Ep. 276 – Digital Minimalism +The Importance of Deep Work with Cal Newport

CATCH UP WITH K + L

Is it a negative sign to feel pain after the chiropractor? Or could it be locked up emotions that need to be released? Krista is looking for your feedback! K + L also share a personal anecdote from an Almost 30 listener. This sparks a conversation around the power of micro impacts and how messages come to us at the right time.

THE INTERVIEW

Buckle up for today’s episode with Georgetown University professor and New York Times bestselling author, Cal Newport! Cal has written six books, including Digital Minimalism, Deep Work, and So Good They Can’t Ignore You. Today, we are scratching the surface of these incredibly powerful and insightful reads.

Are you searching for an answer as to why we compulsively look at our phones? Cal reveals the role Facebook and social approval indicators have played in our increased usage. We talk about how phones keep us from feeling boredom and loneliness, and why feeling boredom is actually beneficial. When it comes to the concept of ‘deep work,’ Cal explains why it is a valuable yet rare skill, and how practicing it will allow you to produce higher quality work at a faster rate. He explains factors that affect our ability to do deep work, and we discuss how being unavailable due to an appointment is more socially acceptable than taking deep work time. We then ask Cal why “follow your passion” is actually bad advice, and he shares how passion is something you cultivate over time, which leads to fulfillment and success in your career.

You’ll learn daily hacks for minimizing the time on your phone, and a strategy for families that want to use phones as a tool versus a constant companion. Cal emphasizes being intentional about what you use, why you use it, and how you use it. Let’s go!

We also talk about:

• Why ‘focusing’ takes practice
• How deep work reduces the phenomenon “attention residue”
• The effect of A.I. on deep work
• How servicing communications affect our anxiety levels
• The positives and negatives of “Screen Time”
• The way social media helps sell books
• Facebook compared to the original idea for the internet

Love:

• Shoutout to our mobility guru, Dr. Jen Esquer! Check her out on instagram @docjenfit.
• We first heard Cal Newport on one of our favorite podcasts—Rich Roll! Give him a listen here.

Resources:

• Learn more: calnewport.com
• Books: Digital Minimalism ; Deep Work ; So Good They Can’t Ignore You

Upcoming Events:

• December 7th: Los Angeles with Shan Boodram
• December 12th: Miami with Nikki Novo

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