How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice

What can an obscure theory of industrial productivity teach us about producing better results in a distracted world? In this episode, Cal is joined by the #1 New York Times bestselling author David Epstein to explore this question. They dive deep into a chapter of Epstein’s new book, INSIDE THE BOX, that makes a surprising connection between the so-called “Theory of Constraints” and personal productivity. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to [email protected].  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) How do I get busy to better? (3:04) INTERVIEW: How Do I Get from Busy to Better? (w/ David Epstein) (57:58) Post Interview chatter (1:00:19) A suggestion to break digital news app addictions (1:05:54) A reaction to a recent newsletter (1:15:02) What Cal read (1:16:29) What’s coming up Books: Kook (Peter Heller) 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://calnewport.com/who-asked-for-this/ Thanks to our Sponsors:  https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off https://www.wayfair.com https://www.mybodytutor.com https://www.shopify.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode also at: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? 3:02 Other Tech Leaders Don’t Agree 5:49 -We Aren’t Seeing Enough Progress 14:09 -LLMS Are Limited 24:19 Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow  https://www.reddit.com/r/AI4tech/comments/1r4tukp/microsoft_ai_ceo_mustafa_suleyman_says_most_if/ https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/2045947286518157395 https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1snhfzd/claude_opus_47_is_a_serious_regression_not_an/  https://x.com/mattshumer_/status/2047376179414421957 https://www.newyorker.com/culture/2025-in-review/why-ai-didnt-transform-our-lives-in-2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDOmNa9inA4 https://www.ft.com/video/2c428045-bf4f-45bd-ada2-8ba53983cd81 Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In his recent New York Times essay, Cal argued for a “cognitive fitness” revolution to resist the onslaught of digital tools degrading our ability to think. But how does one actually strengthen their brain? In this episode, Cal details a sustainable cognitive fitness routine built around five key components.  Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to [email protected].  Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia 2:25 DEEP DIVE: How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice INBOX:  30:51 Message from a social media influencer 33:02 Reaction to Amy Timberlake interview 38:01 Putting Cal’s advice into practice WHAT CAL IS UP TO: 41:20 What I read 43:45 What I’m doing Books: The Noonday Devil (by Jean-Charles Nault: translated from original French) 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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvqpqHSQas https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/technology-mental-fitness-cognitive.html https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/what-kind-of-writer-is-chatgpt https://i0.wp.com/www.americamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MertonCover.jpeg-427330.jpeg?w=992&ssl=1 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/opinion/sunday/steve-jobs-never-wanted-us-to-use-our-iphones-like-this.html https://anjalibanerjee.com/paws-and-platen/from-typewritten-draft-to-published-page  Thanks to our Sponsors:  https://www.calderalab.com/deep https://www.vanta.com/deepquestions https://www.shipstation.com/deep https://www.zapier.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 What has *Actually* Happened in AI in 2026?  3:07 Open Claw 27:53 Anthropic and the Department of War 49:06 Data Centers Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow  https://www.axios.com/2026/01/31/ai-moltbook-human-need-tech https://www.macstories.net/stories/clawdbot-showed-me-what-the-future-of-personal-ai-assistants-looks-like/ https://www.anthropic.com/news/statement-department-of-war https://futurism.com/science-energy/data-centers-construction-supply Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is developing discipline one of the most effective bulwarks against the constant flood of distraction we face daily? And if so, what’s the best way to accomplish this goal? In this Monday Advice episode of the show, Cal Newport investigates these questions with the help of Brad Stulberg, who writes about these ideas in his most recent book, the New York Times bestseller “The Way of Excellence.”   Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to [email protected].   Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia   2:27 Do I Need More Discipline? (w/ Brad Stulberg)   1:07:33 Dealing with abundance of choice in media 1:11:45 Using typewriters for first drafts 1:14:44 Success with “information walkabout”   1:17:22 What I’ve been doing 1:19:54 What I’ve been reading Books:   A World Appears (Michael Pollan)   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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvqpqHSQas   Thanks to our Sponsors:  https://www.cozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP”) https://www.monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”) https://www.shopify.com/deep https://www.drinkag1.com/deep   Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Today's episode on YouTube: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 What’s Really Going on with Mythos?  10:09 Security systems 21:27 Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsycWRQrc8 https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/opinion/anthropic-ai-claude-mythos.html https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.08144 https://x.com/clementdelangue/status/2041953761069793557?s=61 https://x.com/stanislavfort/status/2041922370206654879 https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-evaluation-of-claude-mythos-previews-cyber-capabilities Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep. 400: Should I Embrace “Slow Technology”? If there was one word to describe modern digital tools, it would be “fast.” But not everyone thinks this is better. In today’s episode, Cal explores the concept of “slow technology” – the embrace of tools that have fewer features and more friction, but nonetheless produce better work and more satisfaction. His guide in this effort is the acclaimed children’s book author Amy Timberlake, who talks to Cal about her recent shift to using a mechanical typewriter. Cal then reviews other examples of slow technology in action, and then proposes several general principles for applying the philosophy in your own life. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to [email protected]. Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia INTERVIEW: Should I Embrace “Slow Technology”? (w/ Amy Timberlake) [3:20] INBOX: - A book about spiritual sloth [1:03:49] - What is Cal’s opinion about Yuval Harai’s thoughts on AI? [1:05:22] WHAT CAL IS UP TO: - Deep or Crazy: 2nd edition signed Andromeda Strain for HQ? [1:18:29] - Myth buster gear: display in HQ [1:20:13] - 400th episode [1:23:01] Books: Magic Journey (Kevin Rafferty) 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://www.axios.com/local/kansas-city/2026/04/02/why-some-are-returning-to-mp3-players https://ugmonk.com/blogs/journal/analog-the-simplest-productivity-system https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240102-oppenheimer-and-the-resurgence-of-blu-ray-and-dvds-were-now-in-the-age-of-streaming-anxiety https://ignatius.com/the-noonday-devil-ndevp https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=32240681755 Thanks to our Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp: https://www.betterhlep.com/deepquestions https://www.calderalab.com/deep https://www.mybodytutor.com https://www.grammarly.com Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.             Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI Reality Check: Is AI Stealing Entry-Level Jobs? Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia OPENING: Is AI stealing entry-level jobs? [1:29] MAIN STORY: Torsten Slok essay [3:06] CONCLUSION: AI is not stealing entry-level jobs now [11:32] Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/ai-entry-level-jobs-graduates-b224d624 https://www.apolloacademy.com/busting-the-ai-youth-unemployment-myth/ https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/2026/04/job-market-artificial-intelligence/686659/ Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a decade since the original publication of DEEP WORK. Do its ideas still hold in 2026? This is the question Cal tackles in today’s episode: reviewing the four major “rules” from his book, reviewing what still holds and what changes he would add. 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: Is Deep Work Still Possible in 2026? [2:03] INBOX: - Will I lose the ability to write if I use AI? [39:45] - The effects of AI on education [45:30] - Avoiding social media [52:24] WHAT CAL IS UP TO: - What I’ve been doing [53:38] - What I’ve been reading [55:26]  Books: Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson) 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://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/technology-mental-fitness-cognitive.html Thanks to our Sponsors:  https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off https://www.shopify.com/deep https://www.wayfair.com https://www.notion.com/cal   Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia ACT #1: Look Closer at the Article [1:20] ACT #2: A Closer Look at the Paper [3:21] ACT #3: But What About… [7:24] Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/27/number-of-ai-chatbots-ignoring-human-instructions-increasing-study-says https://x.com/summeryue0/status/2025774069124399363 https://www.axios.com/2025/05/23/anthropic-ai-deception-risk Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices