1:05:46]   

CAL REACTS: Is it bad to be slow? [1:13:46]

Links:
dailystoic.com/try-not-to-be-so-slow/
gloriamark.com/attention-span

Use this link to preorder a signed copy of “Slow Productivity”:
peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/

FREE download excerpt and 2 Bonuses for “Slow Productivity”:
calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

grammarly.com/podcast
drinklmnt.com/deep
cozyearth.com (promo code “cal”)
expressvpn.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

A key step in cultivating a deep life is reflecting on what matters to you and the best strategies for pursuing it. This, in turn, requires that you engage in the consumption of some manner of self help. It’s here that many people sell themselves short, limiting this intake to short videos and the occasional advice guide. In today’s episode, Cal talks about cultivating a much richer approach to self-help in which you’re able to take in wisdom from a variety of sources of various levels of sophistication.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Rethinking Self Help [3:21]

- How can I prevent hard tasks from derailing my productivity systems? [38:47]
- Should I get ahead in my career with a project that I hate? [47:54]
- How can I make progress on my novel when my day job drains me? [52:39]
- Is there such a thing as too much deep work? [59:32]
- CALL: Will short deep work sessions work to write effectively? [1:12:17]

CASE STUDY: Reducing stress with slow productivity [1:18:40] 

The 5 Books Cal Read in January 2024 [1:30:22] 

Links:
https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/preorder-slow-productivity/
FREE Download  for “Slow Productivity”: www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

https://www.grammarly.com/podcast
https://www.drinklmnt.com/deep
https://www.shopify.com/deep
This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the more interesting realities of people who live remarkable lives is that they are often much less busy than the rest of us. In this episode, Cal explores three ideas that help explain why this is true, then explains how we can use these ideas to reduce our own workloads.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Productivity Paradox [7:31]

- How does a weekly plan work? [32:26]
- Do errands or reading count toward fixed schedule productivity? [36:55]
- How should a graduate embrace slow productivity? [40:11]
- If I embrace slow productivity, how can I be sure I’m doing enough? [41:54]
- Did Cal follow Slow Productivity in his 20’s? [47:45]
- CALL: Uprooting a good planning system? [53:23]

CASE STUDY: Playing video games with intention [58:05]

CAL REACTS:  How to Have a Productive Year [1:06:34]

Links:
calnewport.com/if-youre-busy-youre-doing-something-wrong-the-surprisingly-relaxed-lives-of-elite-achievers/
newyorker.com/culture/office-space/how-to-have-a-more-productive-year
FREE Download  for “Slow Productivity”: calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

mauinuivenison.com/deepquestions
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Call talks with Ali Abdaal about his journey from doctor to YouTube sensation, and then dives deep into Ali’s new book, “Feel-Good Productivity,” and the possibilities of making accomplishment something enjoyable.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: YouTube Star Ali Abdaal [3:41]

Cal Reacts: Dissecting Ali’s YouTube career path [1:32:27]

Links:

FREE download for “Slow Productivity”: calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

What is the correct first step in transforming your life into something deeper? Traditional advice says to start with a clear vision of what you value. Cal has been arguing that it’s instead more important to develop a foundation of discipline. In this episode, he explores a more specific variation of this idea: perhaps the best way to prepare to pursue the big is to first learn how to control the small.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia


Deep Dive: How to organize your life [2:31]

- How do I “stay deep” when facing major changes? [36:37]

- How do I relax when I’m always so busy? [39:13]

- What is the difference between rituals and routines? [43:09]

- Can playing video games be part of a deep life? [51:27]

- Can deep life buckets connect to strategic plans? [57:39]

- CALL: Juggling multiple priorities to live a deep life [1:01:39]

CASE STUDY: Becoming organized to prevent overwhelm [1:07:32]

CAL REACTS:  How many books did you read in 2023? [1:13:47]


Links:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/05/how-many-books-did-you-read-2023-see-how-you-stack-up/

FREE download for “Slow Productivity”: calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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cozyearth.com (promo code CAL)

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

During the New Year season it is common to talk about how to be more productive. But what about the downtime between your major pursuits? In this episode, Cal argues for rewiring your brain to crave slow distractions over their faster (often digital) alternatives. The goal here is not to get more done but to transform your life into something slower and more meaningful.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Slow Distractions [2:25]

- How do I work deeply as a stay-at-home parent? [29:12]
- Isn’t it myopic not to let young children use smartphones? [36:44]
- How do I succeed as a musician without social media? [38:09]
- How do I make plans without social media? [48:37]
- CALL: How to share ideas without allowing social media to take control [55:02]

CAL REACTS: I’m a 33-year old woman without a job [1:05:55]

Links:

youtu.be/YQLVWficcwc?si=lOIBa23I_0-4sJl6

Download a FREE chapter from my upcoming book, "Slow Productivity" HERE: https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the more important abilities to cultivate for the year ahead is comfort learning complicated (and therefore valuable) new things. In this episode, Cal tackles the myths surrounding mastery and presents a new mental model for internalizing non-trivial information. As he elaborates, there is both good news and bad news when it comes to this topic: you can learn almost anything, but you can’t learn everything.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Learning Hard Things [2:50]

- When it comes to taking notes, what really matters? [29:49]
- Can I fit all of my hobbies into my week? [36:02]
- Can YouTube teach me to be a better student? [39:40]
- How do I figure out what to learn next? [46:09]
- How do I learn something fast when I already have a busy schedule? [48:23]
- CALL: How does “So Good They Can’t Ignore You” relate to “Slow Productivity”? [55:11]

CASE STUDY: Slow Productivity affinity group [1:03:46]

The 5 books Cal read in December 2023 [1:13:28]

Thanks to our Sponsors:

drinklmnt.com/deep
zocdoc.com/deep
This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

The mega-bestselling writer Arthur Brooks is one of the rare individuals to have both lived a carefully cultivated deep life and written a book on the topic (co-authored with Oprah!). In today’s episode, Cal interviews Brooks, going deep into the details of his unusual and inspiring career and extracting proven rules from his experience.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Mega-bestselling writer Arthur Brooks [6:39]

Cal’s Favorite Completely Unnecessary and Embarrassingly Geeky Things for 2024 [1:16:04]

Links:
https://www.calnewport.com/slow

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We talk a lot on this show about getting more done, but what’s the best way to handle the inevitable situation in which you have too much to do? Cal walks through a sensible response to the crazy-making reality of overload.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Controlling Overload [4:48]

- Is building a “second brain” important? [37:53]
- How can I bill 40 hours a week without getting overloaded? [43:30]
- What book should I buy my department to best increase their work quality? [46:31]
- How do I make progress on projects that have lots of overhead? [51:53]
- How can my wife deal with her new position and the overload that comes with it? [57:35]
- CALL: What is Cal excited to gif this holiday season? [1:06:14]

CASE STUDY: Quitting Twitter to build a better life [1:09:55]

CAL REACTS: Why did students get dumber starting in 2012? [1:17:31]

Links:
https://twitter.com/DKThomp/status/1734436486727254218


Thanks to our Sponsors:

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This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most important skills for cultivating a satisfying and high impact life is one we rarely discuss: the art of serious thinking. In this episode, Cal makes the case for serious thinking as an ability to specifically cultivate, then describes five specific practices you can put into place to launch a crash course in developing an effective life of the mind.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: How to Think [4:07]

- Does reading count as Deep Work? [38:50]
- How do I make sense of the topics I think about? [41:48]
- How should I manage boredom in a job without hurting my ability to focus? [45:12]
- How can I provide quick answers to management if I’m a slow thinker? [50:40]
- CALL: How should I structure my Deep Holiday? [56:44]

CASE STUDY: A successful Digital Detox allowing one to think in peace. [59:55]

CAL REACTS: Does collaboration make us less creative? [1:07:29]

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We talk a lot on this show about remaining organized in a digital workplace that drowns us with incoming obligations. In this episode, Cal focuses on the key question of how you get *started* toward this goal. What do you do, in other words, on day one of your quest to find depth amidst the shallows. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Getting organized in a distracted world [6:46] 

- How do I get more excited about my work plans? [45:55] 

- How do I get my classmates to get better about time management? [53:59] 

- How should I organize my deep work blocks? [1:00:13] 

- How do I account for contingencies in my quarterly plan? [1:05:11] 

- When does Cal find time to read? [1:05:50] 

- CALL: How to train Deep Focus muscles [1:11:06] 

CASE STUDY: Investing concentrated time [1:17:04] 

The 5 books Cal read in November 2023 [1:24:08] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most common types of messages sent in from listeners of this podcast are self-recriminations about laziness. But what does “laziness” actually mean? In this episode, Cal takes a deeper look at the common terms and sees that it’s often used to describe two unrelated phenomena. He then gives a big idea for overcoming each. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Overcoming laziness [4:00] 

- How should I track small projects? [39:39] 

- How do I find time to bodybuilder when I have a demanding job? [44:56] 

- How do I remain motivated to work after graduation?[53:12] 

- How do I make the shift from warehouse work to web development? [59:20] 

- How do I deal with decision fatigue? [1:03:18] 

- CALL: Implementing advice from pragmatic non-fiction books [1:07:53] 

CASE STUDY: Pursuing a life of depth [1:11:31] 

