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: Should this meeting have been an email? [5:30] WORK QUESTIONS - How do I recharge after a hard year of work? [17:14] - How do I write blog posts? [20:46] - How important is working from home for accomplishing deep work? [22:52] - How can I apply productive meditation to work that requires a computer? [28:52] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS -...
Mar 15, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep 79•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Active recall in the office. [4:58] - Processes for problem solving. [9:58] - Time blocking versus the pomodoro method. [14:20] - Time blocking versus bullet journaling. [23:51] - The necessity of a second brain. [28:46] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Mar 11, 2021•37 min•Ep 78•Transcript available on Metacast 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: Does email have a mind of its own? [6:23] WORK QUESTIONS - How do I avoid boring research? [16:35] - How do I learn new skills without becoming overwhelmed? [19:44] - How do I better structure workplace communication? [23:34] - How do I say "no" more often? [29:41] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - When should I stop listening to your podcas...
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep 77•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Updating strategic plans. [4:13] - Capturing small projects. [8:26] - Archiving tasks. [12:47] - Email on speed (dealing with WhatsApp). [17:15] - Coping with an abundance of depth. [31:28] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Mar 04, 2021•37 min•Ep 76•Transcript available on Metacast In today's episode, I talk with Joshua Fields Milburn, who along with Ryan Nicodemus make up the powerhouse duo known simply as the Minimalists. You probably know Joshua from the wildly successful Netflix documentaries, MINIMALISM and LESS IS NOW, or the popular podcast he co-hosts with Ryan. The story of how the Minimalists got started is well-told, so I thought I would focus on a natural follow question: what happened next? Starting with when I first met him in 2012, I ask Joshua to walk us th...
Mar 01, 2021•2 hr 37 min•Ep 75•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Spending too much time on Trello. [8:47] - Reducing instant messenger use. [18:33] - The inflexibility of time blocking. [27:30] - Finishing a thesis on time. [34:32] - Working deeply during a coup. [37:33] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Feb 25, 2021•41 min•Ep 74•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. WORK QUESTIONS - What makes a day "productive" for a researcher? [5:10] - How do I get past imposter syndrome in academia? [9:29] - Should I get a PhD to become a writer? [14:22] - How can I make my team less reactive? [18:06] - How do I make daily/weekly planning a habit that sticks? [28:12] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - Is attention training goin...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Excessive planning syndrome. [3:29] - Deep work and the distraction of social anxiety. [6:48] - Writing for top tier publications. [11:53] - Social media for artists. [17:16] - Hobby overload (and the curse of busyness). [30:18] - Getting started on hard creative work. [38:15] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Feb 18, 2021•43 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast 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: The Autonomy Trap [7:25] WORK QUESTIONS - How do I focus when working on a distracting computer? [19:58] - How do you maintain energy while increasing deep work? [23:34] - Can the pomodoro technique help achieve deep work? [29:00] - How can I time block when working with two kids in a small apartment? [31:29] - Have I thought abou...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Timing productive meditation. [6:32] - Extracting wisdom from past plans. [14:00] - Writing a thesis as a side project. [22:44] - Adapting college advice to high school students (plus: a bonus digression on my experience writing books in academia). [30:00] - Getting things done during an isolating pandemic. [36:30] Thanks to listener Jay Kerst...
Feb 11, 2021•44 min•Ep 70•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. WORK QUESTIONS - How do I finish my day strong when time blocking? [5:09] - What should I do to succeed as a new professor? [9:48] - How do I protect deep work even as I become more recognized? [14:38] - What are strategies for handling large ambiguous work tasks? [19:37] - How do I stay productive in a one-bedroom apartment? [24:06] TECHNOL...
Feb 08, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Handling short tasks. [4:37] - Time blocking with auto-scheduled meetings. [11:45] - Taming excessive phone usage. [18:18] - Hiring yourself as an assistant. [25:05] - How to avoid losing steam during time off. [36:05] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Feb 04, 2021•41 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast In today's episode I interview bestselling author Tim Harford. We talk about his path from economics to writing and broadcasting, his thoughts on using data to make sense of the world (without getting tricked), and his experience working for Malcolm Gladwell's podcasting company. His latest book, called THE DATA DETECTIVE in the US and HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD ADD UP everywhere else, comes out this week and is available wherever you buy books. Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Feb 01, 2021•2 hr 48 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Taking notes in meetings. [3:41] - Switching from Bullet Journal to Trello. [8:42] - Speeding up time blocking. [13:56] - Scheduling daily tasks. [23:41] - Avoiding hard assignments (plus: a comment on YouTube addiction). [28:26] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Jan 28, 2021•37 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast 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 productivity good or bad? [4:28] WORK QUESTIONS - How do you extract good career advice from successful people? [19:16] - How do I improve my GRE score? [27:38] - Is there a category of work between deep and shallow? [29:53] - Should high school students time block? [31:53] - How should I search for my first job during the pand...
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Dealing with boring (but important) work. [8:11] - Best tools for day planning. [18:26] - An insider look at my book research process. [20:31] - Advice for returning to school later in life. [32:46] - Making time for non-urgent pursuits. [38:35] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Jan 21, 2021•45 min•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. WORK QUESTIONS - How do I minimize meetings at my large corporation? [5:01] - Hod do I accomplish deep work in a responsive role? [11:30] - How do I prioritize self-learning when earning a PhD? [15:19] - How do I optimize time spend waiting for data to crunch? [19:27] - How do I get important work done with kids at home? [21:48] - How do I e...
Jan 18, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - "Thank you" emails and overload. [3:14] - Managing information contained in emails. [5:35] - Dividing time into ten minute chunks. [13:30] - Restarting a drive toward digital minimalism. [26:07] - Personal metrics and weekend planning. [34:21] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Jan 14, 2021•40 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast 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: Executing Big Projects [10:18] WORK QUESTIONS - Is pairing a problem for programmers? [20:21] - When do you review past time block schedules? [25:46] - How do I force myself to execute my plans? [29:48] - How do you figure out what projects to pursue? [36:38] - Should you take personality traits into mind when choosing a job? [41:...
Jan 11, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the topics covered in today's mini-episode (with timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. - Reflections on productivity during distracting events. [3:35] - Trouble getting started. [12:09] - Dealing with cognitive exhaustion after hard periods. [18:01] - Avoiding tool overload. [27:10] - Focused work that's not demanding. [32:01] - Metric tracking tune-ups. [39:58] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Jan 07, 2021•47 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast . WORK QUESTIONS - Preparing for deep work. [6:41] - Keeping on top of everything when you have many roles. [12:32] - Is it possible to time block without a clock? [18:25] - Overcoming graduate student procrastination. [24:18] - Predictable schedules with unpredictable children at home. [29:36] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - Scheduling asynchronous c...
Jan 04, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport. Here are the topics we cover: - Struggling with organizing tasks. [7:41] - Advice for becoming a fantastic graduate student. [14:18] - My research workflow. [19:43] - Book writing basics. [31:14] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro musi...
Dec 31, 2020•39 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about solidifying your shutdown routines, taming overflowing inboxes, and tuning core values, among many other topics. We also conclude our deep dive into the topic of the deep reset. 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 n...
Dec 28, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport. Here are the topics we cover: - Using task boards to plan big projects. [2:49] - Academic Twitter. [8:31] - Time block breaks + Workflowy vs Trello. [13:04] - Deep work while traveling. [19:46] - Setting aside time for big projects. [26:...
Dec 23, 2020•33 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Dec 21, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport. Here are the topics we cover: - Clarifying capturing and configuring. [2:09] - Time blocking for teachers. [9:24] - Starting from scratch on a hard professional challenge. [15:20] - Building professional skills as a stay-at-home parent. ...
Dec 17, 2020•40 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about Stephen Covey's quad systems, the quixotic quest for a "perfect" productivity system, and reducing laziness, among many other topics. 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...
Dec 14, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport. Here are the topics we cover: * Capturing ideas outside the office. [4:31] * Prioritizing leisure. [9:08] * Coping with pandemic-induced shallow work. [11:58] * Succeeding with a side hustle [21:59] * Deep work at the organizational leve...
Dec 10, 2020•36 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions about saying "no" when others will say "yes" to the same offer, building an email list without social media, and falling short of high expectations for your life, among many other topics. 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 hel...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast In this mini-episode, I answer audio questions from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. You can submit your own audio questions at speakpipe.com/calnewport. Here are the topics we cover: * When deep work creates more shallow obligations. [2:49] * Avoiding artificial overload. [10:00] * Deep retirement. [23:06] * Defusing deep procrastination. [27:00] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the i...
Dec 03, 2020•39 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast 
