Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media?
Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media? OpenAI has been making waves recently with their release of their Sora 2 video generation model, which they have launched alongside a TikTok-style social
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
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 advice about cultivating focus, productivity, and meaning amidst the noise that pervades our lives.
Ep. 374: This is Your Brain on Phones
It’s hard to cultivate a deep life when you cannot go more than a few minutes without checking your phone. In this episode, Cal looks closer at the precise neural mechanisms at play that make the
Ep. 373: The Internet’s Best Advice for Reinventing Your Life
In 2023, I published an episode about resetting your life that became one of my most popular. In the years since, multiple major podcasters and YouTubers have done their own videos on the same theme.
Ep. 5: Tackling Procrastination, Building a Productivity System from Scratch, and the Intellectual Shallowness of Social Media | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on tackling procrastination, building a productivity system from scratch, and the intellectual shallowness of social media. I also play
Ep. 1: My New Task System, Deep Work with Kids, and Finding Purpose in Distracted Times | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader queries on how I manage my tasks, the conflict between deep work and kids, moving beyond fairy tale messages when seeking purpose in difficult times,
Ep. 3: Origin of my Productivity Obsession, Analog Relationships, and Detaching from Digital Judgment | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader queries on the origin of my productivity obsession, how digital minimalists can form relationships in a distracted world, and how to care less about
Ep. 2: Improving Concentration, Influential Books, and Figuring Out What to Focus On | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader queries on how to improve your ability to concentrate, books that proved influential on my thinking (including the origin of the term “deep
Ep. 6: Balancing the Personal and Professional, Unreasonable Email Expectations, and Avoiding Hard Creative Work | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on balancing the professional and the personal, unreasonable email expectations and using the internet to escape hard creative work. I also
Ep. 4: Promoting Books without Social Media, Facebook's Fatal Flaw, and Escaping Soul-Crushing Jobs | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on book publicity without social media, Facebook's fatal flaw, and escaping soul-crushing jobs. I also try out a new segment where I answer
Ep. 11: Work Resistance, Techno-Criticism, Tales from MIT, and the Depth-Destroying Power of Children | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on work resistance, the state of techno-criticism, tales from the MIT theory group, and the depth-destroying power of children. I also play
Ep. 10: Battling Email, Online Learning, and a Game Plan for Escaping a Shallow Life | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on battling email, online learning, and a game plan for escaping a shallow life. I also play some question roulette and answer the audio
Ep. 7: Habit Tune-Up: Time Blocking, Document Collaboration, Protecting Time and Doing Too Much
In this mini-episode, I take "calls" from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. (Going
Ep. 9: Habit Tune-Up: Dumbing Down Smartphones, Deep Habits, Progress on Non-Urgent Projects and Training Focus
In this mini-episode, I take "calls" from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. Here are the
Ep. 12: Habit Tune-Up: Office Hours, Rabbit Holes, Perfectionism, Phones as Escape, and Making Deep Work Deeper
In this mini-episode, I take "calls" from listeners asking for advice about how best to tune-up their productivity and work habits in a moment of increased distraction and disruption. Here are the
Ep. 16: Habit Tune-Up: Why Relaxation is Overrated and the Importance of Facing the Productivity Dragon
In this mini-episode, I take "calls" 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
Ep. 15: Deep Work in Groups, Social Media in Politics, and Confronting Common Arguments Against My Work | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on deep work in groups, the double-edge sword of deploying social media in politics, and a discussion of the most common objection about my
Ep. 19: Calendar Shaming, Digital Detox Struggles, and the Unexpected Challenges of Autonomy | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on calendar shaming, digital detox struggles, and the unexpected challenges of gaining more professional autonomy, among many other topics.
Ep. 13: Where I Work, Convincing Students to Disconnect, and Applying Deep Work to Deep Social Problems | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on where I work (hint: an absurd number of different places), convincing students to disconnect, and applying deep work to deep social
Ep. 14: Habit Tune-Up: Publishing Strategies, Surviving Side Hustles, Productivity for Support Roles, and Cultivating Balance in the Pursuit of Depth
In this mini-episode, I take "calls" 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
Ep. 17: Delegation Without Email, Fighting Imposter Syndrome, and My Thoughts on Critical Theory | DEEP QUESTIONS
In this episode of Deep Questions I answer reader questions on delegating without email, effective methods for fighting imposter syndrome, and my take on critical theory (which leads to an impromptu