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Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Latest episodes

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26 snips
Oct 14, 2021 • 51min

Ep. 138: LISTENER CALLS: How I Read So Much

Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Interacting with potential clients while avoiding constant distraction. [2:10] - Self-promotion without social media. [8:21] - Dealing with an overflowing "to read" folder. [13:19] - Correcting weekly plan drift. [18:13] - The secrets of my high-volume reading. [22:47] - Personal vs. organizational productivity. [27:29] - Balancing deep and shallow work. [36:10]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.
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Oct 11, 2021 • 1h 4min

Ep. 137: Why Am I Uncomfortable With Facebook Backlash?

DEEP DIVE: Why Am I Uncomfortable With Facebook Backlash? [1:16]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS: - How do I work deeper in a job that is inherently fractured? [17:29] - How do I switch tasks without everything going to hell? [23:21] - How do I build relationships with colleagues if I prioritize deep work? [26:50] - How can I reduce the craziness of my college schedule? [33:39]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS: - How can I relaxed if I'm extremely driven? [38:49] - Can on lead a life as a recognized intellectual outside of academia? [42:48] - How do I get better at thinking critically? [47:38]
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33 snips
Oct 7, 2021 • 54min

Ep. 136: LISTENER CALLS: Reversing Burnout

Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.OPENING: Some Thoughts on Slow Productivity. [0:21]LISTENER CALLS - Taming client email as a busy lawyer.[3:44] - How I maintain my systems. [11:42] - The danger of too much productivity. [[17:02] - Benjamin Franklin, tedious Harvard types, and awe. [22:54] - Students and theory. [34:12] - Reversing burnout. [38:05]
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16 snips
Oct 4, 2021 • 51min

Ep. 135: Is Screen Time Bad?

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 WORK QUESTIONS  - How do virtual office hours work with multiple participants? [4:26]  - Is time spent in front of a computer screen bad (bonus rant: we work too much!)? [8:18]  - How do I remember goals when I'm in danger of distraction? [14:20]  - Why do I ignore monthly planning? [16:26]  - How do I survive running two companies? [18:08]  - How do I make my YouTube channel popular? [22:43]  - How should I train new hires? [27:09]  - How do I avoid getting stuck waiting for a needed response? [30:43]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS  - Can I (Cal) give feedback to all submitted questions [32:48]  - Can my (Cal) philosophy be summarized as "deep intentionalism"? [34:33]  - Which phones and phone apps do you use? [37:18]  - What are some ideas for keystone habits in the creativity bucket? [38:41]  - How should a college student approach digital minimalism? [43:17]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.
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Sep 30, 2021 • 57min

Ep. 134: LISTENER CALLS: Returning to Deep Work After the Pandemic

Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.RANT FOLLOW-UP: A doctor's perspective on kids and smartphones. [0:35]GUEST CHAT: Scott Young stops by to talk about our new online course. [5:00]LISTENER CALLS: - Returning to regular deep work after the pandemic. [22:06] - Deciding what tasks to execute. [29:34] - Integrating your values into your daily activities. [34:08] - Lessons from Virginia Woolf. [39:44] - Phone use degrading reading ability. [44:28]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.
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34 snips
Sep 27, 2021 • 1h 6min

Ep. 133: How Do I Defeat Distraction?

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: Is the Desire to Produce Negative? [5:14]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS - What are the most popular workflows used to escape excessive email? [17:07] - How do I read academic papers effectively? [27:40] - How much studying is enough for a college student? [31:38] - How do I defeat the allure of distraction? (Plus: Why Soto should get more MVP votes than Harper) [35:17] - Is it too inefficient to copy a time block schedule into Outlook? [36:51] - Are the processes from A World Without Email productivity pr0n? [38:59]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS - Why do you (Cal) not pursue FIRE? [42:52] - How do you avoid confirmation bias? [49:50] - Should I use TikTok because that's where people are? [54:07] - Is deep work a philosophy? [55:26]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.
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26 snips
Sep 23, 2021 • 52min

Ep. 132: LISTENER CALLS: Managing Non-Work Tasks

OPENING RANT: Facebook Knows It's Hurting Teenagers [3:22]LISTENER CALLS: - Interfacing with the hive mind. [17:45] - The relationship between tasks and daily plans. [24:58] - My weekly planning ritual. [31:04] - Discovering books. [39:42] - How I manage my non-work tasks. [46:25]
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46 snips
Sep 20, 2021 • 56min

Ep. 131: The Elements of the Deep Life

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm hiring! [0:20]DEEP DIVE: The Elements of the Deep Life [3:51]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS - How should I get started in a new remote work job? [16:56] - How I time block a purely reactive job? [21:56] - Should I bother capturing tasks that are fast to complete? [25:26] - How do I tame multiple concurrent projects? [29:00] - How do I schedule optional deep work in an exhausting job? [31:58]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS - How much time is left for family after goals and deep work? [38:32] - Is there such a thing as deep fun? [41:20] - I am addicted to my phone. What do I do? [43:24] - How do I make a big life decision when I have lots of options? [49:11]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.
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7 snips
Sep 16, 2021 • 42min

Ep. 130: LISTENER CALLS: Leadership vs. Availability

Below are the topics covered in today's listener calls mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.- Balancing availability and depth as a leader. [5:12]- Being available to students without being overwhelmed. [12:08]- Rapid fire questions (each answer under 1 minute). [18:18]     -- Working eight hours in a row.     -- Quarterly plan format.     -- Reading metrics.- Sticking to a schedule once made. [26:36]- Keeping up with an academic literature. [30:24]- Taking breaks between big projects. [35:20]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.
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16 snips
Sep 13, 2021 • 59min

Ep. 129: How Do I Get My Kid Off His Smartphone?

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: Is Organization the Opiate of the Knowledge Work Masses? [1:02]DEEP WORK QUESTIONS - How do I choose skills to work deeply on? [15:18] - What if I don't know what I want to do with my career or life? [20:11] - How do I stop my students from overwhelming me right before deadlines? [23:38] - When should you say "no" to interesting projects? [27:13] - How do I preserve deep work now that I'm back in a real offie? [30:08]DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS - What are my (Cal) plans regarding my next book? [40:50] - Would I (Cal) consider interviewing my wife? [41:32] - What are the origins of my (Cal) ideas on leisure? [44:12] - How do we get our 13-year-old off his iPhone? [50:31]Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.

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