Too many people believe that the New Year is the right time to undertake major improvements to your life. In this episode, Cal argues that it is instead right now, at the beginning of fall, that is the best time to turn over a new page. He lays out a detailed 4-month journey through the deep stack that will have you done with a major overhaul by the time everyone else is just getting started early next year.

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

Today’s Deep Question: How can I reinvent my life in 4 months? [1:30]

• How can I ease into Cal's more advanced time management strategies? [36:58]
• Can unstructured work be a part of the deep life? [40:33]
• How can I stop changing my mind about what I want to do with my life? [44:41]
• Can I pursue the deep life if I need a job? [52:24]
• How do you pursue the deep life with depression? [56:49]

Cover Reveal for Slow Productivity [1:05:27]

Thanks to our Sponsors:

mybodytutor.com
policygenius.com
shopify.com/deep
cozyearth.com

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

Why do we end up entangled with tools that don’t have our best interests in mind? How can we fix this situation? In this episode, Cal dives deep into the difference between additive and extractive technologies, telling a story that weaves old technology with old versions of modern tools, testimony from recent trials to ideas from leading technology critics – all in the service of improving your relationship with tools. He then answers listener questions and discusses the books he read in July, 2025.

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

Deep Dive: What Technology Wants (and How to Push Back) [:54]
- Do project trackers work? [34:54]
- Is there a downside scenario to engineering wonder? [39:14]
- What types of people should I surround myself with? [43:00]
- Can you explain your different audiences? [45:02]

CALL: Shifting from medical work to a PhD [50:41]
JULY BOOKS: The 5 Books that Cal Read in July, 2025 [57:33]

L.A. Story (Bill Plunkett)
Disney’s Land (Richard Snow)
Ingenious (Richard Munson)
Original Sin (Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson)
Wool (Hugh Howey)

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://substack.com/@priscillaharvey1/note/c-133662492
https://www.yahoo.com/news/zuckerberg-tells-court-facebook-no-171222971.html
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/mark-zuckerberg-is-so-over-facebook-friends?srsltid=AfmBOoo4dysXG_2rXWDJaKnSdG6CfbCqf0O_8op_R1phpz5GQPx2F4XA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7jar4KgKxs
https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/28/enshittification/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ai-fC-2Bpo
https://www.emarketer.com/content/openai-hires-its-first-cmo-kate-rouch-foreshadowing-ads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfUpEWAKPf8&t=2350s

Thanks to our Sponsors:
https://www.expressvpn.com/deep
https://www.oracle.com/deepquestions
https://www.indeed.com/deep
https://www.calderalab.com/deep

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

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 (including the mistakes he made), and how to use them correctly (including how he corrected his own setup). He then answers listener questions and discusses a recent AI article that got him all hot and bothered.

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: Metrics 101 [2:10]

• How should I navigate the “grey area” when deciding to make a career change? [24:45]
• Do you have a framework for young people to develop deep critical thinking? [27:36]
• What should a father of 4 kids do for his next career move? [32:34]
• Can skills from a high-pressure call center carry over to a career in cybersecurity? [35:36]
• Should I have anticipated that my job was going to end? [38:36]

CALL: Returning back to work after a summer break [43:14]

CASE STUDY: Pursuing a hobby while combating digital doldrums [46:47]

WHAT I’M (NOT) READING: Vibe Reporting on AI [55:52]

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?
nytimes.com/2025/07/28/arts/video-games-artificial-intelligence.html

Thanks to our Sponsors:

vanta.com/deepquestions
smalls.com/deep
shopify.com/deep
1password.com/deep

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