The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 84: LISTENER CALLS: Prioritizing Projects and Deep Decor Apr 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.
- Scheduling multiple concurrent projects. [5:06]
- Prioritizing projects. [12:03]
- Work from home wardrobes (and virtual commutes). [15:58]
- Maintaining focusing during mini-delays. [23:49]
- Decorating an office to support deep work. [28:11]
Link for my Clubhouse conversation with Kevin Roose (3pm Eastern on 4/1): https://www.joinclubhouse.com/event/xeeZL4DE
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 83: Is Email Work? Mar 29, 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
- How do I concentrate in an open office? [5:27]
- Do professors need to work 60+ hours a week? [9:10]
- What's the best workflow for student reference letters? [17:38]
- How does an MS student prepare to become a CS professor? [21:21]
- How can a high school principal find time to do deep work? [25:28]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Can email itself be the work? [35:36]
- Do I need constant pings and messaging to foster community? [43:27]
- Must I stop watching TV and movies to be productive? [46:51]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- In what order should a teenager read the Cal Newport Canon? [53:42]
- Are Peloton badges just another digital addiction? [58:48]
- How do I stop avoiding the need to live deeper? [1:01:36]
Link for my Clubhouse conversation with Kevin Roose (3pm Eastern on 4/1): https://www.joinclubhouse.com/event/xeeZL4DE
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 82: Habit Tune-Up: The Joys and Sorrows of Binge Working Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
- Taming scattered schedules. [3:10]
- Phantom part time work in the office. [11:04]
- The joys and sorrows of binge working. [18:12]
- Organizing reading when you're slow at reading. [25:05]
- Combatting administrative overload in academia (including a bonus unsolicited rant). [29:57]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 81: How Do I Avoid Burnout? Mar 22, 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 Are My Core Systems? [2:40]
WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I avoid burnout? [13:33]
- How do I measure effectiveness in a vague job? [19:58]
- How do I teach myself to become a better programmer? [22:19]
- What is a good way to become a better leader? [27:50]
- How do non-fiction writers become better at their craft? [30:56]
- What motivates a boss to promote you? (Plus a bonus digression on personal versus societal improvement) [34:27]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Does personal email make people miserable? [39:40]
- Should I quit social media for good? [42:09]
- How do I help someone kick their TikTok addiction? [49:23]
- Is it possible to succeed in business without a personal brand? [56:40]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How do we teach deep thinking to kids? (warning: your kids will now like my answer) [1:00:36]
- Why did I move to Takoma Park? [1:04:32]
- How do I focus when dealing with emotional turmoil? [1:15]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 80: Habit Tune-Up: Deep Work After Hard Days Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
- On the value of expensive productivity systems. [3:58]
- Phantom part-time jobs. [11:16]
- Working deeply after hard days. [16:24]
- Must all leisure be quality? [28:27]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 79: Should This Meeting Have Been an Email? Mar 15, 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: Should this meeting have been an email? [5:30]
WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I recharge after a hard year of work? [17:14]
- How do I write blog posts? [20:46]
- How important is working from home for accomplishing deep work? [22:52]
- How can I apply productive meditation to work that requires a computer? [28:52]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- How do I step away from WhatsApp? [33:13]
- Are spaced repetition flashcard programs worth it? [36:47]
- What should I replace social media with in my life? [43:24]
- How can I start a business without social media? [51:19]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- Why are kitchens such appealing work locations? [54:53]
- How do I overcome deep procrastination during remote learning? [58:10]
- Should I time block after retirement?
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 78: Habit Tune-Up: Time Blocking vs. Bullet Journaling Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
- Active recall in the office. [4:58]
- Processes for problem solving. [9:58]
- Time blocking versus the pomodoro method. [14:20]
- Time blocking versus bullet journaling. [23:51]
- The necessity of a second brain. [28:46]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 77: Does Email Have a Mind of Its Own? Mar 08, 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: Does email have a mind of its own? [6:23]
WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I avoid boring research? [16:35]
- How do I learn new skills without becoming overwhelmed? [19:44]
- How do I better structure workplace communication? [23:34]
- How do I say "no" more often? [29:41]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- When should I stop listening to your podcast? [39:12]
- How do I deal with excessive browser tabs? [40:14]
- Will the world eventually force me to buy a smartphone? [49:08]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- (A brief meditation on the pleasures of regular autonomous creative work) [52:20]
- How long should planning take? [57:28]
- Is reading fiction a waste of time? [59:04]
- What is your opinion of Alexa? [1:02:41]
- Is a mission different than a passion? [1:06:22]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 76: Habit Tune-Up: Email On Speed (Taming WhatsApp) Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
- Updating strategic plans. [4:13]
- Capturing small projects. [8:26]
- Archiving tasks. [12:47]
- Email on speed (dealing with WhatsApp). [17:15]
- Coping with an abundance of depth. [31:28]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 75: JOSHUA FIELDS MILBURN on Saying "No" to Almost Everything Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

In today's episode, I talk with Joshua Fields Milburn, who along with Ryan Nicodemus make up the powerhouse duo known simply as the Minimalists. You probably know Joshua from the wildly successful Netflix documentaries, MINIMALISM and LESS IS NOW, or the popular podcast he co-hosts with Ryan.
The story of how the Minimalists got started is well-told, so I thought I would focus on a natural follow question: what happened next? Starting with when I first met him in 2012, I ask Joshua to walk us through the building of the Minimalist brand -- how they went from an amateur blog to being recognized on the street a dozen times a day. In doing so, we learn a lot about the inspiring, value-driven approach that Joshua and Ryan have taken in their careers, in which living right is more important than making the most money or accusing the most likes.
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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