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

Cal Newport is a computer scientist who also writes about productivity. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
- ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 3 months free
- Linode: https://linode.com/lex to get $100 free credit
- Sun Basket: https://sunbasket.com/lex and use code LEX to get $35 off
- SimpliSafe: https://simplisafe.com/lex and use code LEX to get a free security camera

EPISODE LINKS:
A World Without Email (book): https://amzn.to/3blXyjv
Deep Work (book): https://amzn.to/3c0npMM
Digital Minimalism (book): https://amzn.to/3kJPMmx
Cal's Website: https://www.calnewport.com/
Deep Questions (podcast): https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/

PODCAST INFO:
Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman
YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips

SUPPORT & CONNECT:
- Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast
- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage
- Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman

OUTLINE:
Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) - Introduction
(08:24) - Deep work
(13:10) - Focus
(18:52) - Time blocking
(25:47) - Deadlines
(35:22) - Do less, do better, know why
(38:04) - Clubhouse
(52:07) - Burnout
(58:34) - Boredom
(1:06:19) - Quit social media for 30 days
(1:16:13) - Social media
(1:41:21) - How email destroyed our productivity at work
(1:51:07) - How we fix email
(1:58:09) - Over-optimization
(2:02:23) - When to use email and when not to
(2:10:06) - Podcasting
(2:14:42) - Alan Turing proving the impossible
(2:18:41) - Fragility of math in the face of randomness
(2:27:30) - Neural networks
(2:36:16) - What will the P=NP proof look like?
(2:39:55) - Is math discovered or invented?
(2:44:02) - Book publishing
(2:54:09) - Love
(2:57:30) - Death
(3:00:26) - Meaning of life