The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 74: Habit Tune-Up: Taming Trello Feb 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.
- Spending too much time on Trello. [8:47]
- Reducing instant messenger use. [18:33]
- The inflexibility of time blocking. [27:30]
- Finishing a thesis on time. [34:32]
- Working deeply during a coup. [37:33]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 73: Can I Become Rich Living Deeply? Feb 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.
WORK QUESTIONS
- What makes a day "productive" for a researcher? [5:10]
- How do I get past imposter syndrome in academia? [9:29]
- Should I get a PhD to become a writer? [14:22]
- How can I make my team less reactive? [18:06]
- How do I make daily/weekly planning a habit that sticks? [28:12]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Is attention training going to become an important sector? [31:47]
- How do I organize my electronic files and folders? [37:26]
- Where do I store random ideas? [44:46]
- How do I schedule my podcasting and blogging? [48:35]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- What do I do about a significant other who wallows in the shallows? [50:45]
- Can I become rich while living a deep life? [58:00]
- How do I cultivate a stronger sense of community? [1:01:56]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 72: Habit Tune-Up: Excessive Planning Syndrome Feb 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.
- Excessive planning syndrome. [3:29]
- Deep work and the distraction of social anxiety. [6:48]
- Writing for top tier publications. [11:53]
- Social media for artists. [17:16]
- Hobby overload (and the curse of busyness). [30:18]
- Getting started on hard creative work. [38:15]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 71: How Do We Escape the Autonomy Trap? Feb 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: The Autonomy Trap [7:25]
WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I focus when working on a distracting computer? [19:58]
- How do you maintain energy while increasing deep work? [23:34]
- Can the pomodoro technique help achieve deep work? [29:00]
- How can I time block when working with two kids in a small apartment? [31:29]
- Have I thought about updating my student books? [38:!7]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Are project management tools like Basecamp just a fancier version oof email? [42:26]
- How can I integrate OmniFocus into daily, weekly, quarterly planned work schedules? [46:38]
- What about the social costs of missing invitations because you're not on social media? [55:09]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How do I organize my life as a newly published author? [1:01:10]
- How do I balance rigor and accessibility in my non-fiction writing? [1:07:52]
- How young is too young for getting kids started on the deep life? [1:14:08]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 70: Habit Tune-Up: Getting Things Done During a Terrible, Isolating Pandemic Feb 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.
- Timing productive meditation. [6:32]
- Extracting wisdom from past plans. [14:00]
- Writing a thesis as a side project. [22:44]
- Adapting college advice to high school students (plus: a bonus digression on my experience writing books in academia). [30:00]
- Getting things done during an isolating pandemic. [36:30]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 69: How Do I Find Joy in Leisure? Feb 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.
WORK QUESTIONS
- How do I finish my day strong when time blocking? [5:09]
- What should I do to succeed as a new professor? [9:48]
- How do I protect deep work even as I become more recognized? [14:38]
- What are strategies for handling large ambiguous work tasks? [19:37]
- How do I stay productive in a one-bedroom apartment? [24:06]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Can ASMR support deep work? [32:44]
- Do audiobooks count as long-form reading? [40:21]
- Should families use shared task lists? [40:45]
- How how I use YouTube while avoiding entertainment black holes? [46:29]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How does one find joy in deep leisure? [50:00]
- It Eisenhower Box useful for constructing a deep life? [58:05]
- How do I escape the social media bubble the pandemic trapped me inside? [1:03:44]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 68: Habit Tune-Up: The Power of Becoming Your Own Assistant Feb 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.
- Handling short tasks. [4:37]
- Time blocking with auto-scheduled meetings. [11:45]
- Taming excessive phone usage. [18:18]
- Hiring yourself as an assistant. [25:05]
- How to avoid losing steam during time off. [36:05]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 67: TIM HARFORD on Leaving Academia to Become a Bestselling Writer Feb 01, 2021

Show notes

In today's episode I interview bestselling author Tim Harford. We talk about his path from economics to writing and broadcasting, his thoughts on using data to make sense of the world (without getting tricked), and his experience working for Malcolm Gladwell's podcasting company.
His latest book, called THE DATA DETECTIVE in the US and HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD ADD UP everywhere else, comes out this week and is available wherever you buy books.
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 66: Habit Tune-Up: Bullet Journaling vs. Trello Jan 28, 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.
- Taking notes in meetings. [3:41]
- Switching from Bullet Journal to Trello. [8:42]
- Speeding up time blocking. [13:56]
- Scheduling daily tasks. [23:41]
- Avoiding hard assignments (plus: a comment on YouTube addiction). [28:26]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 65: Is Productivity Bad? Jan 25, 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: Is productivity good or bad? [4:28]
WORK QUESTIONS
- How do you extract good career advice from successful people? [19:16]
- How do I improve my GRE score? [27:38]
- Is there a category of work between deep and shallow? [29:53]
- Should high school students time block? [31:53]
- How should I search for my first job during the pandemic? [37:33]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Can psychedelics play a role in the deep life? [45:19]
- What are my favorite single-use technologies? [49:22]
- Are AI-based writing suggestions a problem? [52:20]
- What social internet technologies deserve a resurgence? [57:34]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- How can I work deeply in a small apartment? [1:01:58]
- How do I help people who hate self help? [1:08:18]
- How can I encourage my friends to be deeper? [1:12:18]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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