Ep. 55: Shallow Teams, Vague Goals, and Pandemic Screen Time
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Dec 21, 2020
This discussion tackles how to work effectively with teams that lack depth and navigate vague goals. Strategies for reducing distractions and lessening screen time during the pandemic are highlighted. Additionally, the importance of structured learning, particularly for complex subjects like algorithms, is explored. There's also guidance on building a strong brand without relying on social media. Finally, it emphasizes maintaining social connection and productivity in challenging times.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Sequential Transformation
Focus on one objective at a time in each major area of your life (craft, community, constitution, contemplation).
Work sequentially, completing one change before starting another, to avoid overload and ensure progress.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Physical and Behavioral Change
Couple physical changes with behavioral changes for effective transformation.
Focus your energy on the physical component first, then use the momentum to springboard into the behavioral change.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Overcoming Deep Work Procrastination
Start with a keystone habit related to deep work and track it daily.
Build upon this foundation by sequentially implementing bigger optimizations like scheduling philosophies or productivity system overhauls.
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Introduction to Algorithms uniquely combines rigor and comprehensiveness, covering a wide range of algorithms in depth. The book is designed to be accessible to all levels of readers, with self-contained chapters and algorithms described in English and pseudocode. It includes topics such as sorting, data structures, advanced design and analysis techniques, and more. The fourth edition has been updated with new chapters on matchings in bipartite graphs, online algorithms, and machine learning, as well as additional material on solving recurrence equations, hash tables, and other topics. The book is widely used in universities and is a standard reference for professionals in the field.
Irresistible
The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
Adam Alter
In 'Irresistible,' Adam Alter delves into the world of behavioral addiction, tracing the historical understanding of addiction and its expansion beyond substance abuse to include behaviors such as gaming, social media, and smartphone use. Alter explains how technology companies deliberately design products to be irresistible, using techniques like 'Ludic Loops' and 'gamification' to keep users engaged. The book also discusses the potential for these addictive technologies to have both positive and negative effects on our well-being and provides insights into how we can mitigate their damaging impacts[2][4][5].
Digital Minimalism
Cal Newport
In 'Digital Minimalism', Cal Newport argues that we need to be more intentional about the technologies we allow into our lives. He proposes a philosophy of digital minimalism, where individuals focus their online time on activities that strongly support their values and ignore the rest. The book highlights the negative effects of behavioral addictions created by technology, such as solitude deprivation and the fleeting nature of social media satisfaction. Newport suggests a 30-day 'digital declutter' process and other practices to help readers integrate digital minimalism into their lives, emphasizing the importance of optimizing technology use to support personal goals and values[2][3][5].
Deep Work
Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Cal Newport
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.
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about working deeply with shallow teams, taking action on vague goals, and reducing screen time during a pandemic. We also celebrate reaching the million download milestone for this podcast.
To submit your own questions, sign up for my mailing list at calnewport.com. You can also submit audio questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/CalNewport
Please consider subscribing (which helps iTunes rankings) and leaving a review or rating (which helps new listeners decide to try the show).
Here’s the full list of topics tackled in today’s episode along with the timestamps:
DEEP DIVE: The Deep Reset, Part 4
WORK QUESTIONS * Overcoming failure to launch with self-help advice [12:19] * Time blocking unpredictable events. [16:34] * Working with people who are the opposite of deep. [18:60] * Deep work for sales jobs (or managers, or support staff). [26:13] * Juggling multiple big projects. [31:14] * Pursuing vague goals. [33:55]
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS * Distraction withdrawal symptoms. [37:41] * My tech setup. [45:12] * Achieving video-game level concentration. [50:11] * Learning algorithms on your own. [52:34] * Building a brand without social media. [59:17] * My podcast ingestion strategy. [1:01:42]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS * Digital minimalism and human connection during lockdowns. [1:03:08] * Scheduling free time. [1:13:24] * How to review metrics. [1:16:36] * Overcoming deep work avoidance. [1:17:42]
Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Deep Questions with Cal Newport 