CAL REACTS: Algorithms act as conveyor belts [1:22:51] 

LINKS: 

jonathanhaidt.substack.com/p/algorithms-hijacked-my-generation 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

rhone.com/cal 

moshlife.com/deep 

grammarly.com/podcast 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

 How you accomplish important goals: The type that can transform your life in remarkable ways? In this episode, Cal breaks down the common mistakes we make in pursuing hard goals and then details the reverse goal setting strategy he has found to work much more consistently. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How do I follow through on transformative goals? [2:18] 

- How do I prepare for an upcoming change to my professional life? [42:26] 

- How do I schedule abundant free time? [49:43] 

- Should I feel guilty that I’m so efficient I barely work? [53:47] 

- How do I avoid doing too much? [1:00:27] 

- How do I time block work of unknown durations? [1:07:31] 

- CALL: Pursuing a career with two different paths [1:13:52] 

CAL REACTS: Joe Rogan and The Rock Talk Passion [1:21:35] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Based on extensive feedback from listeners and new research, Cal is ready to unveil his new and improved version of the Deep Life Stack, his foundational approach for transforming your life from shallow and distracted to deep and remarkable. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: The Deep Life Stack 2.0 [4:40] 

- Does prioritizing deep work grow your task list? [38:02] 

- Does deep work impede the development of soft skills? [41:04] 

- How do I shut down work without clean stopping points? [46:31] 

- CALL: Intrusive thoughts while doing deep work [52:29] 

- CALL: How does Cal organize his working memory.txt [57:49] 

CASE STUDY: Using slow productivity to build a house [1:00:30] 

CAL REACTS: Should you “burn the boats” to motivate ambitious action? [1:08:00] 

Links: 

amazon.com/Burn-Boats-Overboard-Unleash-Potential/dp/006308886X 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

rhone.com/cal 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

A viral video making the rounds recently argues that the key to promoting learning is to deliver education in apps that are equally addictive as social media. Cal takes a closer look at the brain science behind this claim and argues why it is fundamentally impossible to beat attention engineered apps at their own game. We shouldn’t, however, give up hope, as our brain has a completely unrelated motivation system, built on a behavior called episodic future thinking (EFT), that we can leverage to make deep activities like learning seem more rewarding than the short term distractions beckoning from our phones. Mastering the EFT system is indeed critical to cultivating a deep life. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Can we make learning as addictive as social media? [2:33] 

- Can I be happy in a job that doesn’t require me to learn? [33:44] 

- How can I fight deep procrastination to learn better? [40:52] 

- How can I identify the school for my kid to learn better? [47:11] 

- How can I reflect on work concepts without feeling the urge to work? [51:48] 

- How does Ultralearning apply to Slow Productivity? [55:36] 

- CALL: Recommendations on learning [58:02] 

CASE STUDY: Designing a system to learn [1:00:50] 

The 5 books Cal read in October 2023 [1:10:14] 

Links: 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6FORpg0KVo 

youtu.be/wmdG-uZk6JY?si=2_S6Mer1VnBJE3Wv&t=120

sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/ 

calnewport.com/the-father-of-deliberate-practice-disowns-flow/ 

ideas.ted.com/mental-time-travel-is-a-great-decision-making-tool-this-is-how-to-use-it/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal reviews what he believes to be the four essential tools for feeling on top of everything you need to do. If you’re missing one of these, you might struggle. If you use all four, you’re probably safe never thinking about “productivity” again. Cal is then joined by friend of the show, New York Times bestselling author David Epstein, to answer listener questions about their personal struggles to take control of their lives. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: The Productivity Toolkit [2:30] 

- What is the most underrated productivity superpower? [35:05] 

- Should I journal? [43:59] 

- How do I build a system to help me remember things? [48:23] 

- Can I use a split-day strategy to time block a reactive job? [52:01] 

- Help! I’m stuck at age 30. How do I get unstuck? [54:42] 

CAL REACTS: How can we make learning as addictive as social media? [1:16:06] 

Links: 

youtube.com/watch?v=P6FORpg0KVo 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Much of the advice we discuss is about how to improve things right now. But what are the right strategies for ensuring that we’re happy about where we are five or even ten years in the future. How do we ensure, in other words, that we won’t look back at major swaths of our lives with regret? In this episode, Cal discusses three big ideas for playing the long game when it comes to cultivating a deep life. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: What can you do now to stay content later? [3:30]  

- What habits help you escape complacency? [25:51] 

- How do I know if I need a major change to my life? [31:00] 

- How can I rediscover my drive to live deep with a boring (but stable) job? [36:08] 

- CALL: Avoiding the stress of having a large “to-do” list [41:07] 

CASE STUDY: Designing a deep work t-shirt to be productive [47:22] 

