A Productivity System To Remember Everything You Learn & Get Ahead In Life | Cal Newport

[@rammilanyadav5409]

EN 💡 Efficient note-taking system for capturing high-quality information in a distracted world. 00:00 Importance of simplicity in note-taking systems 00:00 Focus on efficiently keeping track of relevant information 00:21 Minimalist approach to capturing and organizing notes 01:06 📚 Optimizing information processing through a personalized system for reading and note-taking. 06:48 Books contain relevant information for work and life. 06:48 Develop a personalized note-taking method for efficient information retention. 07:15 📝 Efficient system for organizing notes and ideas for future projects using Scrier. 12:45 Store notes and ideas in the research folder of the corresponding Scrier project for future reference. 12:45 Maintain separate Scrier projects for different types of writing projects like articles and books. 13:11 Regularly update the research folder with relevant information to streamline the writing process. 13:24 📚 Efficient note-taking system enhances memory retention and productivity. 18:22 Low-friction approach with minimal custom software needed for effective note-taking. 18:22 Having notes readily accessible in the workspace aids in idea retention and project efficiency. 19:00 Using cool notebooks cultivates a mindset of actively managing one's own life and information. 19:12 🤱 Balancing motherhood and academia with time for personal growth and productivity. 25:36 Margot is a mother to a 9-month-old and a professor at an R1 University. 25:36 She has around 5 hours daily for activities engaging her hands or body but not her mind. 25:44 🧠 Effective learning and retention strategies for individuals with ADHD or neurodivergence. 30:53 Being intentional and structured in time management is crucial for individuals with ADHD. 30:53 Providing personalized assistance and guidance can significantly benefit students with neurodivergence. 31:15 Utilizing specific systems and approaches tailored to individual needs enhances productivity and learning outcomes. 31:43 ⚠️ Recognizing the negative impact of excessive phone use on daily life and relationships. 37:19 Excessive phone use leads to neglect of important activities and relationships, causing anxiety and disconnection. 37:19 Comparing excessive phone use to alcohol consumption, emphasizing the importance of evaluating its impact on one's life. 37:58 Measuring technology use based on its alignment with personal values and impact on important activities. 38:11 ⚠️ Caution against getting too immersed in flow states while using technology. 43:07 Flow states can be addictive in technology use, leading to excessive time spent and data collection. 43:07 Flow states are beneficial for learning and concentration, but should not be the sole focus in work. 43:12 Certain interfaces, like Tik Tok, are designed to induce flow states to keep users engaged. 43:24 📚 Effective productivity system discussed for maintaining progress and focus throughout the day. 48:55 Establishing a daily ritual to ensure constant progress regardless of daily distractions. 48:55 Teaching days help maintain focus and prevent podcasting sessions from veering off-topic. 49:27 💡 Strategically reduce commitments without drawing attention and focus on new non-work interests. 55:14 Strategically say no to requests without being noticed by reducing commitments by 50%. 55:14 Engage in new non-work interests in the afternoon to divert focus from work. 55:50 📝 Optimizing idea organization for productivity and efficiency. 1:00:48 Ideas are now stored in specific tools related to projects for easy access. 1:00:48 Separate notebooks are used for ideas not tied to a specific project or work tool. 1:01:10 Transitioning to a more streamlined system with all idea notebooks within a single device. 1:01:23 💧 Benefits of using Element hydration supplement without sugar, endorsed by various elite athletes. 1:06:52 Element is a sugar-free hydration supplement enjoyed for its taste and versatility. 1:06:52 Element is used by Team USA weightlifting, Olympic athletes, and elite military units. 1:07:32 💡 Exploring the concept of rest in relation to productivity, with a focus on the importance of not being slow. 1:13:18 Discussing the relationship between rest and work from AJ Hessel Abraham Joshua Hessel's book. 1:13:18 Ryan's email emphasizes the significance of not being slow in work, drawing on historical examples. 1:13:30 Connecting the discussion to stoicism and the impact of inaction on societal issues.

