Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Cal Newport is a computer science professor and a New York Times bestselling author who writes about the impact of technology on society, and the struggle to work and live deeply in a world increasingly mired in digital distractions. On this podcast, he answers questions from his readers and offers advice about cultivating focus, productivity, and meaning amidst the noise that pervades our lives.

  • 1 hour 26 minutes
    Ep. 325: Simple Focus Protocols

    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

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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. 

    4 November 2024, 12:00 pm
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    Ep. 324: Taming Non-Work Tasks

    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: 

     

    blinkist.com/deep

    notion.com/cal

    zbiotics.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. 

    28 October 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 19 minutes
    Ep. 323: Strategic Procrastination

    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: 

     

    drinklmnt.com/deep

    shopify.com/deep

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    mintmobile.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. 

    21 October 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    IN-DEPTH:The Productivity Trap (w/ Oliver Burkeman)

    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.

    17 October 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 20 minutes
    Ep. 322: The Discipline Ladder

    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: 

     

    mybodytutor.com

    expressvpn.com/deep

    rhone.com/cal

    cozyearth.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. 

    14 October 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    Ep. 321: Escaping Your Phone

    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. 

    7 October 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 6 minutes
    Ep. 320: Jobs and the Deep Life

    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: 

    notion.com/cal
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    landroverusa.com


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

    30 September 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    IN-DEPTH: Systematic Depth (w/ Ryan Holiday)

    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 Arthur Brooks [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.

    26 September 2024, 11:00 pm
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    Ep. 319: Reclaim Your Time

    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
    greenlight.com/deep
    expressvpn.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. 

    23 September 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    Ep. 318: Take a Break

    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: 

     

    mybodytutor.com

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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.

    16 September 2024, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 27 minutes
    Ep. 317: The 10-Year Rule

    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

    Thanks to our Sponsors: 

    shopify.com/deep
    drinklmnt.com/deep
    expressvpn.com/deep
    factor.com/deep50

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

    9 September 2024, 11:00 am
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