The Cal Newport Show

I'm joined in today's episode by Greg McKeown, author of the mega-bestseller Essentialism, and his new book, Effortless.

We talk about the massive success of Essentialism, decoding why it did so well and discussing how it changed his life. We then get into the origin of the ideas that became Effortless, and use some of my own attempts to make essential work easier as a case study.


Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

Behind the Curtain: My Current Scheduling Setup [0:22]

Book Recommendation: The Unspoken Rules [9:34]

Listener Calls:

 - Perfectionism and time-block schedules. [12:58]
 - Constructing effective student schedules. [18:56]
 - Organizing the tasks that make up a project. [26:58]
 - Optimal task structure. [35:47]
 - RANT ALERT: social media and danger of algorithmic attention. [40:32]

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

DEEP DIVE: What Does "Productivity" Actually Mean? [5:04]

WORK QUESTIONS
 - How do I stay productive after the pandemic? [17:56]
 - How do I relearn how to think deeply? [22:51]
 - Can I build a world without email with non-knowledge workers? [31:38]
 - Are some people more aligned to some jobs than others? [34:47]

TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
 - Do I need a dumb phone? [38:48]
 - How will the pandemic impact higher education? [42:28]

DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
 - Has my liberal arts education helped my CS career? [51:23]
 - How do the "deep life" buckets related to quarterly planning? [56:05]

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

- Determining if your work is deep. [3:21]
- Limits for daily deep work. [6:30]
- Taking notes in a time block planner. [11:17]
- My notebooks. [17:24]
- Instagram and artists. [24:16]

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.



 

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Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.


WORK QUESTIONS

 - What algorithm should I use to implement the Eisenhower Matrix? [6:21]
 - Should I switch careers to pursue my dream? [9:34]
 - How did I (Cal) fit research, teaching, and writing into my 9 to 5 graduate student schedule? [20:37] 
 - What advice should I give students about deep work? [23:55]


TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS

 - Can I succeed in music without social media? [28:06]
 - How can I avoid social media during Zoom classes? [32:28]
 - What are my (Cal) favorite sources for book research? [40:03]


DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS

 - How do I (Cal) decide what books to read? [42:00]
 - How can I combine deep leisure with an exhausting job? [45:40]


Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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

Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

- Transferring tasks from capture to configure tools. [4:07]
- Getting better at thinking while walking (plus bonus MIT nostalgia). [6:53] 
- Deep work breaks. [14:44]
- Dedicated task lists for projects (what I do). [25:28]
- Incompatible calendars. [30:43]

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

DEEP DIVE: Are NFTs frivolous or fundamental? [6:57]

WORK QUESTIONS
 - Does a world without email mean the return of voicemail? [23:42]
 - Is Elon Musk right about not pursuing a PhD? [26:31]
 - Is mastery incompatible with the deep life? [28:47]
 - Do I need a todo list for my personal life? [39:15]
 - How do you come up with catchy phrases like "hyperactive hive mind"? [41:26]
 - Why am I wary of building a team? [44:12]

TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
 - How do I use the internet responsibly when there is so much information? [48:02]
 - How do I learn to code while working a demanding job? [49:33]
 - What are my (Cal) thoughts on Microsoft Teams? [55:41]

DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
 - How do I (Cal) spend my time outside of work and family? [58:49]
 - How do I unplug from the "productivity machine" and relax? [1:01:10]

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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

Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

 - Scheduling multiple concurrent projects. [5:06]
 - Prioritizing projects. [12:03]
 - Work from home wardrobes (and virtual commutes). [15:58] 
 - Maintaining focusing during mini-delays. [23:49]
 - Decorating an office to support deep work. [28:11]

Link for my Clubhouse conversation with Kevin Roose (3pm Eastern on 4/1): https://www.joinclubhouse.com/event/xeeZL4DE

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

WORK QUESTIONS

 - How do I concentrate in an open office? [5:27]
 - Do professors need to work 60+ hours a week? [9:10]
 - What's the best workflow for student reference letters? [17:38]
 - How does an MS student prepare to become a CS professor? [21:21]
 - How can a high school principal find time to do deep work? [25:28]

TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS

 - Can email itself be the work? [35:36]
 - Do I need constant pings and messaging to foster community? [43:27]
 - Must I stop watching TV and movies to be productive? [46:51]

DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS

 - In what order should a teenager read the Cal Newport Canon? [53:42]
 - Are Peloton badges just another digital addiction? [58:48]
 - How do I stop avoiding the need to live deeper? [1:01:36]

Link for my Clubhouse conversation with Kevin Roose (3pm Eastern on 4/1): https://www.joinclubhouse.com/event/xeeZL4DE

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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

Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

- Taming scattered schedules. [3:10]
- Phantom part time work in the office. [11:04]
- The joys and sorrows of binge working. [18:12]
- Organizing reading when you're slow at reading. [25:05]
- Combatting administrative overload in academia (including a bonus unsolicited rant). [29:57]

Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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