Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Stoicism seems to be all the rage at the moment. In what ways is it relevant to our question to live deeply in a distracted world? And in what ways is it not? Cal takes a closer look at Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and discusses his relationship with the philosophy more generally.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Deep Dive: The Ideas from Marcus Aurelius’s, “Meditations” [2:30]  - Can I realistically make an impact as an English teacher? [35:28] - Can a seasoned professional screenwriter switch careers after 23 years? [40:02] - I’m an accomplished professional but lack a competitive drive to do more. Is there a way to build this? [45:34] - How can a CEO lower his anxiety with elements of work that aren’t strengths? [54:37] - How can I bounce back from a deflating work setback? [1:02:52]  The 5 Books Cal Read in September 2023 [1:11:07]  Thanks to our Sponsors:  grammarly.com/podcast policygenius.com blinkist.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Knowledge workers increasingly describe themselves as exhausted and burnt out. Why is this happening? In this episode, Cal argues that some of the obvious answers aren’t enough to explain the phenomenon. The real answer is both less expected and perhaps more fixable than we expect.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaDeep Dive: Tiredness and the ability to produce work [8:18] - How can I read more without falling asleep? [34:25]- Is screen time before bed killing my sleep? [38:19]- How can I still have fun while being productive? [44:20]- Is discipline an identity or a tool? [50:21]- How do I find my way back to the deep life? [56:39]CASE STUDY: A magazine editor integrates projects into a deep life [1:02:00]Final Segment: Lauren Groff’s slow productivity [1:35:06]Links:Authors for Voices of Color auction: Afvoc2023.givesmart.com https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/books/lauren-groff-vaster-wilds.htmlhttps://www.thefp.com/p/why-i-traded-my-smartphone-for-an-axhttps://midland-school.org/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597809000399https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/books/lauren-groff-vaster-wilds.htmlThanks to our Sponsors:This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestionshttps://www.hensonshaving.com/calhttps://www.rhone.com/calhttps://www.shopify.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do we need to move to a ranch in the middle of nowhere to take control of our technology habits? Cal argues that these types of extreme examples are counter-productive, making it seem like real changes are close to impossible. He offers instead an alternative approach based on zero-based budgeting your technological life.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: What does it really take to cure your smartphone addiction? [3:33]  - How can I build an audience without being consumed by social media? [31:20] - If my kid uses an iPad for school, will he become cursed with digital distraction? [40:33] - Does the digital minimalist community approve of Goodreads and Letterboxd? [48:52] - I’m 30 years old and lost. How can I get my life back on track? [53:43] - How can I stay on top of current events without scrolling social media? [1:02:11]  Closing Discussion: Is the Friendship Recession Real? What can you do to escape it? (w/ Jamie Kilstein) [1:08:38]  Links: https://www.thefp.com/p/why-i-traded-my-smartphone-for-an-axhttps://midland-school.orgThanks to our Sponsors:  ladderlife.com/deep mybodytutor.com blinkist.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal visits eight of the most influential books in personal productivity, identifying for each a single idea that ended up most resonating both with his own work and the culture more generally.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: What productivity ideas from other authors are the most worth paying attention to? [4:54]  - How do I time-block for the unanticipated “a-ha!” moment of insight? [40:23] - Is my life as a surgeon dooming me to a reactive life? [45:19] - Is it possible to read too many productivity books? [52:10] - Is the Deep Life influenced by The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? [58:55] - Am I a disciplined worker if I only respond to deadlines? [1:01:09]  The 5 Books Cal Read in August 2023 [1:09:31]  Thanks to our Sponsors:  cozyearth.com hensonshaving.com/deep mintmobile.com/deep moshlife.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Change is unavoidable. You can either fear it or learn to master it. In this interview episode, Cal talks with longtime friend of the show, Brad Stulberg, about his new book, “Master of Change.”  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  INTERVIEW: How to Master Change (with Brad Stulberg) [3:55]  Links:  bradstulberg.com/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  blinkist.com/deep grammarly.com/go expressvpn.com/deep zocdoc.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Too many people believe that the New Year is the right time to undertake major improvements to your life. In this episode, Cal argues that it is instead right now, at the beginning of fall, that is the best time to turn over a new page. He lays out a detailed 4-month journey through the deep stack that will have you done with a major overhaul by the time everyone else is just getting started early next year.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: How can I reinvent my life in 4 months? [6:30]  - How can I ease into Cal's more advanced time management strategies? [44:06] - Can unstructured work be a part of the deep life? [47:42] - How can I stop changing my mind about what I want to do with my life? [51:50] - Can I pursue the deep life if I need a job? [59:33] - How do you pursue the deep life with depression? [1:03:58]  Cover Reveal for Slow Productivity [1:13:20]  Thanks to our Sponsors:  mybodytutor.com policygenius.com shopify.com/deep cozyearth.com  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

