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PODCAST

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.

technology self-improvement

All Episodes

01:12:04

Ep. 349: Sam Altman On Productivity

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/04/21

Cal talks a lot about his ideas for producing meaningful work in a distracted world. But how do other people tackle this goal? To help better under this question, Cal reacts to a 2018 article from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in which he details his productivity philosophy. Cal then answers listener questions and concludes with a dystopian tech corner.Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com!Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by

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01:35:21

IN-DEPTH: Architecting a Deep Life (w/ David Dewane)

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/04/17

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by David Dewane, the architect responsible for the “eudaimonia machine” featured in DEEP WORK. In this wide-ranging conversation, Cal and David talk about the challenges of finding depth in a distracted world, and the results of David’s personal experimentation in creating a deep life of his own. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmediaINTERVIEW: Architecting a Deep Life (w/ David Dewane)

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01:22:45

Ep. 348: Manage Your Time in 5 Minutes a Day

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/04/14

Cal has been writing about time management for a *long* time. In this episode, he returns to a chapter from a book he wrote twenty years ago that is titled “manage your time in 5 minutes a day.” He revisits his old advice to see what he thinks still works and what needs updating. He then answers listener questions and returns to the tech corner to get back in the weeds on a topic involving AI. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with

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01:09:17

Ep. 347: The Forgotten Phone Harms

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/04/07

Phones have been receiving a lot of criticism recently, but what if these concerns are missing the mark? In this episode, Cal introduces the difference between primary and secondary phone harms, and argues how our obsession with the former hides the importance of the latter. He then answers reader questions and reviews the books he read in March 2025. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions

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01:10:01

Ep. 346: Getting Smarter in a Dumb World

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/03/31

In last week’s episode, Cal discussed data that indicate that the rise of the smartphones is making humans measurably dumber. Here he discusses aggressive strategies for resisting this reality. He then answers listener questions and ends with a tech corner. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! 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:

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01:08:48

Ep. 345: Are We Getting Dumber?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/03/24

Multiple listeners recently sent in a Financial Times article that asks whether humans have passed “peak intelligence.” In this episode, Cal looks closer at the data in this article to try to understand why we seem to be getting dumber, and more importantly, what are the practical steps individuals can take to avoid the trend. He then answers listener questions and ends with a tech corner segment that highlights a blind spot in current discussions of AI. Find out more about Done Daily at

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01:25:57

Ep. 344: You Are Not a Cog

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/03/17

Modern knowledge work jobs should be cushy gigs. Fixed hours, air conditioning, no hard manual labor, flexibility. So why are we so often burnt out and what can we do about this reality? In this episode, Cal draws a lesson from an unexpected corner of computer science, computer security research, about how we can fix some of the big problems of work in a digital age. He then answers listener questions and returns once again to the topic of AI in a final tech corner segment. Find out more about Done

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01:30:50

Ep. 343: A Minimal Protocol for Taking Control of...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/03/10

One of the most commonly recurring themes on this show is the conflict between too much versus not enough productivity. In this episode, Cal attempts to find new clarity in this debate by identifying a minimal viable productivity system – that is, what are the bare minimum components needed to escape the chaos and stress of total disorganization. He then answers listener questions and dives into a A.I. themed Tech Corner segment. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! Below are the

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01:18:44

IN-DEPTH: Greatness on Trial (w/ Brad Stulberg and...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/03/06

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by the writers Brad Stulberg and Clay Skipper to talk about the topic of “greatness.” They attempt to pick apart the weird moment we are in where, on the one hand, we feel aversion to performative demonstrations of “pseudo-greatness” (think: Elon Musk on-stage with his chainsaw) but on the other, still admire useful skill and seek it in our own lives. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmediaINTERVIEW: Greatness on Trial (w/ Brad Stulberg and

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01:18:36

Ep. 342: The Good Life Algorithm

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/03/03

How do escape a life of shallowness and distraction to cultivate something deeper and more meaningful? In this episode, Cal draws from both algorithm theory and the habits of a reclusive author to highlight an effective strategy for achieving this goal – one that underscores the advantages of the small targeted changes versus major grand leaps. He then answers listener questions and reviews the five books he read in February. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! Below are the questions

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01:29:07

Ep. 341: Drowning, Treading, or Swimming

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/02/24

Tim Ferris is working on a new book about saying “no” and has posted the introduction online. In this episode, Cal reads an excerpt from this introduction and then tries to make sense of it with a metaphor about a shipwreck that helps unwind the complexity of dealing with the scourge of having too much to do. Cal then answers listener questions and reacts to a productivity meme inspired by a recent episode. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! Below are the questions covered in today's

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01:20:45

Ep. 340: Productivity Rain Dances

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/02/17

Sometimes the quest for productivity can seem like the embrace of activity for the sake of activity, a prospect that inevitably leads to exhaustion. In today’s episode, Cal explores this idea by discussing “productivity rain dances,” why they’re dangerous, and what works better instead. He then answers listener questions and ends with a Tech Corner segment in which he fact checks Joe Rogan’s understanding of ChatGPT. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! Below are the questions covered in

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01:35:04

Ep. 339: Let Brandon Cook

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/02/10

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! In a recent appearance on the Tim Ferriss podcast, the prolific fantasy author Brandon Sanderson revealed how he reshaped his media company to help him do what he does best. In this episode, Cal explores the idea, and asks the key question: why is this not more common? While exploring an answer, Cal uncovers a bigger issue in modern digital knowledge work and points towards potential answers. He then answers listener questions and concludes with a

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01:28:19

Ep. 338: Why You’re Always Distracted

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/02/03

Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! One of the most common complaints from listeners to the podcast is the feeling that they’re too distracted; both at work and at home. In today’s episode, Cal reviews five major explanations for this current state of affairs, and then uses this new understanding to identify concrete actions to make things better. He then answers reader questions and reviews the five books he read in January. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with

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01:41:27

Ep. 337: Hacking Remote Work

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/01/27

Remote work is a hot discussion topic right now as president Trump moves to eliminate it from government work. For those who are still allowed to work from home this new focus provides a good chance to rethink how to get the most out of these arrangements. In today’s episode, Cal presents three foundational ideas from his reporting about what makes remote work actually work, and for each provides concrete advice individuals can apply to make their own virtual setups better. He then answers reader

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01:30:55

Ep. 336: On Screens and Solitude

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/01/20

In a recent article for The Atlantic, Derek Thompson writes about the troubling trends toward increased solitude. In this episode, Cal looks at the role technology plays in these trends, pointing out some surprising factors and then using these insights to come up with a practical plan for reconnecting with the world. He then answers listener questions and concludes with a tech corner segment inspired by yet another New Yorker column. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their

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01:35:18

Ep. 335: On Morning Routines

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/01/13

One of the most popular and most derided topics in online productivity spaces are so-called morning routines. In this episode, Cal wades into this content, identifying three major categories of these routines. For each, he explores what’s good and what’s bad. In the end, he uses these lessons to update his own daily routines in some highly specific ways. He then answers reader questions and ends with a “tech corner” segment that builds on Cal’s latest essay for The New Yorker. Below are the

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01:16:53

Ep. 334: Hallmark Movies and the Deep Life

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2025/01/06

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 (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo Video from

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01:17:11

Ep. 333: New Year Course Correction

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2024/12/30

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/calnewportmediaDeep 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? [41:04]- Do writers need social media audiences? [50:12]- How should I make the most of 90 minutes of commute

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01:39:34

Ep. 332: Jesse Takeover!

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2024/12/23

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- 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 students pick a college? [34:04]- What is Cal’s shutdown ritual? [43:00]- Does Cal think about retirement

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