The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 114: LISTENER CALLS: Growing a Podcast Without Social Media Jul 15, 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.
- Balancing necessary shallow and important deep work. [3:23]
- Increasing reading retention. [9:556]
- Keeping track of goals or ideas for future pursuit. [13:59]
- Growing a podcast without social media. [19:32]
- Seasonal breaks from work. [30:51]
- Community bucket struggles. [33:54]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 113: How Do I Become a Deep Life Radical? Jul 12, 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.
BOOK REPORT: The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin [1:30]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I eliminate the hive mind from interaction with other departments? [13:36]
- How do I capture small tasks so I don't forget them? [23:23]
- How do I (Cal) feel about career counselors? [29:31]
- Are there professions for which time blocking doesn't work? [33:42]
- How do I organize my tasks without using task boards? [37:55]
- Should I build a radical setting to support the deep life? [39:50]
- How do I become the right person to write a book? [42:52]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- Can a digital minimalist use a fitness tracker? [54:33]
- When should I switch from work to leisure? [56:27]
- How do I get back on track with a deep life after a hard pandemic? [59:24]
- What is my (Cal's) top piece of parenting advice? [1:02:04]
- Cal's Curmudgeon Corner: How do I find meaning beyond simply expressing myself? [1:05:01]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 112: LISTENER CALLS: The Productivity Baby Steps Jul 08, 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.
- Breaking up big projects into small tasks. [4:19]
- The productivity baby steps (epic answer alert). [8:58]
- Taming late night meetings. [26:02]
- Best book of mine for college students. [34:45]
- Shutdown routines with unpredictable schedules. [38:28]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 111: How Do I Tame Distracting Thoughts? Jul 05, 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.
FROM THE NEWSLETTER: Notes on Quentin Tarantino's Writing Routine [3:39]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS
- How fluid are my quarterly plans? [17:00]
- What is a good approach to take notes in meetings? [19:59]
- What do you include ads o your podcast? [23:31]
- How do I install a deep work mindset in my team? [25:25]
- How do you (Cal) use Evernote? [32:37]
- Am I planning an app version of my time-block planner? [35:30]
- Any tips to help me actually do the things I have time blocked? [37:21]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How do I stop embracing my distracting thoughts? [45:37]
- How does a high school student find things to be interested in? [55:24]
- How do I get started writing on an already popular topic? [59:42]
- How does deep work relate to Dave Epstein's idea go Generalists vs. Specialists? [1:05:45]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 110: LISTENER CALLS: Making the Deep Life Happen Jul 01, 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.
- Why people get mad at me. [1:21]
- Scheduling reading. [7:06]
- Semester goals and time block planners. [11:41]
- McKeown's effortlessness vs. Newport's automation. [25:05]
- Translating the deep life into concrete action. [30:23]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 109: How Much Should I Read? Jun 28, 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.
BOOK REPORT: The Square and the Tower [3:6]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS
- What should I do if I like my job but dislike the industry? [11:41]
- How hard should I push back against a shallow company culture? [16:15]
- Is productivity only for people with certain personality types? [25:05]
- What is the best strategy for an aspiring academic? [27:30]
- Should I ask experts or learn on my own? [29:23]
- Can you tell me more about the CIA's mail tubes? [34:45]
- How do I get on the New York Times bestseller list? [40:36]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- Is there value in keeping a daily record of significant activity? [49:50]
- Can I pursue the deep life if I have mental health issues? [56:06]
- Are there wrong ways to pursue the deep life? [1:00:22]
- How much time do I (Cal) spend reading? [1:04:09]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 108: LISTENER CALLS: Becoming Productive Jun 24, 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.
- The hyperactive hive mind and the return to the office. [2:57]
- Becoming productive. [12:23]
- Time tracking apps. [24:51]
- Scheduling continuous projects. [27:19]
- Struggling with time blocking. [36:51]
- Working on problems past when it's useful. [41:47]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 107: How Do I Stay Motivated on Long-Term Projects? Jun 21, 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 I cultivate urgency for long-term projects? [2:49]
- How do I learn more about deliberate practice? [11:54]
- How do deal with an "open door" policy at work? [17:06]
- How can I return to academia after taking an industry job? [19:57]
- Does a commitment to deep work block me from management? [21:37]
- How do I avoid distractions when working from home? [24:56]
- Can condensed deep work rituals still be effective? [27:45]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- How should I use boredom? [37:09]
- Will organized schedules undermine my social life? [45:42]
- What is my (Cal) take on Clubhouse? [52:11]
- How can someone with few resources cultivate meaningful leisure? [56:48]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 106: LISTENER CALLS: Art Without Social Media Jun 17, 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.
- Balancing work and school. [3:34]
- Deep work and ADHD. [8:28]
- Building career capital as an account executive. [15:15]
- Do I know Naval Ravikant? P22:35]
- Art without social media. [27:31]
- Pursuing a PhD purely for passion. [33:53]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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Ep. 105: Should I Read the News? Jun 14, 2021

Show notes

DEEP WORK QUESTIONS
- How do you apply deep work when your job is entirely shallow? [4:37]
- Is batching emails a few times a day a good practice? [12:20]
- Why are some tips for managing the flow of emails and texts from clients? [19:54]
- What am I (Cal) working during my teaching sabbatical this spring? [26:45]
- What are the ideal ratios for writing, thinking, and reading in a day? [29:47]
- Can I (Cal) elaborate on how I track deep work? [34:17]
- How do you avoid easing up on the gas after tenure? [35:58]
- How do I teach my kids to appreciate career capital? [40:08]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How does Cal Newport handle stress? [46:44]
- how much news should I be reading? [51:55]
- Is there a connection between Stephen Covey's saw and Newport's buckets? [57:59]
- How do you (Cal) deal with failure and setbacks? [1:00:21]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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