Episodes

  • Do I Need a Digital Intervention? | Monday Advice

    Do I Need a Digital Intervention? | Monday Advice
    May 11 2026
    A new research study reveals that a surprisingly simple intervention into your digital life can yield massive benefits in only two weeks. In this episode, Cal takes a deep dive into this paper, detailing: the intervention, why it works, and tips for increasing your chances of success. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Do I need a digital intervention? (27:06) AI and academic research (33:56) Reversing brain rot with cognitive fitness (37:08) Leaving your phone in the kitchen (40:07) What Cal is reading Books: How Society Should Deal with Inequality (Frank Newport) Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/2/pgaf017/8016017 https://orgsci.substack.com/p/more-versus-better-part-i Thanks to our Sponsors: This show is sponsored by Better Help: https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions https://www.larridin.com https://www.calderalab.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    43 mins
  • Is the AI Doom Fever Breaking? | AI Reality Check

    Is the AI Doom Fever Breaking? | AI Reality Check
    May 7 2026
    Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Is the AI doom fever breaking? (4:30) Have the AI CEOs changed their tuen? (7:23) Why did they change? (11:21) Why did they ever think this was a good idea? (24:26) Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFnoQkYUqgU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWxHOrn8-rs https://x.com/sama/status/2050229058425045178 https://fortune.com/2026/05/02/jensen-huang-nvdia-ceo-god-complex-ai-apocalypse-warnings-shortages-critical-jobs/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kpb8eu1pEY https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/opinion/ai-jobs-unemployment-silicon-valley.html https://nickbostrom.com/existential/risks.pdf Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Why Do Better Tools Make Me Worse at My Job? (w/ David Epstein) | Monday Advice

    Why Do Better Tools Make Me Worse at My Job? (w/ David Epstein) | Monday Advice
    May 4 2026
    What can an obscure theory of industrial productivity teach us about producing better results in a distracted world? In this episode, Cal is joined by the #1 New York Times bestselling author David Epstein to explore this question. They dive deep into a chapter of Epstein’s new book, INSIDE THE BOX, that makes a surprising connection between the so-called “Theory of Constraints” and personal productivity. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) How do I get busy to better? (3:04) INTERVIEW: How Do I Get from Busy to Better? (w/ David Epstein) (57:58) Post Interview chatter (1:00:19) A suggestion to break digital news app addictions (1:05:54) A reaction to a recent newsletter (1:15:02) What Cal read (1:16:29) What’s coming up Books: Kook (Peter Heller) Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? https://calnewport.com/who-asked-for-this/ Thanks to our Sponsors: https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off https://www.wayfair.com https://www.mybodytutor.com https://www.shopify.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? | AI Reality Check

    Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? | AI Reality Check
    Apr 30 2026
    Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode also at: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? 3:02 Other Tech Leaders Don’t Agree 5:49 -We Aren’t Seeing Enough Progress 14:09 -LLMS Are Limited 24:19 Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow https://www.reddit.com/r/AI4tech/comments/1r4tukp/microsoft_ai_ceo_mustafa_suleyman_says_most_if/ https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/2045947286518157395 https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1snhfzd/claude_opus_47_is_a_serious_regression_not_an/ https://x.com/mattshumer_/status/2047376179414421957 https://www.newyorker.com/culture/2025-in-review/why-ai-didnt-transform-our-lives-in-2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDOmNa9inA4 https://www.ft.com/video/2c428045-bf4f-45bd-ada2-8ba53983cd81 Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice

    How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice
    Apr 27 2026
    In his recent New York Times essay, Cal argued for a “cognitive fitness” revolution to resist the onslaught of digital tools degrading our ability to think. But how does one actually strengthen their brain? In this episode, Cal details a sustainable cognitive fitness routine built around five key components. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 2:25 DEEP DIVE: How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice INBOX: 30:51 Message from a social media influencer 33:02 Reaction to Amy Timberlake interview 38:01 Putting Cal’s advice into practice WHAT CAL IS UP TO: 41:20 What I read 43:45 What I’m doing Books: The Noonday Devil (by Jean-Charles Nault: translated from original French) Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvqpqHSQas https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/technology-mental-fitness-cognitive.html https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/what-kind-of-writer-is-chatgpt https://i0.wp.com/www.americamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MertonCover.jpeg-427330.jpeg?w=992&ssl=1 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/opinion/sunday/steve-jobs-never-wanted-us-to-use-our-iphones-like-this.html https://anjalibanerjee.com/paws-and-platen/from-typewritten-draft-to-published-page Thanks to our Sponsors: https://www.calderalab.com/deep https://www.vanta.com/deepquestions https://www.shipstation.com/deep https://www.zapier.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    52 mins
  • Is AI Trending Up or Down in 2026? | AI Reality Check

    Is AI Trending Up or Down in 2026? | AI Reality Check
    Apr 23 2026
    Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 What has *Actually* Happened in AI in 2026? 3:07 Open Claw 27:53 Anthropic and the Department of War 49:06 Data Centers Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow https://www.axios.com/2026/01/31/ai-moltbook-human-need-tech https://www.macstories.net/stories/clawdbot-showed-me-what-the-future-of-personal-ai-assistants-looks-like/ https://www.anthropic.com/news/statement-department-of-war https://futurism.com/science-energy/data-centers-construction-supply Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Do I Need More Discipline? | Monday Advice

    Do I Need More Discipline? | Monday Advice
    Apr 20 2026
    Is developing discipline one of the most effective bulwarks against the constant flood of distraction we face daily? And if so, what’s the best way to accomplish this goal? In this Monday Advice episode of the show, Cal Newport investigates these questions with the help of Brad Stulberg, who writes about these ideas in his most recent book, the New York Times bestseller “The Way of Excellence.” Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 2:27 Do I Need More Discipline? (w/ Brad Stulberg) 1:07:33 Dealing with abundance of choice in media 1:11:45 Using typewriters for first drafts 1:14:44 Success with “information walkabout” 1:17:22 What I’ve been doing 1:19:54 What I’ve been reading Books: A World Appears (Michael Pollan) Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvqpqHSQas Thanks to our Sponsors: https://www.cozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP”) https://www.monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”) https://www.shopify.com/deep https://www.drinkag1.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Is Claude Mythos “Terrifying”? | AI Reality Check

    Is Claude Mythos “Terrifying”? | AI Reality Check
    Apr 16 2026
    Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Today's episode on YouTube: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 What’s Really Going on with Mythos? 10:09 Security systems 21:27 Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsycWRQrc8 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/opinion/anthropic-ai-claude-mythos.html https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.08144 https://x.com/clementdelangue/status/2041953761069793557?s=61 https://x.com/stanislavfort/status/2041922370206654879 https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-evaluation-of-claude-mythos-previews-cyber-capabilities Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    25 mins