What To Do When You Feel Like Doing Nothing (Unmotivated, Burnt Out & Unproductive) | Cal Newport

[@cmetcalf27]

I've never watched the news and it hasn't bit me yet. Anytime there is something very important, I always hear about it. Even then it's rarely actually important. The media is very good at controlling what we think about.

[@rid.h.tom.4296]

Good for you. I have the opposite problem, as in I have yet to find a news outlet that I haven’t read, American, British, French, Turkish, Israeli, Arab… all way to the Moscow Times. Driving me crazy how much time and eye “power” I waste on this crap.

[@cmetcalf27]

@@rid.h.tom.4296 I can see how it could become addictive. Especially as main stream media competes with the Internet for attention.

[@djw101]

Though of course the pple who run these media firms dont care what we think, they just want (or even need) our attention because more views = more revenue.

[@nicholsfamilychiropractic]

Great episode, thank you Cal and Jesse. Congrats on being on the list!

[@marierobinson2583]

Great advice if you are self employed. Not many ppl can tell their boss, I can't work today, I'm watching the news.

[@polysaturated]

That does take care of the problem though, if the boss makes sure you can focus on work? And it still works with the twice daily check-in, go to work, check news on break, work, check news after. I think the problem in an office environment or when dealing with co-workers would be them pulling you back in.

[@thiagocesarlousadamarsola3990]

Man… I’m really related to the guy who changed jobs, because I did exactly that a month ago, changing a management and stable career into a more technical one. It is very comforting to hear that other people have experienced the same situation

[@timetoarrive]

Great advice! On a technical note from a sound engineer, I think the voices can sound better. Even if the SM7B are great mics if you could EQ the tracks and take out about 4 dB of 100 - 300hz and maybe raise 3k about 2 - 4 dB the podcast would sound a lot better and be more intelligible! Hope it helps

[@nyps]

great comment. i also thought his setup sounds less expensive than it looks 😅

[@fluestergefuehle]

I don't know anything about microphones but to me it's too loud when the talking is louder and too quiet when quieter. This means I can't listen to this before going to sleep with my eyes closed.

[@timetoarrive]

@@fluestergefuehle The solution for that would be applying compression, which is an automated process in which when the volume passes a certain threshold it automaticaly lowers the volume. That way you can turn up the whole signal without making the loud parts too loud

[@timetoarrive]

@@nyps The setup is great, it just needs a bit of post production in the sound department

[@alexandrazakhvatayev1309]

Congratulations on nyt top 10 books of 21st century 😂 you are everything an author should be, you are the 🐐 , and ..... can't wait for next one on Thoreau

[@reginaldphillips7615]

Honestly, everyone should care less about politics. If you already know who you’re going to vote for, just do that when the time comes and spend your life focusing on the things you can have an impact on.

[@ShelterDogs]

That's a passive way to approach it. Or one can engage in civic duty.

[@reginaldphillips7615]

@@ShelterDogs voting is the essential civic duty. Being political, especially online, is merely a divisive hobby.

[@bennyklabarpan7002]

@@reginaldphillips7615 Voting and legitimizing a rigged system is not a civic duty. If you want the masses to not be engaged in divisive politics perhaps you should become a monarchist.

[@michaelryce1200]

You must be well insulated from the bad decisions our leaders make. Lucky you

[@reginaldphillips7615]

@@bennyklabarpan7002 what exactly are you doing to make the world a better place?

[@victor_mogmaxxer]

Quotes: * Your life--who you are, what you think, feel and do, what you love--is the sum of what you focus on. * “Living the focused life is not about trying to feel happy all the time…rather, it’s about treating your mind as you would a private garden and being as careful as possible about what you introduce and allow to grow there.” What to do: 1. Newspaper mode -> printed paper the only mode for receiving information about what’s going on - outside of that, everything is okay (Benjamin Franklin etc. times) 2. Move up the information food chain -> Social media = algae matts of stuff; paper news = higher quality calorie source 3. Seek out flow states -> Creative adventures, athletic pursuits, … -> getting lost in an unrelated activity 4. Implement a hard day protocol (HDP) -> Anxiety inducing event -> HDP: 2 checkins a day -> cognitive behavioural therapy (push back against thinking, point out distortions), shut down the thoughts on it; next session later the day. In between sessions: brain working in background -> confines thinking to smaller points in time -> gets you out of cognitive cycle -> “HDP it” 5. Take a break from your phone -> @Home: Phone Foyer Method (calnewport.com/a-piece-of-advice-i-wish-id-included-in-my-book/); delete/log out social media apps -> friction for phone based social media; work at a coffee shop and leave phone at home 6. Work on something delightful -> Cleansing state for mind

[@Mary2020Jane]

Thanks for this. I'm turning to weekly newsmagazine. That gives time for writers to have perspectives on hot news events, and to do research. One publication I'm starting is Christian Science Monitor's weekly print magazine. Don't be put of by it being Christian Science: is highly respected reporting, rated politically neutral and in fact their mission is civil discourse.

[@borisjoffe]

Christian Science is fairly left wing. It's hard to find a truly neutral news source. The Wall Street Journal used to be up until a few years ago when they hired a new editor in chief and now it's becoming more left wing like other media outlets. The WSJ opinion section is fairly right wing.

[@dole-kf5tg]

I set up website blockers (the same kind of tech used for kids phones) on my phone and laptops. I am an adult so I can unblock myself if I really want to, but seeing the blocked page helps me snap out of it.

[@2sancap]

What does the VB stand for in VBLCCP? I know the lifestyle centric career planning part. VB = ? values based?

[@timjasper]

When is your chat with Oliver Burkeman?

[@2sancap]

Jesse edited the part where Cal mentioned being indundated with left wing politics during covid. Haha. I was happy to hear Cal say that.

[@anastasiaszymala8497]

Very good!

[@arnoldmarcus3634]

Actually, being an automaton is my goal.

[@IrrationalDelusion]

What would be the advice for when war breaks out in your location (like Ukraine) and you have to do service labor something as essential as gas stations? Process what’s going on yes, but there’s no slow productivity available for such thing. Hundreds of people waiting for gas.

[@fushey]

boom. the video i need

[@donth8on08]

Just listened to #312, thought that came to mind. We should play email baseball not email tennis.

[@CaliforniaUnitedSoccerClub]

Isn't the undisclosed location, New Hampshire?

[@2krneki8809]

Hi Cal's subscribers i have a question for you. I am interested in his work where is the best place (video, playlist) to start? Thanks for the answer

[@Anand.Doijode]

Start with his book “Deep Work”. That's the core of his philosophy.

[@2krneki8809]

@@Anand.Doijode Thank you very much!

[@fluestergefuehle]

Can we please get a better frame rate?

[@aadishjain9078]

Cal newpot 🔥

[@lauracamellini7999]

If my depressed family members didn't harass me on the phone 4 times a day the "call me if important" part would actually work fine... I understand perfectly the rumination idea anyways, exactly because i've been interrupted many times a day for years, my mother pinched me physically out of the laptop mind flow when i was in my twenties...

[@bolivianPsyOp]

You need to learn about setting boundaries

[@davideconsalvo3563]

Playing videogames can be used as a "flow" state for cleaning up the chemicals in the brain?

[@TheSinlessAssassin]

Yeah there are a ton of papers that support that.

[@hailynewma9122]

do you watch your BP?

[@senecaaurelius1811]

Honestly, even if it does seem like an “earth shattering news story,“ there’s still no need for the average person to rush to the television or the Internet to try to follow what is being said. Most of it is garbage and noise. I’m a little surprised that this video is made, because it seems to, imply that you can partake in the news without any of it affecting your overall mental and emotional health. Kind of like eating a bowl of ice cream after healthy dinner every single night.

[@soundsless]

Anyone noticed Cal has a "podcast" day shirt ? 👀

[@OscarOThoughts]

I think he does the "wear the same thing everyday" thing to curb decision fatigue and conserve willpower

[@VinayKeerthiKT]

What's the AI book he is talking about?

[@chillie000]

Did he really say change your password, and hide it in your room? Um, that’s dedication to friction alright…

[@cirelo1896]

...balloon boy...

[@j3553hh]

Jesse, I love you. But please clear your throat before you start speaking into the mic.

[@donjeans3745]

Steve Jobs reincarnate

[@paulgrady4785]

First

[@thezambianfiles]

I was, just didn’t comment on time.😂

[@paulgrady4785]

@@thezambianfiles Sorry Victor, hope all well with you. I have fond memories of visiting Zambia some years ago. Lake Chila in Mbala is a good deep work location!

[@thezambianfiles]

@@paulgrady4785 just pulling your leg, Paul. I’m fine and thanks for asking. It’s serendipity you’ve been to my country before. I’m yet to explore the place you mentioned. I’m currently in the USA and I was hoping to turn my KZbin channel into a form of historical documentation while here, just for a professional as opposed to a tourism context. Thanks for the shoutout and enjoy your day.

[@InterestingCartoon333]

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