CAL REACTS: Is Social Media a Collective Trap? [56:03] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions 

https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal 

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https://www.shopify.com/deep 

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

An increasing number of people are suffering from “super distractions” that rise above the level of harmless diversion and instead start to actively hold them back in their life. Some of the common culprits cited include social media, online pornography, and alcohol. In this episode, Cal takes a closer look at what creates super distractions and uses this insight to come up with an effective game plan for fighting back. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive:  Taking control of your life from super distractions [8:09] 

- How can I stay productive while in between goals? [36:24] 

- Will I become depressed from a dopamine fast? [40:46] 

- How can I overcome negative thoughts? [44:01] 

- Are there rituals to help me handle shallow work more efficiently? [50:19] 

CASE STUDY: Success with an electronic detox [58:27] 

Cal Reacts: NPR left Twitter and the effects are negligible [1:06:59] 

Links: 

niemanreports.org/articles/npr-twitter-musk/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

After an episode in which Cal reviewed ancient wisdom on cultivating a deeper life, he turns his attention back to more recent advice. Focusing on three of the more unconventional but unambiguously effective ideas that he has proposed in his twenty years of professional writing on these topics. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: Getting started is overrated [6:29] 

- How can I become more confident in social settings? [36:15] 

- Is it ok to be an ordinary person? [40:52] 

- Is it important to have friends? [46:41] 

- I took a pay cut to become a teacher again. How can I better organize my life to prioritize craft? [49:36] 

- Is it ok to use YouTube to discover new ideas? [57:28] 

Reader’s React: Is Productivity Natural? [1:05:04] 

Links: 

calnewport.com/dangerous-ideas-getting-started-is-overrated/ 

calnewport.com/treat-your-mind-as-you-would-a-private-garden/ 

calnewport.com/should-you-work-like-maya-angelou-or-eric-schmidt/ 

calnewport.com/on-tire-pressure-and-productivity/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Stoicism seems to be all the rage at the moment. In what ways is it relevant to our question to live deeply in a distracted world? And in what ways is it not? Cal takes a closer look at Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and discusses his relationship with the philosophy more generally. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Deep Dive: The Ideas from Marcus Aurelius’s, “Meditations” [2:30] 

- Can I realistically make an impact as an English teacher? [35:28] 

- Can a seasoned professional screenwriter switch careers after 23 years? [40:02] 

- I’m an accomplished professional but lack a competitive drive to do more. Is there a way to build this? [45:34] 

- How can a CEO lower his anxiety with elements of work that aren’t strengths? [54:37] 

- How can I bounce back from a deflating work setback? [1:02:52] 

The 5 Books Cal Read in September 2023 [1:11:07] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Knowledge workers increasingly describe themselves as exhausted and burnt out. Why is this happening? In this episode, Cal argues that some of the obvious answers aren’t enough to explain the phenomenon. The real answer is both less expected and perhaps more fixable than we expect.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Tiredness and the ability to produce work [8:18] 
- How can I read more without falling asleep? [34:25]
- Is screen time before bed killing my sleep? [38:19]
- How can I still have fun while being productive? [44:20]
- Is discipline an identity or a tool? [50:21]
- How do I find my way back to the deep life? [56:39]

CASE STUDY: A magazine editor integrates projects into a deep life [1:02:00]

Final Segment: Lauren Groff’s slow productivity [1:35:06]

Links:

Authors for Voices of Color auction: Afvoc2023.givesmart.com
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/books/lauren-groff-vaster-wilds.html
https://www.thefp.com/p/why-i-traded-my-smartphone-for-an-ax
https://midland-school.org/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597809000399
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/books/lauren-groff-vaster-wilds.html

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions
https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal
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https://www.shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do we need to move to a ranch in the middle of nowhere to take control of our technology habits? Cal argues that these types of extreme examples are counter-productive, making it seem like real changes are close to impossible. He offers instead an alternative approach based on zero-based budgeting your technological life. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: What does it really take to cure your smartphone addiction? [3:33] 

- How can I build an audience without being consumed by social media? [31:20] 

- If my kid uses an iPad for school, will he become cursed with digital distraction? [40:33] 

- Does the digital minimalist community approve of Goodreads and Letterboxd? [48:52] 

- I’m 30 years old and lost. How can I get my life back on track? [53:43] 

- How can I stay on top of current events without scrolling social media? [1:02:11] 

Closing Discussion: Is the Friendship Recession Real? What can you do to escape it? (w/ Jamie Kilstein) [1:08:38] 

 Links:

https://www.thefp.com/p/why-i-traded-my-smartphone-for-an-ax
https://midland-school.org

