One of the most common types of messages sent in from listeners of this podcast are self-recriminations about laziness. But what does “laziness” actually mean? In this episode, Cal takes a deeper look at the common terms and sees that it’s often used to describe two unrelated phenomena. He then gives a big idea for overcoming each. 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: Overcoming laziness [4:00] - How should I track small projects? [39:39] - How do I find time to bodybuilder when I have a demanding job? [44:56] - How do I remain motivated to work after graduation?[53:12] - How do I make the shift from warehouse work to web development? [59:20] - How do I deal with decision fatigue? [1:03:18] - CALL: Implementing advice from pragmatic non-fiction books [1:07:53] CASE STUDY: Pursuing a life of depth [1:11:31] CAL REACTS: Algorithms act as conveyor belts [1:22:51] LINKS: jonathanhaidt.substack.com/p/algorithms-hijacked-my-generation Thanks to our Sponsors: rhone.com/cal moshlife.com/deep grammarly.com/podcast This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhlep.com/deepquestions Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

How you accomplish important goals: The type that can transform your life in remarkable ways? In this episode, Cal breaks down the common mistakes we make in pursuing hard goals and then details the reverse goal setting strategy he has found to work much more consistently. 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 Today’s Deep Question: How do I follow through on transformative goals? [2:18] - How do I prepare for an upcoming change to my professional life? [42:26] - How do I schedule abundant free time? [49:43] - Should I feel guilty that I’m so efficient I barely work? [53:47] - How do I avoid doing too much? [1:00:27] - How do I time block work of unknown durations? [1:07:31] - CALL: Pursuing a career with two different paths [1:13:52] CAL REACTS: Joe Rogan and The Rock Talk Passion [1:21:35] Thanks to our Sponsors: shopify.com/deep hensonshaving.com/cal mybodytutor.com blinkist.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Based on extensive feedback from listeners and new research, Cal is ready to unveil his new and improved version of the Deep Life Stack, his foundational approach for transforming your life from shallow and distracted to deep and remarkable. 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: The Deep Life Stack 2.0 [4:40] - Does prioritizing deep work grow your task list? [38:02] - Does deep work impede the development of soft skills? [41:04] - How do I shut down work without clean stopping points? [46:31] - CALL: Intrusive thoughts while doing deep work [52:29] - CALL: How does Cal organize his working memory.txt [57:49] CASE STUDY: Using slow productivity to build a house [1:00:30] CAL REACTS: Should you “burn the boats” to motivate ambitious action? [1:08:00] Links: amazon.com/Burn-Boats-Overboard-Unleash-Potential/dp/006308886X Thanks to our Sponsors: rhone.com/cal mintmobile.com/deep cozyearth.com ladderlife.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

A viral video making the rounds recently argues that the key to promoting learning is to deliver education in apps that are equally addictive as social media. Cal takes a closer look at the brain science behind this claim and argues why it is fundamentally impossible to beat attention engineered apps at their own game. We shouldn’t, however, give up hope, as our brain has a completely unrelated motivation system, built on a behavior called episodic future thinking (EFT), that we can leverage to make deep activities like learning seem more rewarding than the short term distractions beckoning from our phones. Mastering the EFT system is indeed critical to cultivating a deep life. 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: Can we make learning as addictive as social media? [2:33] - Can I be happy in a job that doesn’t require me to learn? [33:44] - How can I fight deep procrastination to learn better? [40:52] - How can I identify the school for my kid to learn better? [47:11] - How can I reflect on work concepts without feeling the urge to work? [51:48] - How does Ultralearning apply to Slow Productivity? [55:36] - CALL: Recommendations on learning [58:02] CASE STUDY: Designing a system to learn [1:00:50] The 5 books Cal read in October 2023 [1:10:14] Links: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6FORpg0KVo youtu.be/wmdG-uZk6JY?si=2_S6Mer1VnBJE3Wv&t=120 sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/ calnewport.com/the-father-of-deliberate-practice-disowns-flow/ ideas.ted.com/mental-time-travel-is-a-great-decision-making-tool-this-is-how-to-use-it/ Thanks to our Sponsors: zocdoc.com/deep hensonshaving.com/cal blinkist.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal reviews what he believes to be the four essential tools for feeling on top of everything you need to do. If you’re missing one of these, you might struggle. If you use all four, you’re probably safe never thinking about “productivity” again. Cal is then joined by friend of the show, New York Times bestselling author David Epstein, to answer listener questions about their personal struggles to take control of their lives. 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: The Productivity Toolkit [2:30] - What is the most underrated productivity superpower? [35:05] - Should I journal? [43:59] - How do I build a system to help me remember things? [48:23] - Can I use a split-day strategy to time block a reactive job? [52:01] - Help! I’m stuck at age 30. How do I get unstuck? [54:42] CAL REACTS: How can we make learning as addictive as social media? [1:16:06] Links: youtube.com/watch?v=P6FORpg0KVo Thanks to our Sponsors: rhone.com/cal grammarly.com/podcast policygenius.com/deepquestions mybodytutor.com Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Much of the advice we discuss is about how to improve things right now. But what are the right strategies for ensuring that we’re happy about where we are five or even ten years in the future. How do we ensure, in other words, that we won’t look back at major swaths of our lives with regret? In this episode, Cal discusses three big ideas for playing the long game when it comes to cultivating a deep life. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo Video from today’s episode: https://youtube.com/calnewportmedia Deep Dive: What can you do now to stay content later? [3:30] - What habits help you escape complacency? [25:51] - How do I know if I need a major change to my life? [31:00] - How can I rediscover my drive to live deep with a boring (but stable) job? [36:08] - CALL: Avoiding the stress of having a large “to-do” list [41:07] CASE STUDY: Designing a deep work t-shirt to be productive [47:22] CAL REACTS: Is Social Media a Collective Trap? [56:03] Thanks to our Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal https://www.expressvpn.com/deep https://www.shopify.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

