Dr. Cal Newport: How to Enhance Focus and Improve Productivity

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Cal Newport, Ph.D., a professor of computer science at Georgetown University and bestselling author of numerous books on focus and productivity and how to access the deepest possible layers of your cognitive abilities in order to do quality work and lead a more balanced life. We discuss how to avoid digital distraction, specific systems to best arrange and update your schedule, and how to curate your work and home environment. We discuss how to engage with smartphones and technology, the significant productivity cost of task-switching, and how to avoid and overcome burnout. This episode provides specific protocols for enhancing focus and productivity, time management, task prioritization, and improving work-life balance that ought to be useful for anyone, young or old, regardless of profession. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: Helix Sleep: Maui Nui Venison: Joovv: LMNT: Momentous: Dr. Cal Newport Website: Blog: Deep Questions with Cal Newport: YouTube: Academic profile: The New Yorker: Journal Articles Capturing the Naturally Occurring Superior Performance of Experts in the Laboratory: Toward a Science of Expert and Exceptional Performance: Other Articles & Resources reMarkable: Scrivener: Trello: The Father of Deliberate Practice Disowns Flow (Cal Newport Blog): Work Life Balance (RescueTime): Is Email Making Professors Stupid? (Chronicle of Higher Education): One Reason Hybrid Work Makes Employees Miserable (The Atlantic): Books “Slow Productivity“: “Digital Minimalism“: “Deep Work“: Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned Dr. Matthew Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep: People Mentioned Andres Ericsson: psychologist, researched expertise and performance: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: psychology professor, coined “flow states”: Linda Stone: tech writer, coined “continuous partial attention”: Stephen Covey: author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: David Allen: author, Getting Things Done method: Matt Walker: neuroscience professor, researches sleep: David Goggins: public speaker, ultramarathoner: David Whyte: poet: Lex Fridman: research scientist, host of Lex Fridman Podcast: Timestamps 00:00:00 Dr. Cal Newport 00:02:52 Sponsors: Helix Sleep, Maui Nui & Joovv 00:07:00 Smartphones, Office & Walking 00:13:08 Productive Meditation, Whiteboards 00:20:04 Tool: Capturing Ideas, Notebooks 00:24:57 Tool: Active Recall & Remembering Information 00:30:02 Sponsor: AG1 00:31:29 Studying, Deliberate Practice 00:38:13 Flow States vs. Deep Work 00:41:39 Social Media, Emergencies 00:45:27 Phone & Addiction; Task Switching 00:53:20 Sponsor: LMNT 00:54:23 “Neuro-Semantic Coherence” vs. Flow; Concentration 01:02:40 Internet Use & Kids; Video Games; Audiobooks 01:08:15 Pseudo-Productivity, Burnout 01:12:34 Social Media Distraction; The Deep Life 01:18:03 Attention, ADHD, Smartphones & Addiction; Kids 01:26:12 TikTok, Algorithm 01:30:39 Tool: Boredom Tolerance, Gap Effects & “Thoreau Walks” 01:37:43 Solitude Deprivation, Anxiety 01:41:22 Tools: Fixed Work Schedule & Productivity, Exercise, Sleep 01:47:52 Deep Work, Insomnia; Productivity & Core Work; Music 01:55:08 Cognitive Focus & Environment; Isolation 02:02:30 Burnout Epidemic, Digital Collaboration 02:11:11 Cognitive Revolution, Balance 02:16:45 Remote, Hybrid vs. In-Person Work; Zoom 02:22:05 Tool: Pull-Based System, Designing Workload 02:28:49 Tools: Multi-Scale Planning, Time Blocking; Deep Work Groups 02:38:56 Tool: Shutdown Ritual 02:42:37 Accessibility, Reputation & Flexibility 02:47:29 Work-Life Balance, Vacation; Productivity 02:54:47 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Productivity Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - Disclaimer: