David Dewane, an architect and chief experience officer of Genient, shares his visionary concept of the eudaimonia machine, designed to enhance deep work. The conversation dives into the challenges of maintaining focus in a distracted world and the journey of creating a fulfilling life. Dewane discusses transitioning from city life to a farm, experimenting with time management, and tracking daily productivity. He emphasizes a balance between ambition and authenticity while redefining productivity to prioritize well-being and meaningful connections.
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Escaping Distraction With Spaces
David Dewane used an off-campus office to escape distractions and focus on deep work during his architecture teaching days.
His friend Brian Chappelle's intense early-morning routine inspired Dewane to think deeply about workspace design for focus.
insights INSIGHT
Open Offices Hinder Flourishing
Open office spaces mostly encourage languishing, not flourishing.
Flourishing requires stimulating environments and energizing social interactions, which Zoom and home offices often lack.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Serious Day Planning Advice
Plan your day with the seriousness of landing an airplane to ensure focus and priority.
Segment creative time separately from shallow work to protect your productivity.
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In 'Deep Work', Cal Newport argues that the ability to perform deep work—professional activities in a state of distraction-free concentration—is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains why deep work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, while the second part presents four rules to transform your mind and habits to support this skill. These rules include 'Work Deeply', 'Embrace Boredom', 'Quit Social Media', and 'Drain the Shallows'. Newport provides actionable advice and examples from various successful individuals to help readers master the skill of deep work and achieve groundbreaking results.
The Creative Act
A Way of Being
Rick Rubin
In *The Creative Act: A Way of Being*, Rick Rubin distills the wisdom he has gained from a lifetime of working with artists across various genres. The book is not just about music production but about the broader creative process and how it applies to everyone's life. Rubin emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with a state of innocence, being aware of the world, and tapping into what he calls 'Source'—an infinite and constant flow of ideas and inspiration. The book is structured around 78 areas of thought, providing practical wisdom, philosophical insights, and encouragement for anyone seeking to enhance their creative expression.
Good to Great
Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Jim Collins
In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.
In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by David Dewane, the architect responsible for the “eudaimonia machine” featured in DEEP WORK. In this wide-ranging conversation, Cal and David talk about the challenges of finding depth in a distracted world, and the results of David’s personal experimentation in creating a deep life of his own.
Deep Questions with Cal Newport 
