
233 episodes

Deep Questions with Cal Newport Cal Newport
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- Technology
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4.8 • 115 Ratings
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Cal Newport is a computer science professor and a New York Times bestselling author who writes about the impact of technology on society, and the struggle to work and live deeply in a world increasingly mired in digital distractions. On this podcast, he answers questions from his readers and offers advice about cultivating focus, productivity, and meaning amidst the noise that pervades our lives.
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Ep. 232: The Lumberjack Paradox
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/3U3sTvo
Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia
Today’s Deep Question: Why are lumberjacks happier than lawyers? [3:06]
- Should I leave a good job to gain more autonomy? [32:34]
- Should I quit my trainer job? [38:31]
- What does Cal’s workday look like? [45:52]
- How can I create a career without skills? [54:48]
CASE STUDY: The Slow Lawyer [58:38]
Books Cal Read in December [1:05:33]
Links:
- washingtonpost.com/business/2023/01/06/happiest-jobs-on-earth/
- frugalwoods.com/2021/09/15/mr-fw-retired-and-we-paid-off-our-mortgage-frugalwoods-fire-is-complete/
- bench.co/blog/small-business-stories/paul-jarvis/
- calnewport.com/blog/2017/05/22/john-grishams-15-hour-workweek/
- itsfreetime.com/about
Thanks to our Sponsors:
This episode is sponsored by Better Help: betterhelp.com/deepquestions
huel.com/questions
policygenius.com
notion.com/cal
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. -
Ep. 231: Fight Burnout with Work Cycles
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: Work Cycles [6:57]
- Should I leave my relaxing job to make more money? [33:54]
- Is there a need for deep work retreats? [45:59]
- How do I find time to work deeply when I’m busy? [53:07]
Case Study: On Walking and Remote Work [57:25]
- Can Cal explain more about the “celebration” bucket? [1:02:09]
SOMETHING INTERESTING:
- Deep work cafe [1:10:28]
cbsnews.com/news/manuscript-cafe-in-tokyo-serves-an-antidote-to-writers-block/
- Gloria Mark’s new book [1:12:50]
amazon.com/Attention-Span-Finding-Fighting-Distraction/dp/1335449418
Links:
basecamp.com/handbook/09-how-we-work
bluemountaincenter.org/life-at-bmc
cnn.com/travel/article/amtrak-free-residency/index.html
myfranciscan.org/visit/hermitage/
Thanks to our Sponsors:
80000hours.org/deep
blinkist.com/deep
ladderlife.com/deep
zocdoc.com/deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. -
Ep. 230: How Well Are You Living?
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: How well are you living? [11:14]
- How do you track deep life habits? [28:07]
- How do I become more social? (Bonus: How does Cal avoid being killed by Jocko?) [34:15]
- How do I distill essential ideas from complex topics? [46:13]
- How does Cal research his articles? [53:49]
- Should I get a Deep Life tattoo? [59:41]
THREE INTERESTING THINGS:
- Guillermo Del Toro Bought a Second House to Boost his Creativity [1:13:33]
kpcc.org/show/the-frame/2016-07-22/bleak-house-a-tour-inside-guillermo-del-toros-creative-man-cave
- Kary Mullis’s Nobel-Winning Moment of Insight [1:19:56]
nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1993/mullis/lecture/
- Charles Dickens Wrote “A Christmas Carol” on Foot [1:22:38]
Thanks to our Sponsors:
stamps.com/deep
grammarly.com/deep
hensonshaving.com/cal
mybodytutor.com
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. -
Ep. 229: Developing Discipline
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: youtube.com/calnewportmedia
Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo
QUESTIONS:
- How do I find time to study for a better job? [5:14]
- How do I find rare and valuable skills to develop? [8:37]
- How do I develop discipline if I have an easy job? [12:33]
CASE STUDY: A graduate student with 5 kids takes control of his life [30:06]
- Should I work or spend all my time with my son? [35:50]
- How do I manage a strategic plan with lots of unpredictable projects? [42:54]
- How does role-based communication work? [46:09]
- How do I plan projects with unpredictable time demands? [50:58]
- Should I move my family across the country to accept my dream job? [52:56]
- How do you make time for Quality time with your wife with such a busy schedule? [58:43]
- Does Cal write reports on the books he reads? [1:01:18]
- Does slow productivity apply only to knowledge workers? [1:07:17]
- Why do my side hustles fail? [1:10:35]
Thanks to our Sponsors:
https://www.notion.com/cal
https://www.cozyearth.com
https://www.blinkist.com/deep
https://www.expressvpn.com/deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. -
Ep. 228: A World Without Busyness
Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo
DEEP DIVE: A World Without Busyness? [4:51]
- In an era of Quiet Quitting is it easier to become a star? [22:09]
- How do I resist my job’s demand for out-of-hours work? [29:52]
- Should new writers use social media to get feedback? [35:31]
- Should I use social media to promote my filmmaking website? [46:11]
- Am I too busy find new ideas? [53:54]
THREE INTERESTING THINGS:
- On Teenage Luddites [1:03:07]
calnewport.com/blog/2022/12/16/on-teenage-luddites/
- Deep Work in Stocism [1:07:48]
- Finding the Deep Life in the Mountains [1:09:09]
outsideonline.com/culture/essays-culture/moving-to-a-ski-town-steamboat-springs-colorado-no-regrets/
Thanks to our Sponsors:
ladderlife.com/deep
eightsleep.com/deep
wren.co/deep
zocdoc.com/deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. -
Ep. 227: Visions of the Deep Life?
Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo
- DEEP DIVE: Should I Manage Time or Stress? [2:50]
- How do I switch from a push to pull model of task management? [27:05]
- Where should I live? [40:13]
- Is “rare and valuable” the same as “impressive”? [49:01]
- CALL: Integrating Deep Work to create a Deep Life [54:43]
- How do I reconcile my lifestyle vision with my husbands very different vision? [58:09]
- How does Cal structure his values document? [1:04:12]
THREE INTERESTING THINGS:
Twitter, Attention, and Democracy [1:14:28]
(nytimes.com/2022/12/11/opinion/what-twitter-can-learn-from-quakers.html)
Research: Walking Helps Thinking [1:22:10]
(apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xlm-a0036577.pdf )
Novelist Ian Rankin’s Slow Productivity [1:23:47]
(theguardian.com/books/2016/may/07/my-writing-day-ian-rankin)
Thanks to our Sponsors:
shopify.com/deep
rhone.com/cal
blinkist.com/deep
masterclass.com/deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
Customer Reviews
Best Podcast
I love this podcast and can’t wait for it to drop every week. Cal’s productivity and deep life insights are always interesting, helpful, and a pleasure to listen to. I also love that it’s not a political show. Amid all the division today this podcast actually soothes the soul.
Unlearn Productivity
Everything you’ve learned about productivity is probably wrong 😬 Cal will set you straight. Listen to this podcast.
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