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

ladderlife.com/deep 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal visits eight of the most influential books in personal productivity, identifying for each a single idea that ended up most resonating both with his own work and the culture more generally. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: What productivity ideas from other authors are the most worth paying attention to? [4:54] 

- How do I time-block for the unanticipated “a-ha!” moment of insight? [40:23] 

- Is my life as a surgeon dooming me to a reactive life? [45:19] 

- Is it possible to read too many productivity books? [52:10] 

- Is the Deep Life influenced by The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? [58:55] 

- Am I a disciplined worker if I only respond to deadlines? [1:01:09] 

The 5 Books Cal Read in August 2023 [1:09:31] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Change is unavoidable. You can either fear it or learn to master it. In this interview episode, Cal talks with longtime friend of the show, Brad Stulberg, about his new book, “Master of Change.” 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

INTERVIEW: How to Master Change (with Brad Stulberg) [3:55] 

Links: 

bradstulberg.com/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Too many people believe that the New Year is the right time to undertake major improvements to your life. In this episode, Cal argues that it is instead right now, at the beginning of fall, that is the best time to turn over a new page. He lays out a detailed 4-month journey through the deep stack that will have you done with a major overhaul by the time everyone else is just getting started early next year. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How can I reinvent my life in 4 months? [6:30] 

- How can I ease into Cal's more advanced time management strategies? [44:06] 

- Can unstructured work be a part of the deep life? [47:42] 

- How can I stop changing my mind about what I want to do with my life? [51:50] 

- Can I pursue the deep life if I need a job? [59:33] 

- How do you pursue the deep life with depression? [1:03:58] 

Cover Reveal for Slow Productivity [1:13:20] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

When it comes to generating fantastic ideas – the type that can make your career – you don’t have to passively wait for inspiration to strike. You can, instead, *hack* the creative process to increase the odds of coming up with something great. In this episode, Cal explores one of the more powerful forms of “creativity hacking”: making use of strange locations.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: Why do you work better in strange locations? [3:31]

- Does Cal read online articles? [34:35]

- Is fitness tracking on my Apple Watch an excuse to stay distracted? [40:09]

- Which is better for original thinking: the city or the country? [43:05]

- How do I organize the pursuit of deep ideas? [47:19]

- Does reading books from unrelated genres help idea generation? [51:57]

CAL REACTS: Over stimulation is ruining your life! [59:11]

Links:

blog.computationalcomplexity.org/2020/02/pre-publish-and-perish.html

calnewport.com/on-using-inspiring-locations-to-inspire-deeper-work/

youtube.com/watch?v=yYWvUoN4yt8

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best self

hensonshaving.com/cal

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In celebration of the newly released *second* edition of the Time Block Planner, Cal provides some additional expert tips for getting the most out of a time blocking discipline before answering listener questions on the general topic of time management. He closes by discussing the recent claim that phones are ruining peoples’ ability to watch movies. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How can I double what I accomplish each week by better controlling my time? [16:54] 

- How do I deal with the guilt of missing time blocks? [44:17] 

- How does Cal reconcile slow productivity with the urgency of time blocking? [49:22] 

- How do I block enough time to keep up with all the internet content I want to read? [52:40] 

- How do I stick to my block schedule if no one is forcing me to? [1:02:11] 

- How can Cal be both a computer science professor and yet still be so bad at technology? [1:07:00] 

Something Interesting: Have Phones Ruined Movies? [1:15:45] 

Links: 

washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/05/barbenheimer-bad-movie-behavior/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most popular (and widely forgotten) slogans of the ancient world was Festina Lente, or, “Make Haste Slowly.” In this episode, Cal looks deeper at what this phrase meant, and in doing so uncovers an ancient version of slow productivity. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: What can Octavian Caesar Augustus teach us about productivity? [5:37] 

- How can I help my team move fast to slow productivity? [26:12] 

- How do I figure out how long to spend on a task? [33:08] 

- What’s up with Cal’s podcast album art? [38:14] 

- Why is my partner so slow? [40:49] 

- How does Cal’s Remarkable tablet change his working memory.txt habit? [46:23] 

CASE STUDY: Not allowing work to dominate your life [53:28] 

The 5 Book Cal Read in July 2023 [1:03:21] 

Links: 

bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/festina-lente/ 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festina_lente 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed by everything you have to do? The writer Oliver Burkeman recently experimented with an unexpected response to this common sensation: he decided to work much less. In more detail, he wanted to see what would happen if he reacted to overload by restricting his work to only four hours per day. In this episode, Cal reviews what Burkeman discovered in this experiment and what it teaches the rest of us. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: What happens when you cut your workday in half? [5:51] 

- What does the “celebrate” deep life bucket include? [30:34] 

- When are big life changes the right thing to do? [38:38] 

