

Ep. 93: Am I Overcommitted or Bad at Time Management?
A Year Without a Smartphone
- A listener turned off their smartphone for a year and experienced significant positive changes.
- These changes included stronger relationships, increased solitude, and rediscovering hobbies.
Process Over Inbox
- When starting a new job, focus on establishing clear processes instead of inbox management.
- Identify recurring tasks and implement alternative workflows to the "hyperactive hive mind."
Hyperactive Hive Mind
- Cal Newport clarifies the argument in his book "A World Without Email" is not against all email usage.
- The book targets the hyperactive hive mind workflow, not email's utility for asynchronous communication.













































Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
DEEP DIVE: What happens if you stop using your phone for a year? [3:55]
WORKING DEEPLY:
- How do I avoid the hyperactive hive mind in a new job? [11:36]
- How can the author of A WORLD WITHOUT EMAIL have an email list? [14:02]
- When did personal productivity become a thing? [16:25]
- Am I overcommitted or bad at time management? [25:47]
- How do I decide on roles for my task boards? [29:23]
- How can I become established as a content creator? (Or, the perils of "checklist productivity") [33:16]
- Recreating the water color in a world without email? [38:44]
LIVING DEEPLY:
- What are some good biographies for deep life inspiration? [46:38]
- What are my top 3 recommendations for someone looking to live deeper? [49:12]
- Can a commute be contemplative? [54:50]
- Where do I (Cal) write about "the deep life" in my books? [58:51]
Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.