The Cal Newport Show

You can’t just turn a “work harder” or “relax” knob. Once you realize that productivity ideas can offer you great autonomy in shaping your life - however you decide to do that - your relationship with it becomes more nuanced and fruitful. Productivity can be understood as applying organization tools and deliberate processes to take back control of your obligations.

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: Is productivity about optimization or autonomy? [6:06]

- Should I start a blog to prepare to write a book? [23:18]
- How do I recover from burn out? [30:11]
- How do I prioritize when I have too many interests? [35:15]
- Should I ditch my side hustle? [39:25]
- How do I convince my self-focused colleagues to participate in more efficient group systems? [43:24]

Something Interesting:

- The five books I read in February 2023 [53:24]

Links:

vice.com/en/article/akdyje/the-relentless-rise-of-the-productivity-influence
youtube.com/watch?v=YctcDlPixb8

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by Better Help: betterhelp.com/deepquestions
blinkist.com/deep
expressvpn.com/deep
ladderlife.com/deep

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

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The relationship with time is one of the more interesting things going on in work culture. Many knowledge workers take on too much work and become overloaded. If we have less to do, our relationship with time can be repaired. So we have to think very concretely about building systems and mindsets that reduce how much we have to do.

Life of Focus link here: life-of-focus-course.com

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

Today’s Deep Question: Is our relationship to time broken? [16:12]

- Do we need AI-driven time management tools? (Rant alert) [39:39]
- Is slow productivity compatible with becoming world class in a competitive field? [47:46]
- What deep accomplishments are Cal and Jesse most proud about? [50:15]
- CASE STUDY: A composer embraces slow productivity [59:40]

Something Interesting:

- Quiet quitting in academia? [1:08:35]

Links:

https://www.ft.com/content/176c104a-32c0-4267-b122-add10e5405f9
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/04/books/time-jenny-odell-.html
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00633-w

Thanks to our Sponsors:

https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal
https://www.huel.com/questions
https://www.stamps.com/deep
https://www.80000hours.org/deep

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

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The reading life is a deep life. The screen-filled life can be primitive and exhausting. Which one do you want?

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 read books? [7:23]

- Should I buy physical copies of books I enjoyed on my kindle? [30:45]
- How should I organize my notes when writing a non-fiction book? [34:38]
- How do I train myself to become a reader? [40:34]
- How should I build a library? [50:25]
- What does Cal think about Sam Bankman-Fried’s claim that books are worthless? [55:12]

Something Interesting: [1:02:21]

- Napoleon’s solution to inbox overload
- Rethinking productivity: impact vs. velocity

Links:

abc.net.au/religion/maryanne-wolf-cultivating-deep-reading-in-a-digital-age/102001224

reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/11fphcy/til_napoleon_bonaparte_refused_to_open_his_mail/

itamargilad.com/velocity-vs-impact/


Thanks to our Sponsors:

grammarly.com/tone
mybodytutor.com
blinkist.com/deep
expressvpn.com/deep

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

Today’s Deep Question: Should we consider a radically reimagined internet? [7:03]

- Can we build a better internet? [29:20]
- Will the coming augmented reality make the deep life impossible? [36:18]
- How do I become more disciplined about shutting down my phone? [44:26]
- Is the internet alive? [49:35]
- How does Cal see the connection between his professor and writer roles? [55:40]

Something Interesting: Michael Cera Doesn’t Use a Smartphone [1:10:47]

Links:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mychalthompson/michael-cera-smartphone-social-media
https://urbit.org
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/google-supreme-court-youtube.html
Elevate Your Team  


Thanks to our Sponsors:

https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal
https://www.huel.com/questions
https://www.mintmobile.com/deep
https://www.policygenius.com

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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://www.youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: How can I significantly decrease the footprint of my remote job (without anyone noticing)? [10:46]

- How do I leverage a shift to remote work to gain a deeper life? [39:23]
- How can I work deeply in a remote job that requires me to be available? [43:16]
- How do I make time for my individual projects while working remotely? [53:47]
- How do I avoid being promoted out of a nice remote position into a miserable management role? [55:35]

CASE STUDY: Alternative Workflow Pitfalls [1:00:07]

Something Interesting: The five books I read in January, 2023 [1:09:54]

Links:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/02/04/return-to-office-occupancy-status


Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by Better Help:
https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions
https://www.ladderlife.com/deep
https://www.zocdoc.com/deep
https://www.expressvpn.com/deep