When it comes to generating fantastic ideas – the type that can make your career – you don’t have to passively wait for inspiration to strike. You can, instead, *hack* the creative process to increase the odds of coming up with something great. In this episode, Cal explores one of the more powerful forms of “creativity hacking”: making use of strange locations.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaToday’s Deep Question: Why do you work better in strange locations? [3:31]- Does Cal read online articles? [34:35]- Is fitness tracking on my Apple Watch an excuse to stay distracted? [40:09]- Which is better for original thinking: the city or the country? [43:05]- How do I organize the pursuit of deep ideas? [47:19]- Does reading books from unrelated genres help idea generation? [51:57]CAL REACTS: Over stimulation is ruining your life! [59:11]Links:blog.computationalcomplexity.org/2020/02/pre-publish-and-perish.htmlcalnewport.com/on-using-inspiring-locations-to-inspire-deeper-work/youtube.com/watch?v=yYWvUoN4yt8Thanks to our Sponsors:This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best selfhensonshaving.com/calblinkist.com/deepladderlife.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In celebration of the newly released *second* edition of the Time Block Planner, Cal provides some additional expert tips for getting the most out of a time blocking discipline before answering listener questions on the general topic of time management. He closes by discussing the recent claim that phones are ruining peoples’ ability to watch movies.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: How can I double what I accomplish each week by better controlling my time? [16:54]  - How do I deal with the guilt of missing time blocks? [44:17] - How does Cal reconcile slow productivity with the urgency of time blocking? [49:22] - How do I block enough time to keep up with all the internet content I want to read? [52:40] - How do I stick to my block schedule if no one is forcing me to? [1:02:11] - How can Cal be both a computer science professor and yet still be so bad at technology? [1:07:00]  Something Interesting: Have Phones Ruined Movies? [1:15:45]  Links:  washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/05/barbenheimer-bad-movie-behavior/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  moshlife.com/deep mintmobile.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep 80000hours.org/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most popular (and widely forgotten) slogans of the ancient world was Festina Lente, or, “Make Haste Slowly.” In this episode, Cal looks deeper at what this phrase meant, and in doing so uncovers an ancient version of slow productivity.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: What can Octavian Caesar Augustus teach us about productivity? [5:37]  - How can I help my team move fast to slow productivity? [26:12] - How do I figure out how long to spend on a task? [33:08] - What’s up with Cal’s podcast album art? [38:14] - Why is my partner so slow? [40:49] - How does Cal’s Remarkable tablet change his working memory.txt habit? [46:23]  CASE STUDY: Not allowing work to dominate your life [53:28]  The 5 Book Cal Read in July 2023 [1:03:21]  Links:  bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/festina-lente/  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festina_lente  Thanks to our Sponsors:  zocdoc.com/deep hensonshaving.com/cal mybodytutor.com blinkist.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed by everything you have to do? The writer Oliver Burkeman recently experimented with an unexpected response to this common sensation: he decided to work much less. In more detail, he wanted to see what would happen if he reacted to overload by restricting his work to only four hours per day. In this episode, Cal reviews what Burkeman discovered in this experiment and what it teaches the rest of us.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: What happens when you cut your workday in half? [5:51]  - What does the “celebrate” deep life bucket include? [30:34] - When are big life changes the right thing to do? [38:38] - When does Cal “start” his work day? [49:04] - How do I save for a good retirement without making my current lifestyle worse? [50:05]  CASE STUDY: The Joys of Doing Less [56:44]  CAL REACTS: Chris Nolan doesn’t own a phone [1:05:21]  Links:  hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cast-interview-film-1235535418/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  shopfiy.com/deep cozyearth.com grammarly.com/go policygenius.com  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do history’s greatest thinkers care about time management? In today’s episode, Cal analyzes the system that the mathematician and philosopher, Kurt Godel, used to structure his days, weeks, and years to produce meaningful work over a long period of time.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: How do geniuses structure their life? [8:00]  - How do I follow through on the projects I start? [34:33] - Is creating a deep environment one of the deep life buckets? [42:14] - How do I find examples of my ideal lifestyle? [48:24] - Should I switch jobs, I’m bored (but effective)? [59:20]  CAL REACTS: The ReMarkable 2 tablet. Is it worth it? [1:11:57]  Thanks to our Sponsors:  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best self drinklmnt.com/deep 80000hours.org/deep hensonshaving.com/cal  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Sometimes the most effective way to contain your workload is to simply declare how long you’re willing to work and then refuse to violate your pledge. In this episode, Cal revisits this “fixed-schedule productivity” strategy, which he first introduced way back in 2008.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: How does fixed-schedule productivity work, and how has Cal’s thoughts on it changed over the years? [3:02]  - What activities can fall outside fixed schedules? [30:12] - How do you manage a workload determined by other people? [33:08] - Why doesn’t Cal build his weekly plan on his calendar? [43:24] - How do I deal with having too much work piled up? [51:23]  CASE STUDY: Implementing tactics from “A World Without Email” [53:14]  The 5 Books Cal Read in June 2023 [1:02:28]  Links:  calnewport.com/fixed-schedule-productivity-how-I-accomplish-a-large-amount-of-work-in-a-small-number-of-work-hours/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  mintmobile.com/deep blinkist.com/deep ladderlife.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In Cal’s new “deep life stack” the first layer toward finding more meaning is to develop discipline. Why does this come first? In this episode, Cal dives deeper into the importance of starting with discipline.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: Why does cultivating the deep life start with discipline? [4:33]  - How do I stop falling off the productivity wagon? [26:38] - How do I cultivate more consistent discipline? [32:35] - How do I convince myself to follow through on demanding projects? [41:22] - What’s the problem with studying for 10 hours a day? [54:37]   Something Interesting: Harrison Ford’s Slow Productivity [1:07:35]  Links:  linkedin.com/posts/billy-oppenheimer-70612782_before-he-was-han-solo-or-indiana-jones-activity-7069305284627730432-CRJA  Thanks to our Sponsors:  drinklmnt.com/deep zocdoc.com/deep hensonshaving.com/cal mybodytutor.com  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. 

Over the past twenty years, “productivity” has come to be synonymous with using digital tools to speed up non-essential parts of knowledge work. As cal argues in this episode, this “cybernetic” approach has proven to be a complete failure. He explores why speeding up isn’t working and what this teaches us about what we need to do instead.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: Why doesn’t cybernetic productivity work? [8:40]  - What should I ask a potential hire about their time management habits? [31:55] - How do I teach leaders how to work more deeply? [38:17] - How did Cal become good at breaking things down into systems and processes? [48:06] - How do I build task boards if I have many roles? [51:05] - How do I find time to think in my busy job? [54:20]  Something Interesting: Taylor Sheridan’s “writing bunker” [1:02:48]  Links:  hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/taylor-sheridan-yellowstone-interview-1235519261/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  shopify.com/deep grammarly.com/go expressvpn.com/deep blinkist.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Some of the most interesting and impactful people in the world build their work around a commitment to doing only a few things very well. No one remembers that it took Newton decades to finish The Principia, they just know that he wrote a book that changed science forever. In this episode, Cal defines some concrete laws for successfully implementing a shift toward doing less – but doing what you do better – in your own professional life.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: Why should I do less? [7:29]  - How can a teacher embrace slow productivity? [31:26] - How do you know if an idea is good enough to spend years working on? [39:07] - How can I slowly build the success needed to pivot into a new career? [46:16] - How does Cal read 5 books a month? [49:58]  CASE STUDY: I can do my job in 4 hours a day [55:53]  The 5 Book Cal Read in May 2023 [1:07:04]  Thanks to our Sponsors:  betterhelp.com/deepquestions cozyearth.com hensonshaving.com/cal drinklmnt.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal is joined by Laura Vanderkam (author of Tranquility by Tuesday and co-host of the Best of Both Worlds podcast). Cal and Laura tackle a collection of your questions about the struggle to make time for the various things that matter most, from your career to your family to your hobbies.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaINTERVIEW: Laura Vanderkam [19:46]  — Is the deep life only available to people with high salaries? [31:47]— Is it possible for a mom to succeed in academia? [40:19] — How do I find the time to land a job that requires less time? [50:26]— Am I too old to leave a career that fills me with dread? [55:53]— Am I crazy for thinking I can work from home with a baby? [1:00:31]— How do I create a deep life with kids? [1:05:31]— How do I stop over-committing? [1:13:47] SOMETHING INTERESTING: Slow Time During Japan’s Edo Period [1:30:11]Links:scroll.in/article/1030173/how-japan-became-an-exemplar-of-sustainability-over-centuries-of-self-isolationlauravanderkam.com/ Thanks to our Sponsors:rhone.com/calladderlife.com/deepmybodytutor.comblinkist.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