[@adegbajudavid4964]

I've experimented with the systems that the internet says is the best for note taking especially for creating contents. What Cal describes is what still works best for me. Simple and not overwhelming

[@sparkspark15]

😊

[@goodlifepsychology8559]

​@@sparkspark15000

[@subhashpujari]

Last year i wrote my dissertation with a full time job and a kid. Working 2-3 hours in the morning worked. I submitted it at the end of 2023. Blocking a day in the weekend and working from library or university lab also worked.

[@holasoyjose9683]

congratulations... that is very commendable. What was the dissertation about?

[@subhashpujari]

@@holasoyjose9683 Thank you, my dissertation is in the field of Natural Language Processing and Information retreival and is on the topic of document classification for patents.

[@holasoyjose9683]

@@subhashpujari seems pretty complicated. Congrat

[@dragonchr15]

Scheduling is key for sure, especially with family and a young child.

[@subhashpujari]

@dragonchr15 yes scheduling time and secluding work and family space is key.

[@einekleineente1]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📚 *Note-taking systems should efficiently capture important information amidst distractions.* 01:24 🔄 *Friction in workflows can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the task; note-taking benefits from minimal friction.* 05:47 🧠 *Retaining some information in your brain aids in updating internal schemas and decision-making processes.* 09:03 ✍️ *The Corner Marking Method for note-taking in books is low-friction yet effective in capturing and recalling important ideas.* 12:13 📝 *Notes for projects should be stored where the work will be done, minimizing effort to access relevant information.* 16:18 📓 *Use a physical or digital notebook for life ideas, regularly reviewing and summarizing to prioritize lasting concepts.* 19:44 🔍 *Building a system you enjoy can increase note-taking motivation and effectiveness.* 25:42 🛏️ *Cozy Earth bedding is highly recommended for its comfort and quality, offering a 100-night sleep trial.* 30:57 🧠 *Structure and intentional systems are crucial for individuals with ADHD to improve learning and memory.* 35:23 🎯 *Striving to always be focused is unrealistic; it's essential to allow for moments of unfocused activity.* 36:46 ⚖️ *Mindless digital activity isn't inherently wasteful; it's problematic when it interferes with essential aspects of life and values.* 38:52 🔕 *Notifications are not the primary cause of distraction, but rather the nature of the tasks themselves.* 40:59 📧 *Discipline alone cannot solve productivity issues; alternative structures may be necessary, especially in collaboration-heavy environments.* 42:35 💡 *Flow state isn't always the ideal state for productivity; it's overrated and not suitable for all types of work.* 52:15 🐌 *Sometimes, embracing slower productivity by doing less and ending work earlier can lead to better overall output and well-being.* 57:40 📘 *Cal Newport insisted on a unique cover for his book, "A World Without Email," to visually capture the emotional feeling of encountering slow productivity.* 59:58 📓 *Cal Newport's idea notebook strategy involves categorizing ideas based on relevance to existing projects and processes, storing them in specific tools accordingly.* 01:04:49 🚀 *Centric emailing, as exemplified by Jose's case study, involves sending clear, comprehensive emails outlining processes to avoid back-and-forth messaging, fostering productivity.* 01:13:16 💡 *Slowness, in the context of productivity, is not always celebrated; it's a reaction to unsustainable fast-paced work norms, aiming to restore balance and prevent burnout.* 01:16:28 💬 *Before embracing terms like "slow productivity," it's crucial to understand their specific application and implications rather than applying them broadly.* 01:16:56 🐢 *Embracing slowness should be context-dependent; while it may be suitable for certain conscious issues, it's not a universal solution for all aspects of work and life.* 01:17:25 📚 *Cal Newport plans to podcast with Ryan Holiday in person at Ryan's new studio, showing alignment on some productivity concepts but also acknowledging differences in approach.* Made with HARPA AI

[@naymette]

thank you for the bullet points, although you perfectly demonstrated why is artificial intelligence alone unhelpful without a human supervision.... the ad inclusion at 25: 42 is out of place here albeit necessary for the professor to make a revenue

[@matthewandrous]

I’m not sold. I think some, and I mean some, of the techniques in Building a Second Brain are very helpful. The fact that I can tag random quotes and stories and articles with topics, and then click a topic and I get everything is immensely helpful. Obsidian 4 lyfe.