An increasing number of people are suffering from “super distractions” that rise above the level of harmless diversion and instead start to actively hold them back in their life. Some of the common culprits cited include social media, online pornography, and alcohol. In this episode, Cal takes a closer look at what creates super distractions and uses this insight to come up with an effective game plan for fighting back. 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: Taking control of your life from super distractions [8:09] - How can I stay productive while in between goals? [36:24] - Will I become depressed from a dopamine fast? [40:46] - How can I overcome negative thoughts? [44:01] - Are there rituals to help me handle shallow work more efficiently? [50:19] CASE STUDY: Success with an electronic detox [58:27] Cal Reacts: NPR left Twitter and the effects are negligible [1:06:59] Links: niemanreports.org/articles/npr-twitter-musk/ Thanks to our Sponsors: mintmobile.com/deep cozyearth.com blinkist.com/deep ladderlife.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

After an episode in which Cal reviewed ancient wisdom on cultivating a deeper life, he turns his attention back to more recent advice. Focusing on three of the more unconventional but unambiguously effective ideas that he has proposed in his twenty years of professional writing on these topics. 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: Getting started is overrated [6:29] - How can I become more confident in social settings? [36:15] - Is it ok to be an ordinary person? [40:52] - Is it important to have friends? [46:41] - I took a pay cut to become a teacher again. How can I better organize my life to prioritize craft? [49:36] - Is it ok to use YouTube to discover new ideas? [57:28] Reader’s React: Is Productivity Natural? [1:05:04] Links: calnewport.com/dangerous-ideas-getting-started-is-overrated/ calnewport.com/treat-your-mind-as-you-would-a-private-garden/ calnewport.com/should-you-work-like-maya-angelou-or-eric-schmidt/ calnewport.com/on-tire-pressure-and-productivity/ Thanks to our Sponsors: moshlife.com/deep zocdoc.com/deep hensonshaving.com/cal mybodytutor.com Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Stoicism seems to be all the rage at the moment. In what ways is it relevant to our question to live deeply in a distracted world? And in what ways is it not? Cal takes a closer look at Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and discusses his relationship with the philosophy more generally. 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: The Ideas from Marcus Aurelius’s, “Meditations” [2:30] - Can I realistically make an impact as an English teacher? [35:28] - Can a seasoned professional screenwriter switch careers after 23 years? [40:02] - I’m an accomplished professional but lack a competitive drive to do more. Is there a way to build this? [45:34] - How can a CEO lower his anxiety with elements of work that aren’t strengths? [54:37] - How can I bounce back from a deflating work setback? [1:02:52] The 5 Books Cal Read in September 2023 [1:11:07] Thanks to our Sponsors: grammarly.com/podcast policygenius.com blinkist.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Knowledge workers increasingly describe themselves as exhausted and burnt out. Why is this happening? In this episode, Cal argues that some of the obvious answers aren’t enough to explain the phenomenon. The real answer is both less expected and perhaps more fixable than we expect. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia Deep Dive: Tiredness and the ability to produce work [8:18] - How can I read more without falling asleep? [34:25] - Is screen time before bed killing my sleep? [38:19] - How can I still have fun while being productive? [44:20] - Is discipline an identity or a tool? [50:21] - How do I find my way back to the deep life? [56:39] CASE STUDY: A magazine editor integrates projects into a deep life [1:02:00] Final Segment: Lauren Groff’s slow productivity [1:35:06] Links: Authors for Voices of Color auction: Afvoc2023.givesmart.com https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/books/lauren-groff-vaster-wilds.html https://www.thefp.com/p/why-i-traded-my-smartphone-for-an-ax https://midland-school.org/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597809000399 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/09/books/lauren-groff-vaster-wilds.html Thanks to our Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions https://www.hensonshaving.com/cal https://www.rhone.com/cal https://www.shopify.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do we need to move to a ranch in the middle of nowhere to take control of our technology habits? Cal argues that these types of extreme examples are counter-productive, making it seem like real changes are close to impossible. He offers instead an alternative approach based on zero-based budgeting your technological life. 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 Today’s Deep Question: What does it really take to cure your smartphone addiction? [3:33] - How can I build an audience without being consumed by social media? [31:20] - If my kid uses an iPad for school, will he become cursed with digital distraction? [40:33] - Does the digital minimalist community approve of Goodreads and Letterboxd? [48:52] - I’m 30 years old and lost. How can I get my life back on track? [53:43] - How can I stay on top of current events without scrolling social media? [1:02:11] Closing Discussion: Is the Friendship Recession Real? What can you do to escape it? (w/ Jamie Kilstein) [1:08:38] Links: https://www.thefp.com/p/why-i-traded-my-smartphone-for-an-ax https://midland-school.org Thanks to our Sponsors: ladderlife.com/deep mybodytutor.com blinkist.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In this episode, Cal visits eight of the most influential books in personal productivity, identifying for each a single idea that ended up most resonating both with his own work and the culture more generally. 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 Today’s Deep Question: What productivity ideas from other authors are the most worth paying attention to? [4:54] - How do I time-block for the unanticipated “a-ha!” moment of insight? [40:23] - Is my life as a surgeon dooming me to a reactive life? [45:19] - Is it possible to read too many productivity books? [52:10] - Is the Deep Life influenced by The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? [58:55] - Am I a disciplined worker if I only respond to deadlines? [1:01:09] The 5 Books Cal Read in August 2023 [1:09:31] Thanks to our Sponsors: cozyearth.com hensonshaving.com/cal mintmobile.com/deep moshlife.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Change is unavoidable. You can either fear it or learn to master it. In this interview episode, Cal talks with longtime friend of the show, Brad Stulberg, about his new book, “Master of Change.” 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 INTERVIEW: How to Master Change (with Brad Stulberg) [3:55] Links: bradstulberg.com/ Thanks to our Sponsors: blinkist.com/deep grammarly.com/go expressvpn.com/deep zocdoc.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Too many people believe that the New Year is the right time to undertake major improvements to your life. In this episode, Cal argues that it is instead right now, at the beginning of fall, that is the best time to turn over a new page. He lays out a detailed 4-month journey through the deep stack that will have you done with a major overhaul by the time everyone else is just getting started early next year. 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 Today’s Deep Question: How can I reinvent my life in 4 months? [6:30] - How can I ease into Cal's more advanced time management strategies? [44:06] - Can unstructured work be a part of the deep life? [47:42] - How can I stop changing my mind about what I want to do with my life? [51:50] - Can I pursue the deep life if I need a job? [59:33] - How do you pursue the deep life with depression? [1:03:58] Cover Reveal for Slow Productivity [1:13:20] Thanks to our Sponsors: mybodytutor.com policygenius.com shopify.com/deep cozyearth.com Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

When it comes to generating fantastic ideas – the type that can make your career – you don’t have to passively wait for inspiration to strike. You can, instead, *hack* the creative process to increase the odds of coming up with something great. In this episode, Cal explores one of the more powerful forms of “creativity hacking”: making use of strange locations. 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 Today’s Deep Question: Why do you work better in strange locations? [3:31] - Does Cal read online articles? [34:35] - Is fitness tracking on my Apple Watch an excuse to stay distracted? [40:09] - Which is better for original thinking: the city or the country? [43:05] - How do I organize the pursuit of deep ideas? [47:19] - Does reading books from unrelated genres help idea generation? [51:57] CAL REACTS: Over stimulation is ruining your life! [59:11] Links: blog.computationalcomplexity.org/2020/02/pre-publish-and-perish.html calnewport.com/on-using-inspiring-locations-to-inspire-deeper-work/ youtube.com/watch?v=yYWvUoN4yt8 Thanks to our Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best self hensonshaving.com/cal blinkist.com/deep ladderlife.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

In celebration of the newly released *second* edition of the Time Block Planner, Cal provides some additional expert tips for getting the most out of a time blocking discipline before answering listener questions on the general topic of time management. He closes by discussing the recent claim that phones are ruining peoples’ ability to watch movies. 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 Today’s Deep Question: How can I double what I accomplish each week by better controlling my time? [16:54] - How do I deal with the guilt of missing time blocks? [44:17] - How does Cal reconcile slow productivity with the urgency of time blocking? [49:22] - How do I block enough time to keep up with all the internet content I want to read? [52:40] - How do I stick to my block schedule if no one is forcing me to? [1:02:11] - How can Cal be both a computer science professor and yet still be so bad at technology? [1:07:00] Something Interesting: Have Phones Ruined Movies? [1:15:45] Links: washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/05/barbenheimer-bad-movie-behavior/ Thanks to our Sponsors: moshlife.com/deep mintmobile.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep 80000hours.org/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

One of the most popular (and widely forgotten) slogans of the ancient world was Festina Lente, or, “Make Haste Slowly.” In this episode, Cal looks deeper at what this phrase meant, and in doing so uncovers an ancient version of slow productivity. 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 Today’s Deep Question: What can Octavian Caesar Augustus teach us about productivity? [5:37] - How can I help my team move fast to slow productivity? [26:12] - How do I figure out how long to spend on a task? [33:08] - What’s up with Cal’s podcast album art? [38:14] - Why is my partner so slow? [40:49] - How does Cal’s Remarkable tablet change his working memory.txt habit? [46:23] CASE STUDY: Not allowing work to dominate your life [53:28] The 5 Book Cal Read in July 2023 [1:03:21] Links: bigthink.com/the-learning-curve/festina-lente/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festina_lente Thanks to our Sponsors: zocdoc.com/deep hensonshaving.com/cal mybodytutor.com blinkist.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed by everything you have to do? The writer Oliver Burkeman recently experimented with an unexpected response to this common sensation: he decided to work much less. In more detail, he wanted to see what would happen if he reacted to overload by restricting his work to only four hours per day. In this episode, Cal reviews what Burkeman discovered in this experiment and what it teaches the rest of us. 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 Today’s Deep Question: What happens when you cut your workday in half? [5:51] - What does the “celebrate” deep life bucket include? [30:34] - When are big life changes the right thing to do? [38:38] - When does Cal “start” his work day? [49:04] - How do I save for a good retirement without making my current lifestyle worse? [50:05] CASE STUDY: The Joys of Doing Less [56:44] CAL REACTS: Chris Nolan doesn’t own a phone [1:05:21] Links: hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cast-interview-film-1235535418/ Thanks to our Sponsors: shopfiy.com/deep cozyearth.com grammarly.com/go policygenius.com Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Do history’s greatest thinkers care about time management? In today’s episode, Cal analyzes the system that the mathematician and philosopher, Kurt Godel, used to structure his days, weeks, and years to produce meaningful work over a long period of time. 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 Today’s Deep Question: How do geniuses structure their life? [8:00] - How do I follow through on the projects I start? [34:33] - Is creating a deep environment one of the deep life buckets? [42:14] - How do I find examples of my ideal lifestyle? [48:24] - Should I switch jobs, I’m bored (but effective)? [59:20] CAL REACTS: The ReMarkable 2 tablet. Is it worth it? [1:11:57] Thanks to our Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/deepquestions and get on your way to being your best self drinklmnt.com/deep 80000hours.org/deep hensonshaving.com/cal Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Sometimes the most effective way to contain your workload is to simply declare how long you’re willing to work and then refuse to violate your pledge. In this episode, Cal revisits this “fixed-schedule productivity” strategy, which he first introduced way back in 2008. 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 Today’s Deep Question: How does fixed-schedule productivity work, and how has Cal’s thoughts on it changed over the years? [3:02] - What activities can fall outside fixed schedules? [30:12] - How do you manage a workload determined by other people? [33:08] - Why doesn’t Cal build his weekly plan on his calendar? [43:24] - How do I deal with having too much work piled up? [51:23] CASE STUDY: Implementing tactics from “A World Without Email” [53:14] The 5 Books Cal Read in June 2023 [1:02:28] Links: calnewport.com/fixed-schedule-productivity-how-I-accomplish-a-large-amount-of-work-in-a-small-number-of-work-hours/ Thanks to our Sponsors: mintmobile.com/deep blinkist.com/deep ladderlife.com/deep expressvpn.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.