The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 174: CALLS: Thinking for Yourself Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
BEHIND THE CURTAIN: Jesse asks Cal questions about his life. [2:41]
- Listening to arguments on both sides of an issue. [24:49]
- Designing a fantastic gap year. [33:51]
- Juggling too many hobbies. [42:27]
- Struggling to stay disciplined with home chores. [46:56]
- Cal’s thoughts on the Metaverse. [58:58]
Thanks to our Sponsors:
My Body Tutor: MyBodyTutor.com: Mention “Deep Questions” for $50 off 1st month
Athletic Greens: Athleticgreens.com/deep
Stamps.com: Stamps.com - Use promo code “Deep”
Grammarly: Grammarly.com/Deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 173: What is Deep Work? Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
CORE IDEA: Deep Work [5:10]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- How much should I care about promoting my work? [28:07]
- When do you write your weekly plan? [33:22]
- What does Cal think about digital notebooks? [34:00]
- Why is everyone so bad at email? [36:45]
- What is Cal’s advice for a distracted high school student? [40:02]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- Does disconnection improve creativity? [50:57]
- How do I teach my kids to focus? [57:52]
- How do I get my students off their phones? [1:02:20]
- What does Cal think about the book “Four-Thousand Weeks”? [1:05:21]
Thanks to our Sponsors:
My Body Tutor: MyBodyTutor.com: Mention “Deep Questions” for $50 off 1st month
Athletic Greens: Athleticgreens.com/deep
Stamps.com: Stamps.com - Use promo code “Deep”
Grammarly: Grammarly.com/Deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 172: CALLS: The Books I Read in January 2022 Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
Cal's January Books: [2:00]
Listener Calls:
- Implementing the deep life [21:30]
- Physical vs. e-books [33:33]
- Finding hobby motivation [37:39]
- Asking for help [45:14]
- Deep student life [52:34]
- Deep work for a new father [1:04:27]
Thank you to this episode's Sponsors:
Policy Genius: Policygenius.com
Centered: centered.app/deepquestions
Magic Spoon: magicspoon.com/cal
ExpressVPN: expressvpn.com/deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 171: Is Slow Productivity the Solution to Burnout? Feb 07, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
CORE IDEAS: Is Slow Productivity the Solution to Burnout? [2:58]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- How does Cal manage information? [35:56]
- What notebooks does Cal use? [38:52]
- What’s the deep approach to job searching? [44:20]
- What did Cal’s readers learn about deep work? [48:00]
-Can I work deeply for more than 4 hours a day? [55:46]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- How should Cal’s time management advice be adjusted for students from underrepresented backgrounds? [1:04:58]
- How do I survive college admissions craziness? [1:09:47]
Thanks to our Sponsors:
Policy Genius: Policygenius.com
Centered: centered.app/deepquestions
Magic Spoon: magicspoon.com/cal
ExpressVPN: expressvpn.com
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 170: CALLS: Don’t Follow Your Passion Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
CORE IDEA: Don’t Follow Your Passion [3:07]
- Dividing time between multiple pursuits. [17:38]
- Implementing ideas from A World Without Email in small businesses. [22:17]
- Estimating the tie required to complete tasks. [27:42]
- Organizing household space for productivity. [34:12]
- Tips for passing a highly competitive exam. [43:01]
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 169: How Do I Manage My Time? Jan 31, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
CORE IDEA: Time Management [4:37]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- What does deliberate practice look like for computer programming? [30:15]
- Is it rational to quit your job if it implies a potential harm to society? [36:04]
- When is deep work not the most important metric? [39:04]
- Should I stay a job where the management actively tries to stifle productivity? [42:46]
- What are your (Cal’s) tips for a mother of two small kids getting her masters? [51:15]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- Is raising kids part of the deep life or an obstacle to achieving it? [1:00:22]
- Is listening to audiobooks just as beneficial as reading hard-copy books? [1:04:55]
- How do I accomplish a digital detox when all of my leisure involves my phone? [1:06:07]
- How can high school students excel without SATs? [1:11:06]
- Should I worry about social media getting me fired from my job? [1:12:21]
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 168: Should I Quit My Law Partner Job? Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Videos of today’s questions: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- How should we use a ticketing system? [4:15]
- Should I resign after my boss does? [9:19]
- Are breaks to rest your eyes considered context switching? [13:10]
- How do you time block long but ambiguous intellectual activity? [21:49]
- How do you get back to scheduling after a vacation? [24:57]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- Is it okay for a one activity to fit into two different deep life buckets? [29:51]
- How do I live deeply with a demanding job (i.e., should I quit my law partner job?) [33:51]
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 167: What Do We Look Like? (Videos Are Now Live!) Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Videos of the podcast are now live! (You can find then here: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- How do I decide how much work is enough? [13:35]
- How do I eliminate post-shutdown anxiety? [28:15]
- How do I get back to work effectively after a lunch break? [37:43]
- Why don’t you (Cal) use Zettelkasten? [40:09]
- How do I limit activities that aren’t important for my long-term success a new job? [46:20]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- How do you (Cal) stay focused on campus when surrounded by “woke-ness”? [52:44]
- How do you (Cal) keep sane as a published author? [58:31]
- How do you “count” time that is between deep work and deep leisure? [1:02:24]
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 166: LISTENER CALLS: The Deep Life vs. The Good Life Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

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.
OPENING DISCUSSION: How I schedule podcasting
LISTENER CALLS:
- My thoughts on psychedelics and the pursuit of awe. [8:38]
- Time-block planning for the visually impaired. [19:07]
- Struggling to escape a job. [23:24]
- Concerns about book editors. [33:26]
- My blog writing process. [43:41]
- The deep life vs. the good life [48:49]
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 165: Why Are We Burnt Out? Jan 17, 2022

Show notes

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: Why Are We Burnt Out? [1:31]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- Should I exercise before or after deep work? [20:28]
- Why plan every quarter instead of every month or year? [23:56]
- How do I master a hard technical skill? [26:12]
- What does my (Cal) knowledge management system look like? [30:17]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- Are my (Cal’s) online courses applicable to people with ADHD? [40:37]
- How do I apply deep work to my busy life? [45:10]
- How do I balance work, school, and kids? [49:45]
- What are my (Cal’s) thoughts on sleep? [52:36]
- How do I (Cal) think about earnings and personal finance? [56:23]
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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