Ep. 342: The Good Life Algorithm
03/03/25 • 78 min
1 Listener
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 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: youtube.com/calnewportmedia
Deep Dive: The Good Life Algorithm [1:42]
How should a federal worker navigate all the negative news? [23:56]
How do I get my non-geeky partner on board with the deep life! [26:40]
How can I develop a schedule with flexibility following a health setback? [29:08]
How should I reshape a once successful aerospace company? [35:06]
Are there perceived benefits to pseudo productivity? [43:32]
CALL: What does it mean to work enough each week? [50:19]
CASE STUDY: Can knowledge workers be happy doing less? [58:55]
FEBRUARY BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in February, 2025 [1:07:50]
Moral Ambition (Rutger Bregman)
Brotherhood of the Rose (David Morell)
- How Dante Can Save Your Life (Rod Dreher)
- Buzz Saw (Jesse Dougherty)
- The Siren’s Call (Chris Hayes)
Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
newyorker.com/culture/office-space/the-hollow-core-of-elon-musks-productivity-dogma
tim.blog/2019/02/18/jim-collins/
Thanks to our Sponsors:
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
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 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: youtube.com/calnewportmedia
Deep Dive: The Good Life Algorithm [1:42]
How should a federal worker navigate all the negative news? [23:56]
How do I get my non-geeky partner on board with the deep life! [26:40]
How can I develop a schedule with flexibility following a health setback? [29:08]
How should I reshape a once successful aerospace company? [35:06]
Are there perceived benefits to pseudo productivity? [43:32]
CALL: What does it mean to work enough each week? [50:19]
CASE STUDY: Can knowledge workers be happy doing less? [58:55]
FEBRUARY BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in February, 2025 [1:07:50]
Moral Ambition (Rutger Bregman)
Brotherhood of the Rose (David Morell)
- How Dante Can Save Your Life (Rod Dreher)
- Buzz Saw (Jesse Dougherty)
- The Siren’s Call (Chris Hayes)
Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
newyorker.com/culture/office-space/the-hollow-core-of-elon-musks-productivity-dogma
tim.blog/2019/02/18/jim-collins/
Thanks to our Sponsors:
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
Previous Episode
Ep. 341: Drowning, Treading, or Swimming
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 episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo
Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia
Deep Dive: Drowning, Treading, or Swimming [6:27]
Will AI productivity gains reduce quality? [27:30]
Can you elaborate on the Digital Declutter? [33:38]
Is reading a book considered deep work? [38:41]
What are Cal’s thoughts on content aggregator services such as Inoreader? [43:49]
Can a large team with ever-changing demands avoid pseudo-productivity? [51:47]
CALL: Dealing with doom-scrolling [58:31]
CASE STUDY: A UFC announcer applies Cal’s principles [1:07:40]
CAL REACTS: Productivity Meme [1:19:42]
Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
tim.blog/2025/01/13/the-no-book/
Thanks to our Sponsors:
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the slow productivity music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
Next Episode
IN-DEPTH: Greatness on Trial (w/ Brad Stulberg and Clay Skipper)
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/calnewportmedia
INTERVIEW: Greatness on Trial (w/ Brad Stulberg and Clay Skipper)
Links:
https://www.landroverusa.com
https://www.calnewport.com/slow
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
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