
Ep. 173: What is Deep Work?
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjCORE IDEA: Deep Work [5:10]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:- How much should I care about promoting my work? [28:07]- When do you write your weekly plan? [33:22]- What does Cal think about digital notebooks? [34:00]- Why is everyone so bad at email? [36:45]- What is Cal’s advice for a distracted high school student? [40:02]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:- Does disconnection improve creativity? [50:57]- How do I teach my kids to focus? [57:52]- How do I get my students off their phones? [1:02:20]- What does Cal think about the book “Four-Thousand Weeks”? [1:05:21]Thanks to our Sponsors:My Body Tutor: MyBodyTutor.com: Mention “Deep Questions” for $50 off 1st monthAthletic Greens: Athleticgreens.com/deepStamps.com: Stamps.com - Use promo code “Deep”Grammarly: Grammarly.com/DeepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
14 Feb 20221h 8min

Ep. 172: CALLS: The Books I Read in January 2022
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjCal's January Books: [2:00]Listener Calls:- Implementing the deep life [21:30]- Physical vs. e-books [33:33]- Finding hobby motivation [37:39]- Asking for help [45:14]- Deep student life [52:34]- Deep work for a new father [1:04:27]Thank you to this episode's Sponsors:Policy Genius: Policygenius.comCentered: centered.app/deepquestionsMagic Spoon: magicspoon.com/calExpressVPN: expressvpn.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
10 Feb 20221h 9min

Ep. 171: Is Slow Productivity the Solution to Burnout?
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjCORE IDEAS: Is Slow Productivity the Solution to Burnout? [2:58]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:- How does Cal manage information? [35:56]- What notebooks does Cal use? [38:52]- What’s the deep approach to job searching? [44:20]- What did Cal’s readers learn about deep work? [48:00] -Can I work deeply for more than 4 hours a day? [55:46]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:- How should Cal’s time management advice be adjusted for students from underrepresented backgrounds? [1:04:58]- How do I survive college admissions craziness? [1:09:47]Thanks to our Sponsors:Policy Genius: Policygenius.comCentered: centered.app/deepquestionsMagic Spoon: magicspoon.com/calExpressVPN: expressvpn.comThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
7 Feb 20221h 23min

Ep. 170: CALLS: Don’t Follow Your Passion
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.Video from today’s episode: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjCORE IDEA: Don’t Follow Your Passion [3:07]- Dividing time between multiple pursuits. [17:38]- Implementing ideas from A World Without Email in small businesses. [22:17]- Estimating the tie required to complete tasks. [27:42]- Organizing household space for productivity. [34:12]- Tips for passing a highly competitive exam. [43:01]Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
3 Feb 202251min

Ep. 169: How Do I Manage My Time?
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.Video from today’s episode: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjCORE IDEA: Time Management [4:37]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:- What does deliberate practice look like for computer programming? [30:15]- Is it rational to quit your job if it implies a potential harm to society? [36:04]- When is deep work not the most important metric? [39:04]- Should I stay a job where the management actively tries to stifle productivity? [42:46]- What are your (Cal’s) tips for a mother of two small kids getting her masters? [51:15]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:- Is raising kids part of the deep life or an obstacle to achieving it? [1:00:22]- Is listening to audiobooks just as beneficial as reading hard-copy books? [1:04:55]- How do I accomplish a digital detox when all of my leisure involves my phone? [1:06:07]- How can high school students excel without SATs? [1:11:06]- Should I worry about social media getting me fired from my job? [1:12:21]Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
31 Jan 20221h 17min

Ep. 168: Should I Quit My Law Partner Job?
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.Videos of today’s questions: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjDEEP WORK QUESTIONS:- How should we use a ticketing system? [4:15]- Should I resign after my boss does? [9:19]- Are breaks to rest your eyes considered context switching? [13:10]- How do you time block long but ambiguous intellectual activity? [21:49] - How do you get back to scheduling after a vacation? [24:57] DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:- Is it okay for a one activity to fit into two different deep life buckets? [29:51] - How do I live deeply with a demanding job (i.e., should I quit my law partner job?) [33:51]Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
27 Jan 202244min

Ep. 167: What Do We Look Like? (Videos Are Now Live!)
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.ANNOUNCEMENT: Videos of the podcast are now live! (You can find then here: https://tinyurl.com/b2rkctfjDEEP WORK QUESTIONS:- How do I decide how much work is enough? [13:35] - How do I eliminate post-shutdown anxiety? [28:15]- How do I get back to work effectively after a lunch break? [37:43]- Why don’t you (Cal) use Zettelkasten? [40:09]- How do I limit activities that aren’t important for my long-term success a new job? [46:20]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:- How do you (Cal) stay focused on campus when surrounded by “woke-ness”? [52:44] - How do you (Cal) keep sane as a published author? [58:31]- How do you “count” time that is between deep work and deep leisure? [1:02:24]Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
24 Jan 20221h 4min

Ep. 166: LISTENER CALLS: The Deep Life vs. The Good Life
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.OPENING DISCUSSION: How I schedule podcastingLISTENER CALLS:- My thoughts on psychedelics and the pursuit of awe. [8:38]- Time-block planning for the visually impaired. [19:07]- Struggling to escape a job. [23:24]- Concerns about book editors. [33:26]- My blog writing process. [43:41]- The deep life vs. the good life [48:49]Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
20 Jan 202255min