How do you leave a life of superficial distraction and cultivate something deeper? In today’s episode, Cal describes “The Deep Life Stack,” an approach to cultivating a deep life that starts with overhauling the person before making the big decisions.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: How do I rebuild my life into something deeper? [6:29]  - Is the deep life only available to those with high salaries? [31:55] - How do I co-create a deep life with my partner? [41:48] - Is there a genetic component to depth? [45:24] - What are Cal’s thoughts on the book “Designing Your Life”? [58:31]  Something Interesting: Forget AI. Apple’s all in on AR. (And this is smart.) [1:06:34]  Links:  apple.com/apple-vision-pro/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  hensonshaving.com/cal drinklmnt.com/deep 80000hours.org/deep zocdoc.com/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Productivity YouTube is filled with breathless videos about optimizing systems and squeezing every ounce of speed out of your common habits. But does all of this efficiency really end up improving the quality of the most important things you produce? In this episode, Cal takes a deeper look at the different ways that productivity systems and tools can help your professional life, separating the boring but effective from the exciting but over-hyped.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: Does working faster make work better? [3:56]  - Why doesn’t Cal agree with other productivity YouTubers about apps? [27:50] - How can I be productive if my organization bans third-party tools? [32:36] - How do top writers keep their research process “efficient”? [37:29] - How do I stop teaching from devouring all my time? [44:00] - Is it a problem that I don’t feel overwhelmed? [50:19]  Something Interesting: The Productivity Diet & A Hotel for Book Lovers [1:02:33]  Links:  kickstarter.com/projects/mikevardy/the-productivity-diet-by-mike-vardy sylviabeachhotel.com/  Thanks to our Sponsors:  expressvpn.com/deep blinkist.com/deep policygenius.com grammarly.com/go  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

The art of thinking – plain, old-fashioned, hard concentration on useful ideas – is rapidly vanishing as our culture recasts humans as the custodians and recipients of digital computation. In this episode, Cal explains why this is a problem and what we should do in response.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  Today’s Deep Question: Why is it important to preserve the vanishing art of thinking? [5:02]  - How do I integrate movies and shows into the deep life? [27:42] - Can I read after a long day of deep work? [33:30] - Is a digital “second brain” a good idea to keep up with the latest advancements in your field? [36:25] - Would Cal consider consolidating his notebooks? [42:37] - Is Maria Popva’s note-taking method better than Cal’s method? [51:40]  The Books I Read in April 2023 [1:04:29]  Links:  Edward Teller talking about John Von Neumann youtube.com/watcv=vQp70uqsBV4#t=55m0s Aristotle on “philosophic wisdom.” See book 10, section 7 of The Ethics: classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.7.vii.html  Arnold Bennet on training concentration (See chapter 7 of How to Live on 24 Hours a Day): gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2274/pg2274-images.html  Thanks to our Sponsors:  huel.com/questions rhone.come/cal hensonshaving.com/calmybodytutor.com  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do you live to work or work to live? In this episode, Cal talks with author Simone Stolfzoff about his provocative new book, THE GOOD ENOUGH JOB. Cal then answers listener questions about escaping professional unhappiness, and then switches gears in the Something Interesting segment to talk about the critical technological breakthrough that not enough people yet are talking about.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia  DEEP DIVE: Cal talks about the Good Enough Job with author Simone Stolzoff [4:39]  - What kind of a job do I want? [59:31] - If I enjoy my job, why can’t I focus? [1:05:28] - Should I give up on finding an academic job? [1:17:23] - Should I cut my salary in half to escape the hyperactive hive mind? [1:25:07]  SOMETHING INTERESTING: Apple’s most interesting new tech strategy has nothing to do with A.I. [1:34:41]  Links:  wsj.com/articles/apple-is-breaking-its-own-rules-with-a-new-headset-80c9b36c  Thanks to our Sponsors:  This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions  ladderlife.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep 80000hours.org/deep  Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.