Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast. BOOK REPORT: The Square and the Tower [3:6] DEEP WORK QUESTIONS - What should I do if I like my job but dislike the industry? [11:41] - How hard should I push back against a shallow company culture? [16:15] - Is productivity only for people with certain personality types? [25:05] - What is the best strategy for an aspiring academic? [27:30] ...
Jun 28, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - The hyperactive hive mind and the return to the office. [2:57] - Becoming productive. [12:23] - Time tracking apps. [24:51] - Scheduling continuous projects. [27:19] - Struggling with time blocking. [36:51] - Working on problems past when it's useful. [41:47] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for masterin...
Jun 24, 2021•45 min•Ep 108•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 WORK QUESTIONS: - How do I cultivate urgency for long-term projects? [2:49] - How do I learn more about deliberate practice? [11:54] - How do deal with an "open door" policy at work? [17:06] - How can I return to academia after taking an industry job? [19:57] - Does a commitment to deep work block me from management? [21:37] - How do I ...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast 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 work and school. [3:34] - Deep work and ADHD. [8:28] - Building career capital as an account executive. [15:15] - Do I know Naval Ravikant? P22:35] - Art without social media. [27:31] - Pursuing a PhD purely for passion. [33:53] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering....
Jun 17, 2021•39 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast DEEP WORK QUESTIONS - How do you apply deep work when your job is entirely shallow? [4:37] - Is batching emails a few times a day a good practice? [12:20] - Why are some tips for managing the flow of emails and texts from clients? [19:54] - What am I (Cal) working during my teaching sabbatical this spring? [26:45] - What are the ideal ratios for writing, thinking, and reading in a day? [29:47] - Can I (Cal) elaborate on how I track deep work? [34:17] - How do you avoid easing up on the gas after...
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast 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 the unpredictable demands of a small business. [3:16] - Taming emails when it's hard to say "no". [10:02] - Notebook overkill. [20:47] - On adverting and social media.[29:52] - My thoughts on video games. [35:45] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Jun 10, 2021•42 min•Ep 104•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 WORK QUESTIONS - How do you do deep work when you're not in the mood? [3:48] - How do you mange time for side hustle projects? [13:38] - What future technologies will have the biggest positive impact on focus and attention? [16:51] - How do I avoid prioritizing other peoples' task needs above my own? [24:28] - How do I build career capi...
Jun 07, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, author Brad Stulberg joins me in person at my Deep Work HQ (!) for a deep dive into the topic of busyness, burn out, and the quest to craft more sustainable professional lives. For more on Brad: https://thegrowtheq.com/ or my interview from Episode 47. Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Jun 03, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep 102•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 WORK QUESTIONS - Should I maintain a day free from all work? [3:55] - How do I take notes on a Kindle? [9:06] - How an I integrate accountability with my time-block planning? (Bonus rant on making workloads transparent.) [11:31] - How do I avoid over-structuring my life as a student? [19:49] - What is my (Cal) computer science research ...
May 31, 2021•58 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Dealing with time blocking overload. [4:13] - Planning household admin. [9:04] - How theoreticians schedule proof work. [16:24] - Retyping notes (or not). [27:57] - Becoming a better conductor. [34:15] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
May 27, 2021•45 min•Ep 100•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: How Can I Significantly Reduce Email? [6:30] DEEP WORK QUESTIONS: - How do I account for transition time between time blocks? [20:20] - Rant Alert: How do I creeping combat corporate complexity?[21:58] - How do I identify processes to optimize? [29:58] - How much should one rely on technology to think? [33:10] - How important is m...
May 24, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - How long to keep items on a "done" list. [2:09] - When is it worth spending money on productivity software? [4:57] - Troubleshooting time blocks. [14:33] - Scheduling short breaks (or not). [19:30] - Avoiding distractions during planning. [30:04] - Helping young people figure out their career. [33:31] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for ...
May 20, 2021•40 min•Ep 98•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 WORK QUESTIONS - How can I get others to accept a deeper work environment? [6:16] - How can I escape meeting overload? [10:12] - How can I ready myself for a deep work sessions? [18:00] - Should I hire an assistant to help me with my emails? [22:14] - How should indie authors use social media? [27:10] - How do I stop being so distracted...
May 17, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Managing a "waiting on" list. [2:57] - Emotion-driven attention residue. [9:40] - Drifting from time block schedules. [15:29] - Relationship Counseling: Batching dirty dishes? [20:48] - Organizing research. [25:39] - Emotions, energy, and productivity. [32:20] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
May 13, 2021•39 min•Ep 96•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 WORK QUESTIONS - What challenges will I face switching to time-block planning for the first time? [3:43] - How do I time block very long days? [8:20] - How do I move external colleagues and clients away from email collaboration? [11:10] - How do I manage multiple email addresses? [18:57] - How do I avoid Slack FOMO? [20:21] - How can I ...
May 10, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep 95•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Productivity with a chronic illness. [4:28] - Coordinating strategic plans with a partner. [12:44] - Getting your boss to bother you less. [17:56] - High quality leisure for students [25:59] - Feeling overwhelmed by Facebook Groups. [29:58] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
May 06, 2021•35 min•Ep 94•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: 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] - H...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep 93•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Time block specificity (coercive versus collaborative productivity). [6:24] - Balancing time spent on different types of work. [11:34] - Project priorities. [18:34] - Building a social life during a pandemic. [26:57] - Making use of unexpected free time. [33:27] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Apr 29, 2021•37 min•Ep 92•Transcript available on Metacast I'm joined in today's episode by Greg McKeown, author of the mega-bestseller Essentialism , and his new book, Effortless. We talk about the massive success of Essentialism , decoding why it did so well and discussing how it changed his life. We then get into the origin of the ideas that became Effortless , and use some of my own attempts to make essential work easier as a case study. Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Apr 26, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep 91•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Behind the Curtain: My Current Scheduling Setup [0:22] Book Recommendation: The Unspoken Rules [9:34] Listener Calls: - Perfectionism and time-block schedules. [12:58] - Constructing effective student schedules. [18:56] - Organizing the tasks that make up a project. [26:58] - Optimal task structure. [35:47] - RANT ALERT: social me...
Apr 22, 2021•52 min•Ep 90•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: What Does "Productivity" Actually Mean? [5:04] WORK QUESTIONS - How do I stay productive after the pandemic? [17:56] - How do I relearn how to think deeply? [22:51] - Can I build a world without email with non-knowledge workers? [31:38] - Are some people more aligned to some jobs than others? [34:47] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - Do I ne...
Apr 19, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep 89•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Determining if your work is deep. [3:21] - Limits for daily deep work. [6:30] - Taking notes in a time block planner. [11:17] - My notebooks. [17:24] - Instagram and artists. [24:16] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Apr 15, 2021•34 min•Ep 88•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 algorithm should I use to implement the Eisenhower Matrix? [6:21] - Should I switch careers to pursue my dream? [9:34] - How did I (Cal) fit research, teaching, and writing into my 9 to 5 graduate student schedule? [20:37] - What advice should I give students about deep work? [23:55] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - Can I succeed...
Apr 12, 2021•54 min•Ep 87•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Transferring tasks from capture to configure tools. [4:07] - Getting better at thinking while walking (plus bonus MIT nostalgia). [6:53] - Deep work breaks. [14:44] - Dedicated task lists for projects (what I do). [25:28] - Incompatible calendars. [30:43] Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Apr 08, 2021•36 min•Ep 86•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: Are NFTs frivolous or fundamental? [6:57] WORK QUESTIONS - Does a world without email mean the return of voicemail? [23:42] - Is Elon Musk right about not pursuing a PhD? [26:31] - Is mastery incompatible with the deep life? [28:47] - Do I need a todo list for my personal life? [39:15] - How do you come up with catchy phrases like...
Apr 05, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep 85•Transcript available on Metacast 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. - Scheduling multiple concurrent projects. [5:06] - Prioritizing projects. [12:03] - Work from home wardrobes (and virtual commutes). [15:58] - Maintaining focusing during mini-delays. [23:49] - Decorating an office to support deep work. [28:11] Link for my Clubhouse conversation with Kevin Roose (3pm Eastern on 4/1): https://www....
Apr 01, 2021•33 min•Ep 84•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 concentrate in an open office? [5:27] - Do professors need to work 60+ hours a week? [9:10] - What's the best workflow for student reference letters? [17:38] - How does an MS student prepare to become a CS professor? [21:21] - How can a high school principal find time to do deep work? [25:28] TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS - ...
Mar 29, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep 83•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. - Taming scattered schedules. [3:10] - Phantom part time work in the office. [11:04] - The joys and sorrows of binge working. [18:12] - Organizing reading when you're slow at reading. [25:05] - Combatting administrative overload in academia (including a bonus unsolicited rant). [29:57] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music....
Mar 25, 2021•45 min•Ep 83•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: What Are My Core Systems? [2:40] WORK QUESTIONS - How do I avoid burnout? [13:33] - How do I measure effectiveness in a vague job? [19:58] - How do I teach myself to become a better programmer? [22:19] - What is a good way to become a better leader? [27:50] - How do non-fiction writers become better at their craft? [30:56] - What ...
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep 81•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. - On the value of expensive productivity systems. [3:58] - Phantom part-time jobs. [11:16] - Working deeply after hard days. [16:24] - Must all leisure be quality? [28:27] Thanks to listener Jay Kerstens for the intro music.
Mar 18, 2021•34 min•Ep 80•Transcript available on Metacast 
