The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 94: LISTENER CALLS: Battling Bothersome Bosses May 06, 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.
- Productivity with a chronic illness. [4:28]
- Coordinating strategic plans with a partner. [12:44]
- Getting your boss to bother you less. [17:56]
- High quality leisure for students [25:59]
- Feeling overwhelmed by Facebook Groups. [29:58]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 93: Am I Overcommitted or Bad at Time Management? May 03, 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 happens if you stop using your phone for a year? [3:55]
WORKING DEEPLY:
- How do I avoid the hyperactive hive mind in a new job? [11:36]
- How can the author of A WORLD WITHOUT EMAIL have an email list? [14:02]
- When did personal productivity become a thing? [16:25]
- Am I overcommitted or bad at time management? [25:47]
- How do I decide on roles for my task boards? [29:23]
- How can I become established as a content creator? (Or, the perils of "checklist productivity") [33:16]
- Recreating the water color in a world without email? [38:44]
LIVING DEEPLY:
- What are some good biographies for deep life inspiration? [46:38]
- What are my top 3 recommendations for someone looking to live deeper? [49:12]
- Can a commute be contemplative? [54:50]
- Where do I (Cal) write about "the deep life" in my books? [58:51]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 92: LISTENER CALLS: The Perils of Coercive Productivity Apr 29, 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.
- Time block specificity (coercive versus collaborative productivity). [6:24]
- Balancing time spent on different types of work. [11:34]
- Project priorities. [18:34]
- Building a social life during a pandemic. [26:57]
- Making use of unexpected free time. [33:27]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 91: GREG MCKEOWN on Making Essential Work Effortless Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

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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Ep. 90: LISTENER CALLS: My Current Scheduling Setup Apr 22, 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.
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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Ep. 89: Do I Need a Dumb Phone? Apr 19, 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 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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Ep. 88: LISTENER CALLS: My Notebooks and Instagram-Addicted Artists Apr 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.
- 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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Ep. 87: Should I Switch Careers to Pursue my Dream? Apr 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.
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.

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Ep. 86: LISTENER CALLS: Mastering the Art of Thinking While Walking Apr 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.
- 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.

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Ep. 85: Are NFTs Frivolous or Fundamental? Apr 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.
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.

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