Deep Questions with Cal Newport

In this episode, Cal talks about his journey into the tinsel-tinged world of Hallmark Christmas movies, where he discovered an unexpected connection between these low-budget productions and a key idea in the quest to cultivate a deep life in a distracted world. He then answers questions from listeners and reviews the books he read in December.   Below are the questions covered in today's episode (...

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia Deep Dive: 4 Pieces of Advice to Start 2025 [2:14] - How do I stop doom-scrolling before bed? [32:47] - What is the role of craft in Cal’s “Deep Life Stack 2.0” idea? [36:09] - How do I save money? [4...

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 - Who are Cal’s “must read” writers? [6:03]- Does Cal think he can get better at writing? [13:37]- When does Cal find time for academic papers? [24:09]- How do you get unstuck? [26:44]- How should st...

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal welcomes the bestselling author Michael Easter to talk about the importance of embracing discomfort in the quest to cultivate a deep life. Drawing from Michael’s two books, THE COMFORT CRISIS and SCARCITY BRAIN, as well as Michael’s personal journey from an unhappy office worker with an alcohol problem to a full-time writer who enjoys daily hikes in the desert, Cal...

One of the most important but often overlooked elements of cultivating a deep life is the role of money. In this episode, Cal takes a contrarian look at this topic, arguing that the monetary cost of your vision is not actually the most important metric. He then answers listener questions and reacts to an article that many people sent him this past week. Below are the questions covered in today's e...

Australia recently passed a world-first law banning social media use for kids under the age of 16. In this episode, Cal looks carefully at the arguments in favor and against this new law before detailing his thoughts. He then connects this specific argument to all of our larger battles to tame technology’s impact in our lives. This is followed by listener questions and a review of the books Cal re...

This IN-DEPTH is brought to you by Defender.  In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal welcomes the bestselling author Kendra Adachi to talk about her new book, THE PLAN, which introduces the innovative idea of “compassionate time management.” Kendra and Cal discuss how to move beyond the forever pursuit of “greatness” to instead seek satisfaction in your current life; the ways in which time management an...

We cover a lot of advice on this podcast, covering a lot of different topics. In today’s episode, Cal takes on the challenge of summarizing every big idea he promotes in less than five minutes. He then provides some theoretical connective tissue to explain how they all connect. This is followed by reader questions and a rant about “productivity.”    Below are the questions covered in today's episo...

There’s a video trending on the internet at the moment arguing that its audience (presumably, young men) should disappear from the world to focus on going “beast mode” on their goals. Cal takes a closer look at this video and argues that it points toward a much larger issue – a mismatch between the modern digital environment and our human brains – that affects all of us. He then answers listener q...

Almost everyone feels uneasy about their relationships with their smartphones. But the question is why? In today’s episode, Cal looks past the most common answers to seek a deeper understanding built on an unexpected source: the moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant. He then answers listener questions and ends the show with another edition of the tech corner segment.    Below are the questions covered...

During the election season our devices take a particularly hard tole on our health and happiness. Now that the votes have been cast and counted, Cal proposes it’s time to take a temporary but radical break from the exhausting digital chatter. He then answers questions from his listeners and discusses Martha Stewart and the problems of “aesthetic productivity.” Below are the questions covered in to...

A common theme on this show is the importance of focus and the need to train the ability. This can be a long term project, but are there things you can do right away to improve your ability to concentrate? In this episode, Cal explores five easy ideas that will immediately improve your focus ability. He then answers listener questions and reviews the books he read in October 2024.    Below are the...

We talk a lot on this show about how to organize your professional efforts. But what about all your obligations outside of work? The personal goals, the household repairs, the family tasks? In this episode, Cal discusses organizational strategies custom-fit to these types of obligations. He then answers listener questions and checks in on a hidden trend in the world of technology.    Below are the...

One of the most common complaints from people attempting to cultivate a deep life in our distracted world is procrastination. You want to make regular progress on something important but find you just can’t get going. In this episode, Cal discusses a less well understood cause of some procrastination and offers unconventional advice for facing it. He also answers listener questions and reacts to a...

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, a semi-regular interview series with people at the frontiers of deep living, Cal welcomes the bestselling author Oliver Burkeman to the Deep Work HQ to talk about his new book, MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALS, and more generally the tension between wanting to get your act together and becoming unhealthily obsessed with productivity. Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/cal...

Do you struggle to consistently make progress on hard things that are important to you? In today’s episode, Cal describes a way to improve this state of affairs: a systematic training regime called the discipline ladder. He then answers listener questions about their own struggles with discipline and reacts to an article claiming that professors are lazy (gasp!).    Below are the questions covered...

It has become second nature to maintain a continuous partial participation in the world of digital networks. In today’s episode, Cal reflects on a week in which he spent too much time online, and argues why this continuous partial participation is dehumanizing, and what you can do to escape. He then takes questions and calls from listeners and reviews the five books he read in September.    Below...

One of the single most important factors in your attempts to cultivate a deep life is your job. Yet, many people don’t give much thought to the role their work will play in their conception of a life well-lived. In this episode, Cal looks deeper at this topic. He starts by outlining four common traps people fall into when thinking about their work and happiness, then offers an alternative model th...

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, a new semi-regular interview series with people at the frontiers of deep living, Cal interviews bestselling author Ryan Holiday about the systematic construction of an intentional life. They begin by talking about lessons from Ryan’s new book. RIGHT THING, RIGHT NOW, then go deep on Ryan’s own journey from a college drop-out working in a Hollywood talent agency to beco...

Why can you never seem to find enough time to make progress on the non-urgent but important priorities that can move you closer to the ideal of the deep life? In this episode, Cal reviews three common “time destroyers,” and for each offers solutions to fight back. He then takes questions and calls from his listeners and ends with a discussion of Amazon and the bureaucracy mailbox.  Below are the q...

One of the more viral suggestions from Cal’s recent book, SLOW PRODUCTIVITY, was to occasionally skip out of work to see a movie. In this episode, Cal dives deep into criticisms of this advice and decodes what this tells us about where knowledge work is faltering and how we can make things better. He then answers questions from listeners and reacts to some productivity advice given from a well-kno...

Becoming notably good at something valuable is one of the most powerful tools for crafting a deep life. But how do people do this? In this episode, Cal explores three useful rules for getting good in search of depth. He then answers listener questions and reacts to a remarkable collection of advice from almost seven decades ago.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their times...

The fall is the perfect time to tune up your productivity and organizational systems. With this in mind, in this episode, Cal discusses a tool he has long used in his own life but never discussed before in public: the weekly template. He then answers questions on the theme of personal productivity from listeners and reviews the books he read in August.  Below are the questions covered in today's e...

In this classic episode, Cal talks about the surprising myth of doing less. Cal then answers questions about discipline and solving complicated problems. Cal concludes the episode with a review of the books he read back in April 2022. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today’s epi...

In this classic episode Cal talks about the elements of the Deep Life. He then answers a variety of questions about work, family, and phone distractions. 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 Elements of the Deep Life [2:...