- When does Cal “start” his work day? [49:04] 

- How do I save for a good retirement without making my current lifestyle worse? [50:05] 

CASE STUDY: The Joys of Doing Less [56:44] 

CAL REACTS: Chris Nolan doesn’t own a phone [1:05:21] 

Links: 

hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cast-interview-film-1235535418/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do history’s greatest thinkers care about time management? In today’s episode, Cal analyzes the system that the mathematician and philosopher, Kurt Godel, used to structure his days, weeks, and years to produce meaningful work over a long period of time. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How do geniuses structure their life? [8:00] 

- How do I follow through on the projects I start? [34:33] 

- Is creating a deep environment one of the deep life buckets? [42:14] 

- How do I find examples of my ideal lifestyle? [48:24] 

- Should I switch jobs, I’m bored (but effective)? [59:20] 

CAL REACTS: The ReMarkable 2 tablet. Is it worth it? [1:11:57] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best self 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Sometimes the most effective way to contain your workload is to simply declare how long you’re willing to work and then refuse to violate your pledge. In this episode, Cal revisits this “fixed-schedule productivity” strategy, which he first introduced way back in 2008. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How does fixed-schedule productivity work, and how has Cal’s thoughts on it changed over the years? [3:02] 

- What activities can fall outside fixed schedules? [30:12] 

- How do you manage a workload determined by other people? [33:08] 

- Why doesn’t Cal build his weekly plan on his calendar? [43:24] 

- How do I deal with having too much work piled up? [51:23] 

CASE STUDY: Implementing tactics from “A World Without Email” [53:14] 

The 5 Books Cal Read in June 2023 [1:02:28] 

Links: 

calnewport.com/fixed-schedule-productivity-how-I-accomplish-a-large-amount-of-work-in-a-small-number-of-work-hours/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In Cal’s new “deep life stack” the first layer toward finding more meaning is to develop discipline. Why does this come first? In this episode, Cal dives deeper into the importance of starting with discipline. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: Why does cultivating the deep life start with discipline? [4:33] 

- How do I stop falling off the productivity wagon? [26:38] 

- How do I cultivate more consistent discipline? [32:35] 

- How do I convince myself to follow through on demanding projects? [41:22] 

- What’s the problem with studying for 10 hours a day? [54:37]  

Something Interesting: Harrison Ford’s Slow Productivity [1:07:35] 

Links: 

linkedin.com/posts/billy-oppenheimer-70612782_before-he-was-han-solo-or-indiana-jones-activity-7069305284627730432-CRJA 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Over the past twenty years, “productivity” has come to be synonymous with using digital tools to speed up non-essential parts of knowledge work. As cal argues in this episode, this “cybernetic” approach has proven to be a complete failure. He explores why speeding up isn’t working and what this teaches us about what we need to do instead. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: Why doesn’t cybernetic productivity work? [8:40] 

- What should I ask a potential hire about their time management habits? [31:55] 

- How do I teach leaders how to work more deeply? [38:17] 

- How did Cal become good at breaking things down into systems and processes? [48:06] 

- How do I build task boards if I have many roles? [51:05] 

- How do I find time to think in my busy job? [54:20] 

Something Interesting: Taylor Sheridan’s “writing bunker” [1:02:48] 

Links: 

hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/taylor-sheridan-yellowstone-interview-1235519261/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Some of the most interesting and impactful people in the world build their work around a commitment to doing only a few things very well. No one remembers that it took Newton decades to finish The Principia, they just know that he wrote a book that changed science forever. In this episode, Cal defines some concrete laws for successfully implementing a shift toward doing less – but doing what you do better – in your own professional life. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: Why should I do less? [7:29] 

- How can a teacher embrace slow productivity? [31:26] 

- How do you know if an idea is good enough to spend years working on? [39:07] 

- How can I slowly build the success needed to pivot into a new career? [46:16] 

- How does Cal read 5 books a month? [49:58] 

CASE STUDY: I can do my job in 4 hours a day [55:53] 

The 5 Book Cal Read in May 2023 [1:07:04] 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal is joined by Laura Vanderkam (author of Tranquility by Tuesday and co-host of the Best of Both Worlds podcast). Cal and Laura tackle a collection of your questions about the struggle to make time for the various things that matter most, from your career to your family to your hobbies.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Laura Vanderkam [19:46] 

— Is the deep life only available to people with high salaries? [31:47]
— Is it possible for a mom to succeed in academia? [40:19]
— How do I find the time to land a job that requires less time? [50:26]
— Am I too old to leave a career that fills me with dread? [55:53]
— Am I crazy for thinking I can work from home with a baby? [1:00:31]
— How do I create a deep life with kids? [1:05:31]
— How do I stop over-committing? [1:13:47]

