logo
episode-header-image
Jul 21
1h 10m

Ep. 362: The Texting Dilemma

CAL NEWPORT
About this episode

When we think about unhealthy phone usage, we think about the flashing apps, like TikTok and Instagram, in which billions of dollars have been spent to grab our attention. In this episode, Cal points to an unassuming culprit that may be just as responsible: simple messaging apps. He explores research that connects the social stress of pending messages to phone addiction, and explores ways to free yourself from constant messaging without having to isolate yourself socially. He then answers listener questions and discusses what he’s been reading.

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 Texting Dilemma [5:35]

  • How can I structure my mornings with my sales job if I don’t have two hours for deep work? [31:44]
  • How should I handle mandatory overtime at my aerospace job? [33:18]
  • How can I handle too many open loops with my shutdown ritual? [35:54]
  • How can I better organize communication with my university students? [40:38]
  • Should I take on extra-curricular roles during my first year of my PhD? [44:00]

CALL: Household chore task list [48:01]

CASE STUDY: 30-day declutter [51:45]

WHAT TO READ: An author quits social media [59:45]

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?
sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563214007626
journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/691462
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9671478/
carolinecrampton.com/im-done-with-social-media/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

calderalab.com/deep
miro.com
shopify.com/deep
grammarly.com/podcast

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Up next
Aug 4
Ep. 364: Metrics 101
When Cal recently returned home from his time spent up in New England he set up a whole new set of daily metrics to track in the fall to keep him pointed toward the deep life. And they failed. Hard. In this episode, Cal dissects why metrics matter, why they’re easy to mess up (in ... Show More
1h 9m
Jul 28
Ep. 363: Escaping the Digital Doldrums
What does Walt Disney’s malaise in the 1940s have to do with our current struggles with our screens? In this episode, Cal uses a little-known story from Disney’s midlife to identify an effective strategy for escaping the nerve-deadening, dull state created by spending more and mo ... Show More
1h 9m
Jul 14
Ep. 361: Do You Need an App Blocker?
Are you worried that you’re using your phone too much? An app blocker might make sense. But how do they work, and which one is right for you? In this episode, Cal goes deep into the motivation, technology, and ultimate end game of this distraction fighting technology. He then ans ... Show More
59m 42s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 24
the emotional cost of always being available (why you’re drowning in unread messages)
In a world where the day begins with blinking notifications and ends with unanswered messages, many of us are carrying an invisible weight. This episode examines the psychological and physiological cost of always being available and why the pressure to respond is quietly rewiring ... Show More
23m 59s
Jul 2024
How to Focus and Think (Cal Newport)
Check out my book Million Dollar Weekend, which helps you start businesses in just 48 hours. Check it out at milliondollarweekend.com.   In today's episode, I caught up with a talented, award-winning author and professor of computer science at Georgetown University, Cal Newport.  ... Show More
57m 4s
Jun 2022
083 // The Power of Less in a Busy World
📌 Full show notes at https://www.luisfelipeduque.com/083 Big thank you to the podcast partner for making this episode possible: Zencastr: https://zencastr.com/pricing (promo code = engineeringourfuture)    Learn more about the podcast sponsors and how to support the show - https ... Show More
33m 18s
Jan 2025
How to be a Productivity Ninja | Graham Allcott
Are you drowning in information overload? Do you disappear down a rabbit hole of social media just when you need to focus? Productivity expert Graham Allcott can help. Graham Allcott is the founder of Think Productive, author of 5 books, and the host of podcast "Beyond Busy." In ... Show More
38m 42s
Jan 2024
520 | Can Micro Habits and Micro Workouts Help - with Jeremy Nagel
This week, Jeremy Nagel joins Eric on the show!  Jeremy is a neuro-spicy software developer turned startup founder who is slightly obsessed with habits!  He likes to start each day with a 2-hour morning routine and sometimes surprises colleagues by busting out a set of pushups du ... Show More
48m 32s
Dec 2024
2024 GREATS: 950: Slowing Down to Boost Productivity and Ease Stress with Cal Newport
Cal Newport shows how to achieve more by doing less.  — YOU’LL LEARN — 1) Why we’re measuring productivity all wrong 2) The surprising math showing how doing less means achieving more 3) The trick to eliminating tasks that don’t serve you  Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ ... Show More
49m 40s
Oct 2022
Tip #2 to Trick Your Mind into Overcoming Procrastination
[[:encoded, "Today we are talking about tip #2 for tricking your mind into overcoming procrastination, which is to Remove All Other Distractions.\n\nYes, we’re talking about your phone. That’s probably one of the biggest distractions from doing our work. Want to know a super-secr ... Show More
1m 32s
Jun 2024
Overthinking About Burnout
Chronically stressed? Emotionally exhausted? Depleted to the point of physical suffering, dissociation, and paranoia that things will never improve?? No, this is not an antidepressant ad but rather an episode dedicated to a woefully relatable topic, burnout, which is not just fat ... Show More
1h 6m