The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 144: LISTENER CALLS: Is Overload Necessary? Nov 04, 2021

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.
DEEP DIVE: Is Overload Necessary? (Epic rant alert) [3:53]
LISTENER CALLS:
- Beyond the most important task of the day. [27:00]
- "Pseudo-blocking" household admin. [31:53]
- A doctor struggling to find leisure time. [36:47]
- Defanging the internet with strategic browser plug-ins. [44:26]
- Applying sprints outside of the tech sector. [49:35]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 143: What Would You Say You Do Here? Nov 01, 2021

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: What would you say you do here? [3:05]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- What time management strategies do you suggest if I work a 9-5 and want to pursue master's or phd? [13:32]
- How to overcome productivity pr0n?
- Lifehacker addict is hung up on the fomo (fear of missing out) of potential shortcuts. [19:51]
- could save time
- How to time block deep work while juggling the demands of "in the moment questions". [25:03]
- Pharmacist manager gets bogged down with constant questions despite needing time to do deep work.
- How do you differentiate productive meditation with "day-dreaming mode" to solve problems? [32:28]
- Relaxing the pre-frontal cortex
- What are your thoughts on scaling up for sole proprietors? [35:37]
- A digital marketer thinking of outsourcing for book keeping, etc.
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- What do you do/read to keep the path of living a deep life? [38:57]
- What's your class policy regarding your students and their phone use? [42:38]
- How do you combat confirmation bias as an author and academic? [44:58]
- How do you balance reading new books and re-reading books (especially past ones that have proven valuable)?
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 142: LISTENER CALLS: Making Hard Work Routine Oct 28, 2021

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.
DEEP DIVE: On Facebook, Misinformation, and the Death of Collaborative Curation [2:59]
LISTENER CALLS:
- My thoughts on speed reading. [21:29]
- My system for writing New Yorker articles (routinizing demanding work). [24:43]
- The importance of media for academic careers. [34:07]
- Re-assessing linked note-taking. [40:02]
- The absurdity of live study streams. [44:12]
- Time blocking without a time-block planner. [51:21]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 141: Is the Era of Social Media Ending? Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

DEEP DIVE: Is the Era of Social Media Ending? [2:37]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- Did COVID-19 closures change my (Cal's) thoughts on my working situation? [18:01]
- Should I stick with management consulting? [37:06]
- How do I lead my organization away from email? [40:17]
- How do I pick a specialization in a broad field? [44:55]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- Do I (Cal) use my smartphone for directions and photos? [48:48]
- How do I choose my minor? [51:37]
- What is something I (Cal) have changed my opinion on in recent years? [55:00]
- Should I publish this book? [56:53]
- Do I (Cal) regret becoming a public intellectual? [1:02:28]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 140: LISTENER CALLS: Frustration and the Deep Life Oct 21, 2021

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.
DEEP DIVE: Smartphones and moral panics. [3:43]
LISTENER CALLS:
- Scheduling when you've fallen behind. [12:29]
- Squandering autonomy. [18:06]
- Hacking habits and the shortcomings of raw discipline. [26:11]
- Tenure and valuable skills. [31:38]
- Adding more to your plate without it tipping over. [36:24]
- Frustration and the Deep Life (and an update on my next book). [42:41]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 139: Am I Good at Time Management or Just Lazy? Oct 18, 2021

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: Will Offices Survive the Pandemic? [6:01]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I practice my writing better? [22:07]
- Is it harder to write a dissertation or a book? [25:08]
- Will 10-minute sitting breaks destroy my concentration? [29:04]
- Am I good at time management or just lazy? [35:52]
- How do I get the most out of an assistant who handles my inbox? [40:24]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How do I structure all my leisure time when I have no kids? [44:13]
- Is digital nomadism making a comeback? [46:53]
- Are RSS feeds a good alternative to social media? [52:37]
- How do I find fellow Deep Questions listeners to hang out with? [58:49]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 138: LISTENER CALLS: How I Read So Much Oct 14, 2021

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.
- Interacting with potential clients while avoiding constant distraction. [2:10]
- Self-promotion without social media. [8:21]
- Dealing with an overflowing "to read" folder. [13:19]
- Correcting weekly plan drift. [18:13]
- The secrets of my high-volume reading. [22:47]
- Personal vs. organizational productivity. [27:29]
- Balancing deep and shallow work. [36:10]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Ep. 137: Why Am I Uncomfortable With Facebook Backlash? Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

DEEP DIVE: Why Am I Uncomfortable With Facebook Backlash? [1:16]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- How do I work deeper in a job that is inherently fractured? [17:29]
- How do I switch tasks without everything going to hell? [23:21]
- How do I build relationships with colleagues if I prioritize deep work? [26:50]
- How can I reduce the craziness of my college schedule? [33:39]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- How can I relaxed if I'm extremely driven? [38:49]
- Can on lead a life as a recognized intellectual outside of academia? [42:48]
- How do I get better at thinking critically? [47:38]

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

Ep. 136: LISTENER CALLS: Reversing Burnout Oct 07, 2021

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: Some Thoughts on Slow Productivity. [0:21]
LISTENER CALLS
- Taming client email as a busy lawyer.[3:44]
- How I maintain my systems. [11:42]
- The danger of too much productivity. [[17:02]
- Benjamin Franklin, tedious Harvard types, and awe. [22:54]
- Students and theory. [34:12]
- Reversing burnout. [38:05]

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

Ep. 135: Is Screen Time Bad? Oct 04, 2021

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 WORK QUESTIONS
- How do virtual office hours work with multiple participants? [4:26]
- Is time spent in front of a computer screen bad (bonus rant: we work too much!)? [8:18]
- How do I remember goals when I'm in danger of distraction? [14:20]
- Why do I ignore monthly planning? [16:26]
- How do I survive running two companies? [18:08]
- How do I make my YouTube channel popular? [22:43]
- How should I train new hires? [27:09]
- How do I avoid getting stuck waiting for a needed response? [30:43]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- Can I (Cal) give feedback to all submitted questions [32:48]
- Can my (Cal) philosophy be summarized as "deep intentionalism"? [34:33]
- Which phones and phone apps do you use? [37:18]
- What are some ideas for keystone habits in the creativity bucket? [38:41]
- How should a college student approach digital minimalism? [43:17]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected