#166 – Cal Newport: Deep Work, Focus, Productivity, Email, and Social Media

About this episode

<p>Cal Newport is a computer scientist who also writes about productivity. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:<br /> &#8211; <b>ExpressVPN</b>: <a href="https://expressvpn.com/lexpod">https://expressvpn.com/lexpod</a> and use code LexPod to get 3 months free<br /> &#8211; <b>Linode</b>: <a href="https://linode.com/lex">https://linode.com/lex</a> to get $100 free credit<br /> &#8211; <b>Sun Basket</b>: <a href="https://sunbasket.com/lex">https://sunbasket.com/lex</a> and use code LEX to get $35 off<br /> &#8211; <b>SimpliSafe</b>: <a href="https://simplisafe.com/lex">https://simplisafe.com/lex</a> and use code LEX to get a free security camera</p> <p><b>EPISODE LINKS:</b><br /> A World Without Email (book): <a href="https://amzn.to/3blXyjv">https://amzn.to/3blXyjv</a><br /> Deep Work (book): <a href="https://amzn.to/3c0npMM">https://amzn.to/3c0npMM</a><br /> Digital Minimalism (book): <a href="https://amzn.to/3kJPMmx">https://amzn.to/3kJPMmx</a><br /> Cal&#8217;s Website: <a href="https://www.calnewport.com/">https://www.calnewport.com/</a><br /> Deep Questions (podcast): <a href="https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/">https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/</a></p> <p><b>PODCAST INFO:</b><br /> Podcast website: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/podcast">https://lexfridman.com/podcast</a><br /> Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://apple.co/2lwqZIr">https://apple.co/2lwqZIr</a><br /> Spotify: <a href="https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8">https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8</a><br /> RSS: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/">https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/</a><br /> YouTube Full Episodes: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexfridman">https://youtube.com/lexfridman</a><br /> YouTube Clips: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexclips">https://youtube.com/lexclips</a></p> <p><b>SUPPORT &#038; CONNECT:</b><br /> &#8211; Check out the sponsors above, it&#8217;s the best way to support this podcast<br /> &#8211; Support on Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman">https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman">https://twitter.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman">https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage">https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage</a><br /> &#8211; Medium: <a href="https://medium.com/@lexfridman">https://medium.com/@lexfridman</a></p> <p><b>OUTLINE:</b><br /> Here&#8217;s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.<br /> (00:00) &#8211; Introduction<br /> (08:24) &#8211; Deep work<br /> (13:10) &#8211; Focus<br /> (18:52) &#8211; Time blocking<br /> (25:47) &#8211; Deadlines<br /> (35:22) &#8211; Do less, do better, know why<br /> (38:04) &#8211; Clubhouse<br /> (52:07) &#8211; Burnout<br /> (58:34) &#8211; Boredom<br /> (1:06:19) &#8211; Quit social media for 30 days<br /> (1:16:13) &#8211; Social media<br /> (1:41:21) &#8211; How email destroyed our productivity at work<br /> (1:51:07) &#8211; How we fix email<br /> (1:58:09) &#8211; Over-optimization<br /> (2:02:23) &#8211; When to use email and when not to<br /> (2:10:06) &#8211; Podcasting<br /> (2:14:42) &#8211; Alan Turing proving the impossible<br /> (2:18:41) &#8211; Fragility of math in the face of randomness<br /> (2:27:30) &#8211; Neural networks<br /> (2:36:16) &#8211; What will the P=NP proof look like?<br /> (2:39:55) &#8211; Is math discovered or invented?<br /> (2:44:02) &#8211; Book publishing<br /> (2:54:09) &#8211; Love<br /> (2:57:30) &#8211; Death<br /> (3:00:26) &#8211; Meaning of life</p>