SOMETHING INTERESTING: Slow Time During Japan’s Edo Period [1:30:11]

Links:

scroll.in/article/1030173/how-japan-became-an-exemplar-of-sustainability-over-centuries-of-self-isolation

lauravanderkam.com/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

How do you leave a life of superficial distraction and cultivate something deeper? In today’s episode, Cal describes “The Deep Life Stack,” an approach to cultivating a deep life that starts with overhauling the person before making the big decisions. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How do I rebuild my life into something deeper? [6:29] 

- Is the deep life only available to those with high salaries? [31:55] 

- How do I co-create a deep life with my partner? [41:48] 

- Is there a genetic component to depth? [45:24] 

- What are Cal’s thoughts on the book “Designing Your Life”? [58:31] 

Something Interesting: Forget AI. Apple’s all in on AR. (And this is smart.) [1:06:34] 

Links: 

apple.com/apple-vision-pro/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Productivity YouTube is filled with breathless videos about optimizing systems and squeezing every ounce of speed out of your common habits. But does all of this efficiency really end up improving the quality of the most important things you produce? In this episode, Cal takes a deeper look at the different ways that productivity systems and tools can help your professional life, separating the boring but effective from the exciting but over-hyped. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: Does working faster make work better? [3:56] 

- Why doesn’t Cal agree with other productivity YouTubers about apps? [27:50] 

- How can I be productive if my organization bans third-party tools? [32:36] 

- How do top writers keep their research process “efficient”? [37:29] 

- How do I stop teaching from devouring all my time? [44:00] 

- Is it a problem that I don’t feel overwhelmed? [50:19] 

Something Interesting: The Productivity Diet & A Hotel for Book Lovers [1:02:33] 

Links: 

kickstarter.com/projects/mikevardy/the-productivity-diet-by-mike-vardy 

sylviabeachhotel.com/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

The art of thinking – plain, old-fashioned, hard concentration on useful ideas – is rapidly vanishing as our culture recasts humans as the custodians and recipients of digital computation. In this episode, Cal explains why this is a problem and what we should do in response. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: Why is it important to preserve the vanishing art of thinking? [5:02] 

- How do I integrate movies and shows into the deep life? [27:42] 

- Can I read after a long day of deep work? [33:30] 

- Is a digital “second brain” a good idea to keep up with the latest advancements in your field? [36:25] 

- Would Cal consider consolidating his notebooks? [42:37] 

- Is Maria Popva’s note-taking method better than Cal’s method? [51:40] 

The Books I Read in April 2023 [1:04:29] 

Links: 

Edward Teller talking about John Von Neumann 

youtube.com/watcv=vQp70uqsBV4#t=55m0s

Aristotle on “philosophic wisdom.” See book 10, section 7 of The Ethics: 

classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.7.vii.html 

Arnold Bennet on training concentration (See chapter 7 of How to Live on 24 Hours a Day): 

gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2274/pg2274-images.html 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do you live to work or work to live? In this episode, Cal talks with author Simone Stolfzoff about his provocative new book, THE GOOD ENOUGH JOB. Cal then answers listener questions about escaping professional unhappiness, and then switches gears in the Something Interesting segment to talk about the critical technological breakthrough that not enough people yet are talking about. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

DEEP DIVE: Cal talks about the Good Enough Job with author Simone Stolzoff [4:39] 

- What kind of a job do I want? [59:31] 

- If I enjoy my job, why can’t I focus? [1:05:28] 

- Should I give up on finding an academic job? [1:17:23] 

- Should I cut my salary in half to escape the hyperactive hive mind? [1:25:07] 

SOMETHING INTERESTING: Apple’s most interesting new tech strategy has nothing to do with A.I. [1:34:41] 

Links: 

wsj.com/articles/apple-is-breaking-its-own-rules-with-a-new-headset-80c9b36c 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at 

betterhelp.com/deepquestions 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Few professional experiences feel worse than overload. But what really causes this unfortunate state? In this episode, Cal takes a closer look at overload, identifying its main culprits, identifying solutions, and helping listeners with their specific overload-related questions. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How does overload actually operate? [3:54] 

- Does Cal use an executive assistant? [26:15] 

- How do I write an effective communication policy for my team? [36:35] 

- Does overhead compound exponentially? [42:50] 

- How rare are high expectation/low overhead jobs? [48:05] 

- My job has few shallow obligations. What should I do with my free time? [51:41] 

Something Interesting: The future of social media is less social [59:39] 

Links: 

wsj.com/articles/workers-say-its-harder-to-get-things-done-now-heres-why-2a5f1389 

nytimes.com/2023/04/19/technology/personaltech/tiktok-twitter-facebook-social.html 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