[@CalCorbin]

My screenshot made it into the episode!

[@2sancap]

This is exactly how I’ve always taken notes. My mother was a school teacher and taught me to do this when I was young. When my kids teachers taught them complicated note taking I showed them this method which is much less cumbersome

[@joaovitorlara]

Cal, don't forget the Brazilian public. Also launch your books in Portuguese. There is a community here that appreciates your work, but not everyone reads English (like me). So do us all and your pocket this favor! lol

[@caiosouza1991]

Boa!

[@personaignota]

I noticed that I used to read a lot more years ago, and I stopped after I found those notetaking fads. Taking notes became a chore, and so I stopped reading. I used to be one of those kids that didn't need to study to get a high grade in high-school, and partially even in university. I just read the pages and I remembered stuff, minus microscopic details. I feel like those notetaking techniques and study techniques actually worsened my memory, and I tried to overcompensate my lack of memory for details by writing overly baroque notes and underlining too often on my books. Not entirely though, because I still happen to learn just by reading, so I should find a way to unlearn those bad learning habits that I absorbed and maybe... learn to trust my memory more? And maybe accept that my big-picture memory is a lot better than my notional memory. I think I found my cool "notebook": I really like Logseq. The way it's built is exactly how I write down my thoughts, and I like the way it connects ideas and organizes them automatically. I can take pictures and record vocal notes, and they're automatically organized by day. I also type faster than I handwrite.

[@Sub0x-x40]

Logseq is great but it just gets very laggy after lots of notes

[@lcirocco]

I noted that each of the different areas of your life has a different "context" (well as, James Clear would put it) maybe this is an latent/hidden requirement in your productivity system you'd overlooked? And it is independent of your location as it is tool based: - Proffessorial/academic work -> Overleaf - Authorship -> Scrivner - Personal reflections -> flashy notebook and pens/remarkable tablet A resonance/observation at about the 6:30 mark: I've often argued that knowing how to do long division is important, because it allows you to use you to engage brain to estimate, even if you work to one or two significant figures you have something to check against. A technocrat may argue for _just_ using a calculator, though a calculator/computer is precise, it will not give you the piece of mind that your answer is appropriate and that you've thought a little about what the problem actually is.

[@goodfractalspoker7179]

Great video Cal, and thank you for all of the great work you do. 👑

[@lisafeinberg9219]

I love the Slow Productivity book on neck idea! Too funny, Cal. You got me, I just bought it. I'm a sucker for such things and coming from you, I'm sure it'll be a worthwhile read. Thanks for all you do, man!

[@etiennehuard7249]

Regarding zettelkasten, digital versions are problematic and overly complicated, leading to bad friction. If it is analog, then the "friction" is good as it forces you to think.

[@cheryl_ann_]

To promote your book, tattoo an image of it on your sleeveless arm, then subtlety flex every once in a while. 😊

[@kamrulhaquealmi2693]

My friction here is the time of the podcast......

[@josephjustinopokumensah3520]

What if I am reading an e-book?

[@wugie547]

Good question, Cal's system also doesn't take into account digital versions of research papers

[@zakaria20062]

Im using logseq have something similar

[@genealotech]

Cal, have you seen 3M now has transparent post it notes?

[@genealotech]

Perhaps you could have the cover art of your book across the front of a T-shirt you are wearing?

[@RTCIvory]

🤣 Me, the day after reading anything: "why did I make a check mark here?!... "Why did I think this was important?? What was I thinking??!

