Ep. 316: Weekly Templates

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Sep 2, 2024

Explore the transformative power of weekly templates for boosting productivity and achieving long-term goals. Discover practical strategies for balancing deep work, job transitions, and personal wellness. Tune in for insights on leveraging career capital for entrepreneurship and managing time during busy seasons. Cal also shares his recent reading adventures, discussing inspiring books that motivate physical activity and purposeful living.

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ADVICE

Weekly Template

Create a weekly template to guide your weekly planning, ensuring alignment with quarterly goals.
Include protected time for important activities, daily themes, rules, and limits.

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ADVICE

Exception Handling

Anticipate exceptions to your weekly template rules.
Develop exception handling routines to compensate for lost protected time.

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ADVICE

Scheduling Writing Sessions

Protect morning writing time, ideally for two hours, starting around 8:30 am.
Aim for five writing days a week, with Sunday and evening sessions as needed.

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Mastering Time with a Weekly Template

03:56 • 17min

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Seasonal Strategies for Personal Organization

21:11 • 10min

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Redefining Career Passion

30:45 • 14min

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Balancing Deep Work and Job Transitions with Slow Productivity

44:37 • 2min

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Mastering Productivity with Purpose

46:24 • 14min

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Redefining Productivity for a Fulfilling Life

01:00:08 • 6min

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Hats, Fairies, and Nuclear Dilemmas

01:05:50 • 9min

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Inspiration Through Reading and Adventure Pursuits

01:15:19 • 4min

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#603

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Nuclear War

A Scenario

Annie Jacobsen

In 'Nuclear War: A Scenario', Annie Jacobsen presents a meticulously researched and chilling scenario of a nuclear war. The book begins with a surprise nuclear attack by North Korea on the United States, triggering a cascade of events that involve multiple nations and lead to catastrophic consequences. Jacobsen draws on exclusive interviews with military and civilian experts, as well as recently declassified government reports, to outline the minute-by-minute unfolding of a nuclear conflict. The book highlights the dangers of the 'Launch on Warning' policy, the inadequacy of current nuclear defenses, and the devastating impact on global civilization, including the immediate destruction, long-term environmental damage, and the eventual collapse of societal structures. Jacobsen's work serves as a call to action for disarmament and a stark reminder of the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons.

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Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Heather Fawcett

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde, a genius scholar and meticulous researcher, is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. She travels to the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik to complete her research on the Hidden Ones, the most elusive of all faeries. There, she encounters her academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who charms the townsfolk and complicates her research. As Emily delves deeper into the secrets of the fae, she also uncovers mysteries about Wendell and her own heart. The book is a cosy slice-of-life fantasy, written in a historical setting where faerie studies are real, and features exquisite world-building, beautiful imagery, and engaging characters.

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Not too late

Ann Orbach

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Eruption

James Patterson

Michael Crichton

This epic thriller, a collaboration between Michael Crichton and James Patterson, revolves around a catastrophic volcanic eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii. The story, initiated by Crichton before his death in 2008, was completed by Patterson. It combines Crichton's deep scientific research with Patterson's breakneck suspense, tackling themes of love, loss, and the terrifying secrets held by the US military. The novel is a cinematic tale rooted in science, making it a thrilling and unforgettable read.

In *Diablo Mesa*, Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson delve into a mystery involving the infamous Roswell incident. The story unfolds with Nora leading an excavation financed by billionaire Lucas Tappan, which quickly turns into a murder investigation when two bodies are discovered. As they dig deeper, they uncover a web of espionage and violence that threatens to engulf them. The novel combines elements of crime procedural, conspiracy theories, and science fiction.

The fall is the perfect time to tune up your productivity and organizational systems. With this in mind, in this episode, Cal discusses a tool he has long used in his own life but never discussed before in public: the weekly template. He then answers questions on the theme of personal productivity from listeners and reviews the books he read in August.

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: Weekly Templates [3:29]

- How does Cal schedule his evening writing sessions? [26:08]

- How can I leverage my current career capital to become an entrepreneur? [30:30]

- How do I find time for non-urgent but interesting deep work? [35:59]

- Is afternoon deep work possible? [39:16]

- Can I use slow productivity to help prepare for a job interview? [45:49]

- CALL: How do I not be reactionary during my busy season? [51:42]

CASE STUDY: Using Cal’s toolkit while working in the Peace Corps [56:52]

FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in August 2024 [1:06:05]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions

zocdoc.com/deep

notion.com/cal

ladderlife.com/deep

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

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