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Cal Still Think That Productivity is Overrated? [6:46]

- Should I abandon my careful plan when I get on a roll? [30:47]
- How do I achieve slow-and-steady work mode? [35:38]
- How do I make my the most out of idle time? [41:37]
- How does a deep work lover survive the shallows? [47:34]
- Does productivity require that you’re anti-social? [51:16]

Something Interesting: Rethinking productivity in academia [1:02:44]

Links:

calnewport.com/blog/2007/08/31/dangerous-ideas-productivity-is-overrated/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors:

Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at stamps.com/deep. Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show!
hensonshaving.com/cal
blinkist.com/deep
80000hours.org/deep

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 we be ambitious without burning out? [8:23]

- How do I create a hit podcast? (Special guest JORDAN HARBINGER) [41:59]
- How do I overcome boredom in my purposefully under-scheduled life? [1:01:57]
- How do I manage multiple side hustle projects? [1:06:11]
- Do I need two planning documents if I have two jobs? [1:13:14]
- How do I get my 15-year-old brother to stop using his phone so much? [1:15:30]

Something Interesting: The slow productivity of Maryam Mirzakhani [1:23:48]

Links:

screenrant.com/calvin-hobbes-bill-watterson-merchandising-lost-millions-reason/

web.archive.org/web/20150302235823/http://www.calnewport.com/blog

wired.com/2014/08/maryam-mirzakhani-fields-medal/

thedeeplife.com/podcasts/episodes/ep-115-jordan-harbinger-what-is-the-future-of-podcasting/   

Thanks to our Sponsors:

grammarly.com/deep
ladderlife.com/deep
mybodytutor.com
expressvpn.com/deep

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 free myself from spending all day in my inbox? [8:24]

- Why does Cal suggest having multiple email addresses? [43:27]
- How do I convince my colleagues to actually read process-centric emails? [47:16]
- How do I work with people who enjoy email check-ins? [52:16]
- How do I get key information out of email an into a better system? [57:25]
- How can I focus when my job demands an open door policy? [1:01:11]

Something Interesting: Alex Haley wrote on a cargo ship [1:12:42]

Links:

affect.media.mit.edu/pdfs/16.Mark-CHI_Email.pdf
tim.blog/autoresponse/
blog.rescuetime.com/communication-multitasking-switches/
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/01/23/magazine/cal-newport-interview.html  
alexhaley.com/2018/08/04/aboard-the-african-star-by-alex-haley/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

mintmobile.com/deep
huel.com/questions
hensonshaving.com/cal
blinkist.com/deep

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: Why are lumberjacks happier than lawyers? [3:06]

- Should I leave a good job to gain more autonomy? [32:34]
- Should I quit my trainer job? [38:31]
- What does Cal’s workday look like? [45:52]
- How can I create a career without skills? [54:48]

CASE STUDY: The Slow Lawyer [58:38]

Books Cal Read in December [1:05:33]

Links:

- washingtonpost.com/business/2023/01/06/happiest-jobs-on-earth/
- frugalwoods.com/2021/09/15/mr-fw-retired-and-we-paid-off-our-mortgage-frugalwoods-fire-is-complete/
- bench.co/blog/small-business-stories/paul-jarvis/
- calnewport.com/blog/2017/05/22/john-grishams-15-hour-workweek/
- itsfreetime.com/about


Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by Better Help: betterhelp.com/deepquestions
huel.com/questions
policygenius.com
notion.com/cal

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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:  Work Cycles [6:57]

- Should I leave my relaxing job to make more money? [33:54]
- Is there a need for deep work retreats? [45:59]
- How do I find time to work deeply when I’m busy? [53:07]

Case Study: On Walking and Remote Work [57:25]

- Can Cal explain more about the “celebration” bucket? [1:02:09]

SOMETHING INTERESTING:

- Deep work cafe [1:10:28]
cbsnews.com/news/manuscript-cafe-in-tokyo-serves-an-antidote-to-writers-block/

- Gloria Mark’s new book [1:12:50]
amazon.com/Attention-Span-Finding-Fighting-Distraction/dp/1335449418

Links:

basecamp.com/handbook/09-how-we-work
bluemountaincenter.org/life-at-bmc
cnn.com/travel/article/amtrak-free-residency/index.html
myfranciscan.org/visit/hermitage/


Thanks to our Sponsors:

80000hours.org/deep
blinkist.com/deep
ladderlife.com/deep
zocdoc.com/deep

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices