What are your interests?
Select categories to help us recommend content for you.
Let's Go!
Close queue History
Play full episodes to fill your queue.
Fathom beta logo
   
Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

311 Episodes • By Cal Newport • www.buzzsprout.com/1121972...
Cal Newport is a computer science professor and a New York Times bestselling author who writes about the impact of technology on society, and the struggle to work and live deeply in a world increasingly mired in digital distractions. On this podcast, he answers questions from his readers and offers ...more
Technology
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
@deepquestionswithcalnewport
mute button
Ep. 310: Rethinking Discipline
Discipline is critical to cultivating a deep life, b... more
Jul 22 2024 1h 23m
Understanding the Complexity of Discipline
Chapter 1 30 mins
Deep Dive: Rethinking Discipline
Chapter 2 3 mins
Should I work harder at finding a job?
Chapter 3 4 mins
How can I measure the Discipline layer of the Deep Life Stack?
Chapter 4 4 mins
How do I stay off my phone in times of stress?
Chapter 5 3 mins
How can I regain the control over my phone that I once had in college?
Chapter 6 6 mins
Does Cal only write on a laptop to avoid distractions?
Chapter 7 5 mins
How can a new knowledge worker apply the slow productivity principles when starting a new job?
Chapter 8 7 mins
CASE STUDY: Shifting jobs between teaching and administration
Chapter 9 11 mins
FINAL SEGMENT: Battle of the Sheds
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 309: Deep Habits
On this show, we often talk about major overhauls to... more
Jul 15 2024 1h 3m
Achieving Goals Through Patience
Chapter 1 28 mins
Deep Habits
Chapter 2 2 mins
Can I keep my weekly plan in my workingmemory.txt file?
Chapter 3 4 mins
Do you experience any pleasure during deep work?
Chapter 4 2 mins
How many deep work sessions should I do each working week?
Chapter 5 3 mins
How can I prioritize my goals in my personal life?
Chapter 6 1 min
Does the suggestion to “limit daily goals” conflict with time blocking?
Chapter 7 8 mins
CASE STUDY: Building my career around a desired lifestyle
Chapter 8 8 mins
CAL REACTS: Countering Pushback to Limiting Social Media for Kids
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 308: The Power of the Quiet Mind
One of the trickiest aspects of new technology is th... more
Jul 8 2024 1h 21m
Pull-Based System for Sustainable Organization
Chapter 1 25 mins
Deep Dive: The Power of the Quiet Mind
Chapter 2 5 mins
What are the benefits of walking meditation?
Chapter 3 4 mins
How can a new dad find time to advance his career?
Chapter 4 4 mins
How do I manage a temporary increase in admin responsibilities?
Chapter 5 2 mins
How can my son organize his sports and school schedule?
Chapter 6 5 mins
How can I do less when my colleagues are getting ahead for doing more?
Chapter 7 6 mins
CALL: Pre-scheduling with a pull system
Chapter 8 10 mins
CASE STUDY: Collaborating with colleagues to effectively do hard work
Chapter 9 13 mins
FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in June 2024
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 307: Ultra-Processed Content
Why are we comfortable with the idea that ultra-proc... more
Jul 1 2024 1h 19m
Lifestyle-Centric Planning and Book Structure
Chapter 1 26 mins
Deep Dive: Ultra-Processed Content
Chapter 2 6 mins
How would Cal update his college books to deal with the modern day technology distractions?
Chapter 3 7 mins
How can I introduce more balance into my highly focused life?
Chapter 4 3 mins
Is it ok to play Candy Crush while listening to podcasts?
Chapter 5 4 mins
How do I find time for deep thinking in a distracted life?
Chapter 6 7 mins
How can I work deeper in a shallow pond?
Chapter 7 2 mins
CALL: Using extended periods of time to plan
Chapter 8 9 mins
CASE STUDY: Making a career change with a safety net
Chapter 9 9 mins
CAL REACTS: The Anxious Generation
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 306: Defusing AI Panic
One of the simmering concerns surrounding the curren... more
Jun 24 2024 1h 42m
Distributed Trust Model and Fogg's Model
Chapter 1 41 mins
Deep Dive: Defusing AI Panic
Chapter 2 4 mins
Will A.I. agents spread misinformation on a large scale?
Chapter 3 5 mins
Is lack of good measurement and evaluation for A.I. systems a major problem?
Chapter 4 3 mins
Is the development of A.I. the biggest thing to happen in technology since the internet?
Chapter 5 7 mins
How do I balance a 30 day declutter with my overall technology use?
Chapter 6 5 mins
How do I convince my team that prioritizing quality over quantity will help them get promotions?
Chapter 7 9 mins
CALL: Distributed trust models and social media
Chapter 8 9 mins
CASE STUDY: Using Deep Work and Slow Productivity to engineer a better work situation
Chapter 9 10 mins
CAL REACTS: Employees fired for using “mouse jigglers”
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 305: Is Time Blocking Oppressive?
Oliver Burkeman recently noted that time blocking se... more
Jun 17 2024 1h 21m
The Debate on Time Blocking
Chapter 1 24 mins
Deep Dive: Is Time Blocking Oppressive?
Chapter 2 8 mins
Can Cal elaborate on his experience with his Acceptance and Commitment therapy?
Chapter 3 3 mins
How can I sustain my deep life program?
Chapter 4 5 mins
How can I stop my girlfriend from always checking her phone?
Chapter 5 4 mins
How long are your timeblocks in your planner?
Chapter 6 8 mins
How do I obsess over quality with filling into procrastination?
Chapter 7 5 mins
CALL: Getting back on track after travel
Chapter 8 10 mins
CASE STUDY: Adopting principles from Cal’s book to design my life
Chapter 9 10 mins
CAL REACTS: Deep Questions featured at Apple’s WWDC!
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 304: Seinfeld on The Deep Life
In a recent interview, held to promote his new Netfl... more
Jun 10 2024 1h 20m
Get Healthy With MyBodyTutor
Chapter 1 25 mins
Deep Dive: Seinfeld on The Deep Life
Chapter 2 8 mins
Do I need to practice outside of work to improve my craft?
Chapter 3 4 mins
Can I tackle learning goals sequentially?
Chapter 4 6 mins
How do I get through “grinding” at work?
Chapter 5 4 mins
How can I build my craft to grow my YouTube channel?
Chapter 6 5 mins
Can Cal talk about being an assistant professor with young kids?
Chapter 7 5 mins
CASE STUDY: Using lifestyle-centric career planning to upgrade my job and life
Chapter 8 14 mins
CAL REACTS: James Scholz studies twelve hours a day
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 303: The Problem with Grand Goals
The desire to cultivate a more intentional and remar... more
Jun 3 2024 1h 34m
Finding Balance in Time Management
Chapter 1 21 mins
Deep Dive: How to create a deep life
Chapter 2 4 mins
Is it too late to start living deep at the age of 27?
Chapter 3 2 mins
Is it possible to cultivate a deep life at a job that requires full attention?
Chapter 4 7 mins
How come there are different Deep Life Stacks?
Chapter 5 7 mins
How to cultivate a deep life with small children?
Chapter 6 4 mins
Do I need to “limit my missions” if I have a standard day job?
Chapter 7 13 mins
CALL: Keeping focus after having children
Chapter 8 10 mins
CASE STUDY: Finding books to help cultivate a deep life
Chapter 9 12 mins
FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in May 2024
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 302: Re-Enchanting Work
We talk a lot on this show about how to organize and... more
May 27 2024 1h 22m
Adventure Working in Knowledge Jobs
Chapter 1 25 mins
Deep Dive: Re-Enchanting Work
Chapter 2 2 mins
What are Cal’s health habits?
Chapter 3 3 mins
What’s the difference between discipline and rituals?
Chapter 4 3 mins
How does Cal read so much?
Chapter 5 4 mins
What are Cal’s writing-related rituals?
Chapter 6 4 mins
Should I go slow in my job hunting?
Chapter 7 4 mins
CALL: Working at a natural pace as a teacher
Chapter 8 6 mins
CALL: How to navigate the “pull system”
Chapter 9 10 mins
CASE STUDY: Organizing files in a household
Chapter 10 10 mins
CAL REACTS: Manchester’s United’s Pseudo-Productivity
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 301: Reclaiming Time and Focus (w/ Jordan Harbinger)
In this episode, the proverbial tables are turned, w... more
May 20 2024 1h 35m
Neurochemistry and Attention Switching
Chapter 1 1 hr 34 mins
INTERVIEW: Cal being interviewed by Jordan Harbinger
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 300: Hidden Technology Traps
There has been a lot of attention paid recently to t... more
May 13 2024 1h 22m
Digital Declutter
Chapter 1 27 mins
Deep Dive: The Burnout Society
Chapter 2 4 mins
How can I stop distraction relapses?
Chapter 3 4 mins
How can I reduce my social media addiction without abandoning these technologies?
Chapter 4 2 mins
How can I schedule deep work with a scattered class schedule?
Chapter 5 3 mins
How should I reintroduce video games after a successful digital declutter?
Chapter 6 3 mins
How do I apply Slow Productivity later in life?
Chapter 7 12 mins
CALL: How to formulate a deep life when you’re young
Chapter 8 4 mins
CASE STUDY: Tweaking the time block planner
Chapter 9 11 mins
CAL REACTS: A Slow Reconstruction of an Ancient City
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 299: Our Love/Hate Relationship with Personal Productivity
Cal has been writing professionally about issues rel... more
May 6 2024 2h 18m
Professional Novel Writing and Productivity
Chapter 1 1 hr
Deep Dive: The 20 year history with personal productivity
Chapter 2 13 mins
How does Cal organize his files as a technical researcher?
Chapter 3 8 mins
How slow is too slow?
Chapter 4 8 mins
Does “Monk Mode” actually work?
Chapter 5 13 mins
How do I adapt my organizational systems to do more complicated work?
Chapter 6 6 mins
What are the most underrated habits for living a great life?
Chapter 7 8 mins
CASE STUDY: Unconventional slow productivity
Chapter 8 13 mins
FINAL SEGMENT: The 5 Books Cal Read in April 2024
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 298: Rethinking Attention
We think of information as something neutral; a spot... more
Apr 29 2024 1h 19m
Discovering Life Through Books
Chapter 1 30 mins
Deep Dive: Rethinking attention
Chapter 2 4 mins
What books should I read to help me develop a deep life?
Chapter 3 5 mins
Does writing by hand have benefits for your brain?
Chapter 4 3 mins
Should I get a brain scan to prove I have a low IQ?
Chapter 5 2 mins
Should I use ChatGPT for book recommendations?
Chapter 6 5 mins
How can I avoid wasting your gap year?
Chapter 7 6 mins
CALL: Is “Slow Productivity” related to “The Burnout Society” by Buying-Chui Han?
Chapter 8 9 mins
CASE STUDY: Utilizing the phone foyer method
Chapter 9 8 mins
FINAL SEGMENT: Slow news
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 297: The Deep Life Hardware
Why do you struggle with your grand attempts to esca... more
Apr 22 2024 1h 26m
Hardware and Software of Success
Chapter 1 29 mins
Deep Dive: The Deep Life Hardware
Chapter 2 8 mins
Does personal productivity make us anxious?
Chapter 3 3 mins
How can I build skills without getting in the way of my existing work?
Chapter 4 6 mins
How can I build a deeper life after years of neglect?
Chapter 5 10 mins
How is Sam Sulek’s stripped down YouTube channel doing so well?
Chapter 6 3 mins
How can I convince my husband that I’m not a time management snob?
Chapter 7 5 mins
CALL: Obsessing over quality
Chapter 8 6 mins
CASE STUDY: Shifting a mindset to do more deep work
Chapter 9 8 mins
CAL REACTS: Is the Al Pin the End of Smartphones?
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 296: Jane Austen’s To-Do List (LIVE)
In the first ever live episode of Deep Questions, re... more
Apr 15 2024 1h 21m
Concrete Advice for Putting Theory Into Action
Chapter 1 24 mins
Deep Dive: Jane Austen’s To-Do List
Chapter 2 4 mins
Is Cal building his YouTube channel with social media tactics?
Chapter 3 8 mins
How can I do less things in such a busy world?
Chapter 4 5 mins
How can someone become a star while obsessing over craft?
Chapter 5 3 mins
How can I apply Slow Productivity to unrelated projects?
Chapter 6 2 mins
How does Cal develop his writing frameworks?
Chapter 7 5 mins
How can I apply Slow Productivity principles to a team?
Chapter 8 9 mins
How can I avoid the Zoom apocalypse?
Chapter 9 2 mins
Is there a conflict between working at  a natural pace and obsessing over quality?
Chapter 10 3 mins
How can a personal trainer build a wellness solution company?
Chapter 11 3 mins
How can our team not get delayed with technical problems?
Chapter 12 5 mins
How can I young lawyer manage === peer relationships with teams?
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 295: Artists Revolt Against Social Media
In this episode Cal takes a closer look at a growing... more
Apr 8 2024 1h 23m
Regaining Focus and Time Through Minimalism
Chapter 1 37 mins
Deep Dive: A Quiet Revolt Against Social Media
Chapter 2 2 mins
Is my deep living too extreme?
Chapter 3 3 mins
LinkedIn is getting toxic. Should I quit that too?
Chapter 4 2 mins
Where do online articles fit into the life of a digital minimalist?
Chapter 5 4 mins
Did Cal design the specifications for the hardcover copy of “Slow Productivity”?
Chapter 6 3 mins
How do I not feel overwhelmed by online content after a Digital Declutter?
Chapter 7 5 mins
CALL: Obsessing over quality
Chapter 8 7 mins
CASE STUDY: Applying lessons from “Digital Minimalism”
Chapter 9 9 mins
CAL REACTS: Deep or Crazy?
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 294: A Tactical Assault on Busyness
One of the biggest problems afflicting knowledge wor... more
Apr 1 2024 1h 16m
Virtual Environments for Deep Work
Chapter 1 31 mins
Deep Dive: A Tactical Assault on Busyness
Chapter 2 4 mins
How can I stop chasing the “perfect” productivity system?
Chapter 3 3 mins
How do I avoid losing my day to distraction?
Chapter 4 6 mins
How do I help my partner escape meeting quickstand?
Chapter 5 5 mins
How do we design the perfect client/task/scheduling system?
Chapter 6 11 mins
Can Apple Vision Pro help deep work?
Chapter 7 9 mins
The 5 Books Cal Read in March 2024
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 293: Can A.I. Empty My Inbox?
Imagine a world in which AI could handle your email ... more
Mar 25 2024 1h 36m
Reclaiming Work Desk for Deep Work
Chapter 1 40 mins
Deep Dive: Can A.I. Empty My Inbox?
Chapter 2 4 mins
Should I continue to study programming if AI will eventually replace software jobs?
Chapter 3 6 mins
Is it bad to use ChatGPT to assist with your writing?
Chapter 4 4 mins
How do I reclaim my workspace for Deep Work?
Chapter 5 2 mins
How do I decide what to do on my scheduled mini-breaks at work?
Chapter 6 6 mins
CALL: Heideger’s view on technology
Chapter 7 10 mins
CALL: Seasonality with a partner and kids
Chapter 8 10 mins
CASE STUDY: A Silicon Valley Chief of Staff balancing work and ego
Chapter 9 6 mins
General Grant’s Slow Productivity
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 292: Single-Purpose Notebooks
On his recent book tour, Cal found great success usi... more
Mar 18 2024 1h 16m
Slow Productivity
Chapter 1 22 mins
Deep Dive: Single-Purpose Notebooks
Chapter 2 7 mins
If “pseudo-productivity” isn’t effective, why is it so common?
Chapter 3 4 mins
Can you explain the difference between limiting missions, projects, and daily goals?
Chapter 4 8 mins
Should everyone buy a $50 notebook?
Chapter 5 4 mins
How does “Slow Productivity” relate to mental models and first principles?
Chapter 6 2 mins
Should I read your new book slowly?
Chapter 7 5 mins
CALL: Does Cal ever stress about work?
Chapter 8 8 mins
CASE STUDY: Applying lifestyle-centric career planning
Chapter 9 7 mins
SOMETHING INTERESTING: TikTok Falters
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 291: Do Better, Do Less
What does the story of the rise of the singing super... more
Mar 11 2024 1h 8m
Obsess Over Quality for Slow Productivity
Chapter 1 33 mins
Deep Dive: Doing Better, Do Less
Chapter 2 4 mins
Is my job too hard?
Chapter 3 2 mins
How do I sell myself better?
Chapter 4 3 mins
How do I convince myself to do actual hard work?
Chapter 5 4 mins
How do I find time to get better if I'm busy?
Chapter 6 8 mins
What is the values plan?
Chapter 7 7 mins
The 5 books Cal read in February 2024
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 290: Financing the Deep Life (w/ Noah Kagan)
One of the most common strategies for achieving a po... more
Mar 4 2024 1h 31m
Consistency Leads to Successful Outcomes
Chapter 1 1 hr 19 mins
INTERVIEW: Marketing guru Noah Kagan
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 289: The Email Catastrophe
How did we end up tyrannized by our inboxes? How is ... more
Feb 26 2024 1h 31m
Keyboard Enthusiasts Discuss Purchases
Chapter 1 41 mins
Deep Dive: The Email Catastrophe
Chapter 2 10 mins
How do I deal with email overload in a government job?
Chapter 3 2 mins
How do I deal with an employer who demands constant responsiveness?
Chapter 4 4 mins
How can I concentrate when coding when I need to use my web browser?
Chapter 5 4 mins
How do I overcome my fear of missing important emails?
Chapter 6 11 mins
CALL: Can slow productivity work for an academic?
Chapter 7 14 mins
CAL REACTS: Reader Comments on his NYT Op-Ed
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 288: Confronting Your Phone
We’ve become so used to our phones in our lives that... more
Feb 19 2024 1h 14m
Reconfigure Digital Life for Intention
Chapter 1 24 mins
Deep Dive: Confronting Your Phone
Chapter 2 4 mins
What does Cal think about Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves To Death”?
Chapter 3 4 mins
Can you pursue high quality leisure after a day filled with deep work?
Chapter 4 3 mins
Can commercial breaks be used for high quality leisure?
Chapter 5 6 mins
Will digital minimalism work in an age of augmented reality?
Chapter 6 5 mins
How can a full time YouTuber practice digital minimalism?
Chapter 7 8 mins
CALL: How to share content online?
Chapter 8 6 mins
CASE STUDY: Cost-benefit analysis of technology usage
Chapter 9 7 mins
CAL REACTS: JRR Tolkien’s Search for Depth
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 287: Minimalist Notes
A deep life requires that you encounter and make sen... more
Feb 12 2024 1h 21m
Struggling With Afternoon Productivity
Chapter 1 24 mins
Deep Dive: How to track information that matters
Chapter 2 5 mins
How should I make use of non-cognitive time?
Chapter 3 3 mins
Can people with ADHD become better at learning?
Chapter 4 10 mins
What does Cal think of Gloria Mark’s “4 myths of attention span”?
Chapter 5 6 mins
How can I concentrate on my dissertation when I have a full-time job?
Chapter 6 8 mins
How can I stop wasting my afternoon time blocks?
Chapter 7 4 mins
CALL: How can I better organize my idea notebooks?
Chapter 8 8 mins
CASE STUDY: Avoiding the hyperactive hive mind to work more efficiently
Chapter 9 7 mins
CAL REACTS: Is it bad to be slow?
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full
mute button
Ep. 286: Rethinking Self Help
A key step in cultivating a deep life is reflecting ... more
Feb 5 2024 1h 43m
Soft Entry for Difficult Tasks
Chapter 1 35 mins
Deep Dive: Rethinking Self Help
Chapter 2 9 mins
How can I prevent hard tasks from derailing my productivity systems?
Chapter 3 4 mins
Should I get ahead in my career with a project that I hate?
Chapter 4 6 mins
How can I make progress on my novel when my day job drains me?
Chapter 5 12 mins
Is there such a thing as too much deep work?
Chapter 6 6 mins
CALL: Will short deep work sessions work to write effectively?
Chapter 7 11 mins
CASE STUDY: Reducing stress with slow productivity
Chapter 8 12 mins
The 5 Books Cal Read in January 2024
Like
Clip
Share
Transcript
More
Play Full