The Cal Newport Show

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 54: Habit Tune-Up: Capture Tools, Getting Started, and Building Skills at Home Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption.
You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport.
Here are the topics we cover:
- Clarifying capturing and configuring. [2:09]
- Time blocking for teachers. [9:24]
- Starting from scratch on a hard professional challenge. [15:20]
- Building professional skills as a stay-at-home parent. [25:35]
- Bottom up versus top down when reorganizing your life. [32:04]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 53: Covey's Quads, "Perfect" Productivity Systems, and Reducing Laziness Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about Stephen Covey's quad systems, the quixotic quest for a "perfect" productivity system, and reducing laziness, among many other topics.
To submit your own questions, sign up for my mailing list at calnewport.com. You can also submit audio questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/CalNewport
Please consider subscribing (which helps iTunes rankings) and leaving a review or rating (which helps new listeners decide to try the show).
Here’s the full list of topics tackled in today’s episode along with the timestamps:
DEEP DIVE: The Deep Reset, Part 3
WORK QUESTIONS
- Why did I become a scientist? [13:50]
- Time blocking scrum teams. [18:27]
- Stephen Covey’s quad systems. [22:50]
- Is an MS essential? [27:28]
- Time blocking the night before. [28:52]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- The futility of perfecting productivity systems [31:41]
- Thoughts on pair programming. [41:44]
- Keeping track of novel connections between ideas. [52:14]
- Forced social media use [55:15]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- Deep living for stay-at-home parents. [1:02:02]
- Dealing with people not interested in personal development. [1:08:56]
- Reducing laziness. [1:12:51]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 52: Habit Tune-Up: Pandemic-Induced Overload, Side Hustles, and Managing for Depth Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption.
You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport.
Here are the topics we cover:
* Capturing ideas outside the office. [4:31]
* Prioritizing leisure. [9:08]
* Coping with pandemic-induced shallow work. [11:58]
* Succeeding with a side hustle [21:59]
* Deep work at the organizational level [28:45]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 51: Saying "No", Building an Email List Without Social Media, and Falling Short of High Expectations | DEEP QUESTIONS Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about saying "no" when others will say "yes" to the same offer, building an email list without social media, and falling short of high expectations for your life, among many other topics.
To submit your own questions, sign up for my mailing list at calnewport.com. You can also submit audio questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/CalNewport
Please consider subscribing (which helps iTunes rankings) and leaving a review or rating (which helps new listeners decide to try the show).
Here’s the full list of topics tackled in today’s episode along with the timestamps:
DEEP DIVE: The Deep Reset, Part 2
WORK QUESTIONS
- Saying “no” when others will say “yes” [12:51]
- Implicit time blocking [16:31]
- Academic overwhelm [19:31]
- Slogging through the early stages of writing [27:55]
- Working hard without being hard on yourself [31:15]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Building an email list without social media [35:26]
- Reviewing metrics [41:45]
- Why I started this podcast [51:42]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- My thoughts on academia [56:24]
- Money/possessions in the deep life [1:00:03]
- Falling short of idealistic ideas [1:03:42]
- Is it worth trying to be exceptional? [1:09:46]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 50: Habit Tune-Up: Artificial Overload, Deep Retirement, and Motivational Crises Dec 03, 2020

Show notes

In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption.
You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport.
Here are the topics we cover:
* When deep work creates more shallow obligations. [2:49]
* Avoiding artificial overload. [10:00]
* Deep retirement. [23:06]
* Defusing deep procrastination. [27:00]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 49: Organizing Massive Projects, Taming IM, and Exploring the Deep Life Canon Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about organizing massive projects, taming IM, and elaborating the books I would include in the Deep Life Canon.
To submit your own questions, sign up for my mailing list at calnewport.com. You can also submit audio questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/CalNewport
Please consider subscribing (which helps iTunes rankings) and leaving a review or rating (which helps new listeners decide to try the show).
Here’s the full list of topics tackled in today’s episode along with the timestamps:
DEEP DIVE: The Deep Reset, Part 1
WORK QUESTIONS
- The limits of deliberate practice? [12:09]
- Getting started on massive projects. [20:11]
- Social media and the dissemination of academic research. [25:04]
- Digital time blocking. [31:59]
- My opinion on GTD-style contexts. [35:50]
- When a job requires social media use. [40:01]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
- Taming IM. [42:13]
- How to attend online classes. [50:08]
- Breaking a YouTube addiction. [1:00:30]
- Controlling heavy RSS use. [1:03:40]
- On the phenomenology of technology. [1:06:31]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
- Deciding when to give up on a book [1:12:25].
- Dealing with an overwhelming amount of advice. [1:14:05]
- Living deeply in high school. [1:17:30]
- The Deep Life Canon. [1:23:47]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 48: Habit Tune-Up: Deep Athletes, Idea Capture, and Distracting Rumination Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption.
You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport.
Here are the topics we cover:
* Time blocking versus calendar planning [6:07]
* Deep work for professional athletes [12:24]
* Capturing non-urgent ideas [21:33]
* Distracted by rumination [35:09]
* Prioritizing interesting projects [43:17]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 47: BRAD STULBERG on Burn Out, Career Transformation, and Intentional Living Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of DEEP QUESTIONS we're joined by a guest host: Brad Stulberg.
Brad is a bestselling writer who focuses on human performance. He's known for his books PEAK PERFORMANCE and THE PASSION PARADOX, as well as for his popular "Do It Better" column for Outside Magazine.
We go deep on Brad's story, using it to illustrate timeless points on burnout, recovery, transformation, and intentional living. We also talk about the unexpected television commercial that helped vault his first book to success and, of course, answer your questions.
You can find out more about Brad at https://www.bradstulberg.com/
To submit your own questions for this podcast, sign up for my mailing list at calnewport.com.
Thank you to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 46: Habit Tune-Up: Mastering Teaching, Containing Emotional Emails, and Working Deeply with a Newborn Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption.
You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport.
Here are the topics we cover:
Opening: When did productivity become personal? (My new article for The New Yorker.)
* Becoming so good they can't ignore you as a teacher [19:07]
* Finding focused after receiving emotional emails [30:18]
* Scheduling deep work amidst unpredictable childcare [43:19]
* Fitting a large amount of leisure into a small amount of free time [52:19]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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Ep. 45: My Trello Setup, Student and Screens, My Call for a Deep Reset | DEEP QUESTIONS Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about dealing my Trello setup, reducing student screen time, and our collective need for a "deep reset," among many other topics.
To submit your own questions, sign up for my mailing list at calnewport.com. You can submit audio questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/CalNewport
Please consider subscribing (which helps iTunes rankings) and leaving a review or rating (which helps new listeners decide to try the show).
Here’s the full list of topics tackled in today’s episode along with the timestamps:
WORK QUESTIONS
* Entry level jobs and shallow work [11:24]
* The future of bullshit jobs [16:25]
* Staying in the zone over the weekend [23:09]
* Deciding what to read as an academic [26:45]
* Calibrating academic service [29:15]
* Revisiting my 2009 advice on grad school [34:43]
* Deep work with a new kid [44:50]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
* My Trello setup [50:06]
* Reducing student screen time [54:46]
* Boredom versus high quality diversions [58:37]
* Note-taking apps [1:07:25]
* Agile methodologies and deep work [1:10:11]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS
* Young mother seeking better friends [1:17:05]
* Young father seeking improvement [1:21:36]
* Kids versus career [1:27:45]
* Thoughts on the Astros [1:29:23]
* My call for a “Deep Reset” [1:29:48]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.

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