We talk a lot on this show about how to be more organized and intentional in how you spend your time at work. But what about at home? In this episode, Cal is joined by Sarah Hart-Unger (https://theshubox.com/), a leading thinker on the challenges of staying organized amidst the chaotic busyness that defines family life, to help explore strategies for organizing life outside of work. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 

Today’s Deep Question: How do I adapt professional productivity techniques to my life outside of work? (With Sarah Hart-Unger) [7:16] 

To learn more about Sarah, read her blog, or subscribe to her podcasts, visit: https://theshubox.com/

— What system does Cal use to track his life admin? [1:05:55] 

— Don’t I need some sort of plan for time outside of work? [1:11:46] 

— How do I stay on top of ongoing projects, initiatives, or hobbies? [1:15:36] 

— Should I calculate the monetary cost of household tasks? [1:20:20] 

Something Interesting: The AI Null Hypothesis [1:33:24] 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Are smartphones bad for kids? Cal walks through the data on this question, including how researchers came to be worried, their findings, critiques of their findings, and where we are today. He then gives recommendations for how to think about technology when it comes to your kids.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: Are smartphones bad for kids? [3:10]

- Is the deep life dull? [49:35]

- How do I stop doom-scrolling when I’m tired? [53:49]

- Are smartphones bad for older people? [57:35]

- How does Cal decide to adopt new technology or software? [1:02:06]

- How do I stay deep while traveling at conferences? [1:06:33]

The Books Cal read in March 2023 [1:12:38]

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode Cal – against his better judgment – answers questions on the fly, with no advance plan or preparation. He also does a Deep Dive about the  Twitter fog dissipating and discusses something interesting.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: What was Twitter anyway? [4:46]

- Is there a difference between passion and calling? [27:09]
- What are the four principles to reimagine knowledge work? [31:50]
- Is movie watching part of the Deep Life? [36:05]
- Does fixed schedule productivity work on a weekly scale? [38:54]
- How does effective altruism fit in value-based lifestyle career planning? [41:01]
- What are Cal’s thoughts on David Graber’s book, “Bull Shit Jobs”? [44:00]
- Do distracted adolescents risk losing the ability to focus as they grow older? [46:57]
- Does slow productivity assist with parenting and professional development? [48:29]

Something Interesting: Rob Drydek’s productivity system [1:00:37]   

Links:

nytimes.com/2023/04/18/magazine/twitter-dying.html

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Are new AI technologies like ChatGPT about to massively disrupt our world? Drawing from his recent New Yorker article on the topic, Cal explains exactly how programs like ChatGPT work, and uses this knowledge to explain why we can calm our fears about this new technology.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: How does ChatGPT work? (And should we worry about it?)  [11:24]

- Is there anything AI won’t do better than humans? [57:30]

- How will AI end up disrupting knowledge work? [1:02:27]

- Should I quit web development before AI eliminates the industry? [1:07:32] 

- Will AI create mass job loss in the next five years? [1:11:52]

SOMETHING INTERESTING:

- NPR leaves Twitter [1:21:11]

npr.org/2023/04/12/1169269161/npr-leaves-twitter-government-funded-media-label  

Links:

newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/what-kind-of-mind-does-chatgpt-have

twitter.com/tqbf/status/1598513757805858820

twitter.com/goodside/status/1598077257498923010 

nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/chatgpt-passes-mba-exam-wharton-professor-rcna67036

time.com/6240569/ai-childrens-book-alice-and-sparkle-artists-unhappy/

nytimes.com/2023/02/16/technology/bing-chatbot-microsoft-chatgpt.html 

nytimes.com/2023/03/24/opinion/yuval-harari-ai-chatgpt.html

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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zocdoc.com/deep

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Cal Newport answers 10 questions from his audience ranging from idea management to the Deep Life to writing. Throughout all the answers, you’ll hear Cal explain his core concepts and how they apply to everyday working life.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

- Why doesn’t Cal care about idea management systems? [2:46]

- Does Cal still use Workflowy to capture tasks?  [12:52]

- Are women better at multi-tasking than men? [16:56]

- What is the difference between pursuing depth versus passion? [23:16]

- What are the  “Contemplation” and “Celebration” buckets in the context of the Deep Life? [28:56]

- What’s the best way to study math? [32:56]

- Can I jump from a master’s at a small school to a PhD at a prestigious one? [35:19]

- How do I know if I’ve successfully cultivated a Deep Life? [37:11]

- How do I become a successful political nonfiction writer? [44:38]

- Is the Deep Work hypothesis affected by survivorship bias? [50:36]

Links:

calnewport.com/blog/2011/06/23/lab-notes-my-closed-loop-research-system/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

fieldofgreens.com Promo Code: Deep