Deep Questions with Cal Newport Cal Newport

Why does Twitter maintain such a strong grip on those who produce things with their minds for a living? Is it really so critical that we all spend so many hours spreading our output on this particular platform? In today’s episode, we explore this question, seeking new, more sustainable and humane ways to be an online creative professional.

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: Given all the advantages of controlling your own digital press, why do so many content producers rely on Twitter? [5:39]

- Does Twitter’s new view count feature make the service even worse? [27:10]
- Why do so many important business/thought leaders spend so much time on Twitter? [35:14]
- Does this professor need Twitter? [43:00]
- Does Mastadon stand a chance against Twitter? [53:26]

SOMETHING INTERESTING:

Started From the Bottom podcast [1:01:04]
pushkin.fm/podcasts/started-from-the-bottom

Australian senators backing 4-day work week [1:03:12]
theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/09/australia-four-day-work-week-labor-greens-senators-support


Thanks to our Sponsors:

hensonshaving.com/cal
zocdoc.com/deep
mintmobile.com/deep
cozyearth.com (Promo code: Deep)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

You can’t just turn a “work harder” or “relax” knob. Once you realize that productivity ideas can offer you great autonomy in shaping your life - however you decide to do that - your relationship with it becomes more nuanced and fruitful. Productivity can be understood as applying organization tools and deliberate processes to take back control of your obligations.

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: Is productivity about optimization or autonomy? [6:06]

- Should I start a blog to prepare to write a book? [23:18]
- How do I recover from burn out? [30:11]
- How do I prioritize when I have too many interests? [35:15]
- Should I ditch my side hustle? [39:25]
- How do I convince my self-focused colleagues to participate in more efficient group systems? [43:24]

Something Interesting:

- The five books I read in February 2023 [53:24]

Links:

vice.com/en/article/akdyje/the-relentless-rise-of-the-productivity-influence
youtube.com/watch?v=YctcDlPixb8

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by Better Help: betterhelp.com/deepquestions
blinkist.com/deep
expressvpn.com/deep
ladderlife.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

The relationship with time is one of the more interesting things going on in work culture. Many knowledge workers take on too much work and become overloaded. If we have less to do, our relationship with time can be repaired. So we have to think very concretely about building systems and mindsets that reduce how much we have to do.

Life of Focus link here: life-of-focus-course.com

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:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: Is our relationship to time broken? [16:12]

- Do we need AI-driven time management tools? (Rant alert) [39:39]
- Is slow productivity compatible with becoming world class in a competitive field? [47:46]
- What deep accomplishments are Cal and Jesse most proud about? [50:15]
- CASE STUDY: A composer embraces slow productivity [59:40]

Something Interesting:

- Quiet quitting in academia? [1:08:35]

Links:

https://www.ft.com/content/176c104a-32c0-4267-b122-add10e5405f9
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/04/books/time-jenny-odell-.html
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00633-w

Thanks to our Sponsors:

https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal
https://www.huel.com/questions
https://www.stamps.com/deep
https://www.80000hours.org/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

The reading life is a deep life. The screen-filled life can be primitive and exhausting. Which one do you want?

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 read books? [7:23]

- Should I buy physical copies of books I enjoyed on my kindle? [30:45]
- How should I organize my notes when writing a non-fiction book? [34:38]
- How do I train myself to become a reader? [40:34]
- How should I build a library? [50:25]
- What does Cal think about Sam Bankman-Fried’s claim that books are worthless? [55:12]

Something Interesting: [1:02:21]

- Napoleon’s solution to inbox overload
- Rethinking productivity: impact vs. velocity

Links:

abc.net.au/religion/maryanne-wolf-cultivating-deep-reading-in-a-digital-age/102001224

reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/11fphcy/til_napoleon_bonaparte_refused_to_open_his_mail/

itamargilad.com/velocity-vs-impact/


Thanks to our Sponsors:

grammarly.com/tone
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.

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:  https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: Should we consider a radically reimagined internet? [7:03]

- Can we build a better internet? [29:20]
- Will the coming augmented reality make the deep life impossible? [36:18]
- How do I become more disciplined about shutting down my phone? [44:26]
- Is the internet alive? [49:35]
- How does Cal see the connection between his professor and writer roles? [55:40]

Something Interesting: Michael Cera Doesn’t Use a Smartphone [1:10:47]

Links:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mychalthompson/michael-cera-smartphone-social-media
https://urbit.org
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/google-supreme-court-youtube.html
Elevate Your Team  


Thanks to our Sponsors:

https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal
https://www.huel.com/questions
https://www.mintmobile.com/deep
https://www.policygenius.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

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:  https://www.youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Today’s Deep Question: How can I significantly decrease the footprint of my remote job (without anyone noticing)? [10:46]

- How do I leverage a shift to remote work to gain a deeper life? [39:23]
- How can I work deeply in a remote job that requires me to be available? [43:16]
- How do I make time for my individual projects while working remotely? [53:47]
- How do I avoid being promoted out of a nice remote position into a miserable management role? [55:35]

CASE STUDY: Alternative Workflow Pitfalls [1:00:07]

Something Interesting: The five books I read in January, 2023 [1:09:54]

Links:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/02/04/return-to-office-occupancy-status


Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by Better Help:
https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions
https://www.ladderlife.com/deep
https://www.zocdoc.com/deep
https://www.expressvpn.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.