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Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Ep. 356: How Much Should We Work?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Education, Self-improvement, Technology

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 9 June 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The data shows knowledge workers really are more exhausted and more prone to burnout than ever before. But why? In this episode, Cal draws inspiration from an unlikely source to help unpack this troubling trend and then suggest a perhaps radical solution. He then answers listeners’ questions and discusses his latest New Yorker article on the challenges of taming AI. As a bonus, he briefly discusses Cal Network’s new bestselling book. Find out more about Done Daily at DoneDaily.com! 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: How Much Should We Work? [3:33] - What’s your advice on having a career backup plan? [28:27]- Do you know of any executive coaches who teach your principles? [30:33]- Is my retirement plan too ambitious? [35:13]- Are accountability support tools acceptable to use in order to build discipline? [38:43]- How can I identify if I have an inventory of "rare and valuable skills"? [41:21] CASE STUDY: Crafting a storytelling profession [43:14] CALL: Creating a life dashboard [46:14] TECH CORNER: Why Can’t We Tame AI? (Cal’s latest New Yorker article) [52:08] Links:Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?newyorker.com/culture/open-questions/what-isaac-asimov-reveals-about-living-with-ai Thanks to our Sponsors: drinklmnt.com/deeporacle.com/deepquestionsindeed.com/deepvanta.com/deepquestions Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm Cal Newport, and this is Deep Questions, the show about cultivating depth in a distracted world.

0:23.0

So I'm hearing my deep work, HQ, joined as always, by my producer, Jesse.

0:30.0

We got a good show ahead of us, Jesse.

0:32.9

We got a deep dive coming up where I'm going to comment on digital work,

0:37.3

drawing from a decidedly pre-digital source.

0:41.8

Got a bunch of good questions.

0:45.1

Look at it now.

0:45.8

They're very career focused today.

0:47.6

Yeah.

0:48.0

It's kind of nice.

0:48.5

It's like it's not really what the deep dive's about, but our questions in case study today, if you're thinking about applying the ideas of the depth principle and career capital to try to take control, like deep life type stuff, you will

0:58.9

like our questions today.

1:00.2

And then we have a final segment where I'll be talking about my latest New Yorker article.

1:03.3

We'll do a tech corner segment on it.

1:05.6

Just had an article come out last week about AI.

1:08.3

So we'll get into that article. As a special bonus for those who make it to the third segment of the show, I am also

1:15.5

excited to share CalNEC work has a new book out.

1:20.3

It's doing really well.

1:22.3

I'll show you.

1:23.3

We have a cover and everything.

1:24.4

So that's something to wait for.

1:25.7

Look forward to in the third segment.

...

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