"This Is Stealing Your Life Away!" - How To Completely Change Your Life In 30 Days | Cal Newport

Rangan Chatterjee

Jul 3, 2024

Episode description

Download my FREE Habit Change Guide HERE: http://bit.ly/3QKGGFW

AG1 is sponsoring today's show. To get 1 year's FREE VITAMIN D and 5 FREE TRAVEL PACKS visit: https://bit.ly/43FwxQl

Download my FREE Sleep Guide HERE: https://bit.ly/3OzqCap

In today's fast-paced world, the pursuit of productivity often leads to overwhelm. In fact, one report suggests that 88% of UK workers have experienced some degree of burnout over the past two years. But what if there’s a better way to work and live?

This week, I’m delighted to welcome Cal Newport back to my Feel Better Live More podcast. Cal is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University and a founding member of the Center for Digital Ethics. He’s a New York Times bestselling author whose books have reached millions of readers in over forty languages. His latest book, 'Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout', challenges our current notions of work and offers a revolutionary approach to productivity.

In our conversation, Cal and I explore the concept of "slow productivity" and how it contrasts with our culture of constant busyness. We discuss why traditional productivity methods are falling short, particularly in the realm of 'knowledge work' - a term Cal uses to describe intellectually demanding professions - and how modern digital tools have exacerbated the problem of burnout.

During the conversation, he shares the three core principles of slow productivity: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. We delve into practical strategies for implementing these principles in various work environments, even for those who feel they have little autonomy in their jobs.

We also touch on the importance of solitude and reflection in living an intentional life. Cal emphasises how smartphones and social media have impacted our ability to be present and socialise, particularly for younger generations, and he offers insights on setting boundaries with technology and creating healthier norms around its use, too.

Our conversation also extends to the value of lifestyle-centric planning versus goal-centric planning, challenging cultural norms around constant connectivity and redefining success beyond professional achievements.

This episode is packed with actionable advice that can help you reclaim your time, reduce stress, and find a more balanced approach to work and life.

#feelbetterlivemore
-----

Connect with Cal:
Website https://calnewport.com/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CalNewportMedia
Podcast https://calnewport.com/podcasts/

Cal’s books:
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, UK: https://amzn.to/3zoFh3t, US: https://amzn.to/3zBeEIn
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World https://amzn.to/2UFqzva
Digital Minimalism: On Living Better with Less Technology https://amzn.to/2Gaw95o

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast

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Listen to all podcast episodes on https://drchatterjee.com/podcast or via these podcast platforms by searching for 'Feel Better, Live More'.
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6NyPQfcSR9nj0DPDr2ixrK
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Website: https://drchatterjee.com/
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Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Episode description

Download my FREE Habit Change Guide HERE: http://bit.ly/3QKGGFW

AG1 is sponsoring today's show. To get 1 year's FREE VITAMIN D and 5 FREE TRAVEL PACKS visit: https://bit.ly/43FwxQl

Download my FREE Sleep Guide HERE: https://bit.ly/3OzqCap

In today's fast-paced world, the pursuit of productivity often leads to overwhelm. In fact, one report suggests that 88% of UK workers have experienced some degree of burnout over the past two years. But what if there’s a better way to work and live?

This week, I’m delighted to welcome Cal Newport back to my Feel Better Live More podcast. Cal is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University and a founding member of the Center for Digital Ethics. He’s a New York Times bestselling author whose books have reached millions of readers in over forty languages. His latest book, 'Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout', challenges our current notions of work and offers a revolutionary approach to productivity.

In our conversation, Cal and I explore the concept of "slow productivity" and how it contrasts with our culture of constant busyness. We discuss why traditional productivity methods are falling short, particularly in the realm of 'knowledge work' - a term Cal uses to describe intellectually demanding professions - and how modern digital tools have exacerbated the problem of burnout.

During the conversation, he shares the three core principles of slow productivity: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. We delve into practical strategies for implementing these principles in various work environments, even for those who feel they have little autonomy in their jobs.

We also touch on the importance of solitude and reflection in living an intentional life. Cal emphasises how smartphones and social media have impacted our ability to be present and socialise, particularly for younger generations, and he offers insights on setting boundaries with technology and creating healthier norms around its use, too.

Our conversation also extends to the value of lifestyle-centric planning versus goal-centric planning, challenging cultural norms around constant connectivity and redefining success beyond professional achievements.

This episode is packed with actionable advice that can help you reclaim your time, reduce stress, and find a more balanced approach to work and life.

#feelbetterlivemore
-----

Connect with Cal:
Website https://calnewport.com/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CalNewportMedia
Podcast https://calnewport.com/podcasts/

Cal’s books:
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, UK: https://amzn.to/3zoFh3t, US: https://amzn.to/3zBeEIn
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World https://amzn.to/2UFqzva
Digital Minimalism: On Living Better with Less Technology https://amzn.to/2Gaw95o

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast

-------
Sign up to my newsletter - FRIDAY FIVE https://drchatterjee.com/fridayfive
Find out about THE THREE QUESTION JOURNAL https://bit.ly/3TSaYtX
Pre-order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK
Order HAPPY MIND HAPPY LIFE. US & Canada https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp, UK https://amzn.to/304opgJ
Read FEEL GREAT LOSE WEIGHT. US & Canada https://amzn.to/2GWPgls, UK https://amzn.to/2W6bsOE
Order FEEL BETTER IN 5. US & Canada https://amzn.to/2EB2oM0, UK https://amzn.to/2G0XK7l
Read THE STRESS SOLUTION https://amzn.to/2MZ8u8h
Order THE 4 PILLAR PLAN available via http://amzn.to/2yGfpuB Or the US version is HOW TO MAKE DISEASE DISAPPEAR https://amzn.to/2Gj1YEL
-----
Listen to all podcast episodes on https://drchatterjee.com/podcast or via these podcast platforms by searching for 'Feel Better, Live More'.
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6NyPQfcSR9nj0DPDr2ixrK
-----
Follow Dr Chatterjee at:
Website: https://drchatterjee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/
Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Prioritize meaningful work to combat burnout from busyness

Burnout is not caused by a high workload, but by the psychological stress of being constantly busy with shallow tasks while making no progress on meaningful work.

Limit project commitments to reduce communication overload

The reason we are drowning in email and meetings is not a choice, but a consequence of accepting too many projects, which creates an unavoidable administrative overhead.

Reclaim solitude to clarify your life

Solitude is the freedom from input from other minds, a critical practice for making sense of your life that has been almost entirely eliminated by the smartphone.

Recognize your autonomy to reshape work habits

The founder of the term "knowledge work," Peter Drucker, insisted that autonomy is essential for it, meaning most office workers have more freedom to change their work habits than they realize.

Make workload visible to manage task overload

To manage overload without saying "no," create a public list that divides your tasks into a few "active" projects and a longer "waiting" queue, which makes your workload transparent to your boss and colleagues.

Charge more per hour to achieve ideal lifestyle now

Instead of using increased skill and demand to scale up your work, you can choose to charge more per hour and work less, achieving your ideal lifestyle now rather than in the distant future.

Take a day for solitude on your birthday to reflect and plan

A powerful practice for intentional living is to take a full day off on your birthday each year to be alone, reflect on your life, and plan for the year ahead.

Work at a natural pace by scheduling off-cycle weeks

Humans are not wired for constant, high-intensity work, so you should intentionally vary your effort by scheduling "off-cycle" weeks or even taking a guilt-free afternoon off to see a movie.

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