[@donedeal00051]

hahaha I do the same...it just mentally helps me feel like it's safe somewhere when it's highlighted for someday...😀

[@gankamei7212]

Highlighting phrases in the book helps. It reminds us of some of the knowledge, when we re-read them. It kinda reinforce us in our studies...

[@edv_9]

How do you go from analog to a folder in Scrivener with the least friction possible?

[@PhilipLederer]

first comment! I'm gonna watch this later today!

[@seangoeswest]

@CalNewportMedia Hi Cal, been a reader and fan of your work since 2019. I pre order he book, but never got the link to the free additional course you spoke about .. Maybe a little glitch? Let me know if here is a support email to contact. Thanks! Excied for the new book!

[@theencryptedpartition4633]

Can I collaborate with you on a particular Dynamic Programming research idea

[@Spartacular]

Hello, can anyone help me with this problem of mine? I don't finish most of what I start and it's affecting my life negatively. I don't finish books even if I'm hooked on them for a few days, professional courses which are might actually help me get a real job. I study on my own to get a 3D artist job. I start learning something I need or want even just as a hobby and somehow I always end up with excuses on why I should quit that thing or why I'm not ready for it yet so I'm going back to learn fundamentals of something and end up with 5 books or courses on 1 topic mixed all over and don't even know how to decide what to do where to start or what's most important to me. Recently this bad habit started costing me tons of energy time and money which I can't afford anymore. I know I lack patience but I'm also excited that there's so many things I can learn do it distracts me. they're all on my shelf or my computer. I also don't want to miss out, and don't know which option will be the best or is the right one. Even tho the whole beauty about it is that I can't know the outcome.. but I forget that. I jump to other content after immersing myself in 1 or 3 for a while (which is inefficient learning), starting over again and burning out. A year ago I went back to live with my mom so I don't have to pay rent anymore and I can study properly but barely got anything done and it's been almost a year. I'm 30 years old.

[@johnzerwin1658]

Adhd?

[@Bazzguit]

I can relate to this comment, I want to do and learn several things but always end up gathering a lot of resources and doing nothing at all. However, I already have a job in something I indeed learned. So, I'd suggest you start with the 3D modeling, based on slow productivity, first building some portfolio (this can be your seasonal plan) and once you have it, start applying to jobs in that field. Then, once you have a job you can take care of the other things you want to learn. In which order? That entirely depends on you, but I'd say, try several different things one at a time for at least two weeks each, and then, based on your experience, decide which one is the most fulfilling in terms of learning curve, how it makes you feel, or even how useful is it for meeting new people or increasing the chance to make friends. Wishing you the best of luck with this!

[@wyrdsystems]

Me too

[@Lightlena]

Hello ❤ thanks for your content. To pre order the book the bonus it is only for Amazon and Amazon UK? What about the rest of the world ?

[@pointlessmachine]

I think they'll accept ANY proof of purchase. I live outside the US and preordered from a local bookshop. Still got the bonuses, no questions asked :)

[@Lightlena]

@@pointlessmachine Indeed I just got my bonuses ☺️☺️☺️ so happy 😁

[@maxnju]

full time job trick

[@maxnju]

47:21 full time job trick morning routine

[@WORKOUTSOLUTIONS]

❤💪🥇🚀🙏☦GOD BLESS ☦️🙏🕊🌟✌❤‍🔥

[@expeditioner9322]

Note taking misses the point. What matters is better thinking. - Andy Matuschak

[@chueyv9080]

Please start make highlight clips. I want to know just not watch an entire 1 hour episode searching for the answer. We are busy busy busy people.

[@cirelo1896]

So many commercials today!

[@2sancap]

Put an ad blocker extension on your chrome browser, it blocks the commercials

[@zzakbm]

Hi, I'm reading Deep Work and just searched your name on Google 5 minutes ago ! Your channel loooks very interesting ! +1 subscriber PS: I'm french, so watch your entire vids and try to understand will be a challenge for me ;)