“At the exact point that deep work is becoming increasingly valuable, it is also becoming more rare.”
—Cal Newport
When was the last time you were in the zone?There’s nothing I love more than working with time flying. The sun rises and sets and I barely notice because I’m so engrossed in my work. Cal Newport calls this deep work, and says that contrary to what many assume, it is a skill, not a habit. That means it takes deliberate practice, and is a cognitive muscle that can atrophy with disuse—something we are all prone to as we get sucked into network tools like social media and email. I loved this conversation and I know you will too! Enjoy
Speaking of deep work, the Book Ninja 101 early bird special is still open until Sunday night! Enroll in Momentum and you will get instant access to $700 in courses, the week-long book ninja course, and an advance copy of Pivot next month (the official release date is September 6). Learn more and enroll in Momentum, or sign-up for Book Ninja a la carte.
MORE ABOUT CAL NEWPORT
Cal Newport is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author most recently of Deep Work: Rules for Success in a Distracted World, a book which argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the modern workplace, and So Good They Can’t Ignore You, a book which debunks the long-held belief that “follow your passion” is good advice. He has also written three popular books of unconventional advice for students. Cal runs the popular advice blog, Study Hacks, which attempts to decode “patterns of success” in both school and the working world.
TOPICS WE COVER
Deep work as the base-level skill you need to navigate this economy
Defining deep versus shallow work
The rising value of deep work, but why it’s becoming more rare
How to identify what deep work to focus on
Productive meditation for coming up with ideas
Deep work is a skill, not a habit. It takes deliberate practice.
How deep work helped Cal double his productivity, making it the most prolific year in addition to welcoming a second baby and writing a book.
Eliminating cognitive junk food like social media . . . and email!
Any benefit mindset vs. the craftsman approach to selecting (social media) tools
It is possible and desirable to have a deeper life. Be respectful of your attention.
The background-hum of anxiety from too much time on social media, shallow work
How to reclaim your time and attention to live beyond anxiety
Cal’s average deep work day
What an evening shutdown ritual is and why everyone should have one
Run your own deep work experiments: try eliminating social media for 30 days (without announcing it to anyone)
The hyperactive hive mind created by frictionless communication, and why it is time to eliminate email
PODCAST: ELIMINATE COGNITIVE JUNK FOOD, TRAIN FOR DEEP WORK
Press play on the embedded player below or listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, or Overcast:
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Cal’s Books: Deep Work and So Good They Can’t Ignore You
Cal on the web . . . and he’s not on Twitter! Or Facebook.
A few of Cal’s recent articles: A Modest Proposal: Eliminate Email (for HBR), The Case Against Email Strengthens and Email Zero Is Easier Than Inbox Zero
Smart Passive Income: 9000 Unread Emails to Inbox Zero
Medium: Slack, I’m Breaking Up with You (h/t Elisa Doucette)
NY Times: Holdouts of the Social Media Age
Check out other episodes of the Pivot Podcast here. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen, and if you enjoy the show I would be very grateful for a rating and/or review! Sign-up for my weekly(ish) #PivotList newsletter to receive curated round-ups of what I’m reading, watching, listening to, and new tools I’m geeking out on.