Ep. 219: The Deep Reset And Intentionally Reconfiguring Your Life

Name: Ep. 219: The Deep Reset And Intentionally Reconfiguring Your Life
Uploaded: 2022-10-24T15:17:13.000Z
Duration: 3 h 19 s

Understanding the Deep Preset

In this episode, Cal Newport discusses three different forces that are converging to create a new phenomenon called the Deep preset.

Live Event

A live recording of the Deep Questions podcast will take place on Monday, November 14th at 7 pm at the East City Bookshop in Washington DC.

The event will feature Cal Newport and author David Sachs.

Weekly Update Videos

The first weekly update video is available on YouTube and features a tour of the Deep Work HQ.

The second weekly update video will be released soon and will discuss Cal's writing schedule and struggles. It also includes a special surprise for listeners.

Live Calls and Interviews

By the end of October, live calls with listeners should begin to be integrated into episodes.

Expert interviews are being lined up, including one with a New York Times best-selling thriller writer who will discuss what it's like to be a professional genre writer.

Another interview is planned with a psychologist from Brown University who specializes in work-life balance for parents.

Psychologist and Note Capturing System

In this section, the speaker talks about a psychologist who will help with psychological issues and Jenny Blake's note capturing system.

Psychologist to Help Straighten Things Out

A Brown psychologist is coming in a few weeks to help straighten out psychological issues.

The speaker believes that it is good news that they are experimenting and have breathing room this fall because he is not teaching.

Jenny Blake's Note Capturing System

Jenny Blake, friend of the show, sent a note about her zettel cast in setup for capturing notes.

She will call in an upcoming episode to walk through setting up a more sophisticated setup.

Experimenting and Steady State

In this section, the speaker talks about experimenting and getting into a new steady state by winter.

The speaker likes that they are experimenting.

They have breathing room this fall because he is not teaching.

When they get to winter and spring, his schedule will be locked in, so the podcast has to be done when it needs to be done.

The goal is to get into a new steady state by winter where they have new segments really rock and roll.

Dracula Article from Newsletter

In this section, the speaker talks about an article on Dracula from his newsletter.

The speaker sent out an article on Dracula from his newsletter about Aberdeen where he golfed over the summer.

He wants to be perched on a rock like a bat near the golf course in Aberdeen for inspiration.

If you don't know what he's talking about go back to episode 218 where he talked about it or read his newsletter.

Three Segments of the Show

In this section, the speaker talks about the three segments of the show.

Segment 1: Deep Dive

The speaker will revisit a topic from the early days of this show and has a more pragmatic thought through take on it.

Segment 2: Questions

They have a good collection of questions including at least one voicemail call from listeners.

Topics include nuts and bolts topics, deep life topics, and at least one technology topic.

Segment 3: Mailbag Returns

The speaker opens up his interesting inbox and goes through a selection of some of the more interesting things people have sent him over the past week.

The Deep Reset

In this section, the speaker talks about three different forces that exist in the world today that are going to converge together to create a new phenomenon called "The Deep Reset."

The speaker introduces "The Deep Reset."

He lists three different forces that he thinks are going to feed into it.

Force 1: Millennials Approaching Middle Age

Millennials approaching middle age is one force that will contribute to "The Deep Reset."

Force 2: Remote Work Becoming More Common

Remote work becoming more common is another force contributing to "The Deep Reset."

Force 3: Economic Uncertainty

Economic uncertainty is another force contributing to "The Deep Reset."

The Millennial Generation

This section discusses the demographic shift of the millennial generation and their philosophy towards work.

Demographic Shift

The millennials are approaching middle age, with the youngest in their late 20s and the bulk of the generation in their 30s.

The millennials are a large population boom, being the children of baby boomers.

Philosophy Towards Work

Millennials have developed a philosophy towards work as a means to an end over the past 20 years.

Baby boomers advised their children to follow their passion when it came to career choices.

Baby boomers had two extreme experiences when it came to work: corporate conformist experience and counter-cultural movement that rejected work altogether.

Baby boomers advised their children to follow their passion while still distrusting pure corporate conformity.

Millennials moved past following their passion and began developing an alternative philosophy towards work as a means to an end.

The Deep Reset: Millennials Approaching Middle Age

In this section, the speaker discusses how Millennials view work as a means to an end and how pandemic disruptions have led to a deep reset in their lives.

Work as a Means to an End

Millennials view work as a funding source for running endurance races and having a meaningful life.

Work is seen as a financial backing for the systematic construction of a life that's meaningful.

Gen Z is just now entering the workforce and has their own ideas about work.

Pandemic Disruptions

The pandemic disrupted work, causing everything to go remote.

Pain points with jobs were amplified, but people also had more freedom and flexibility in configuring their work and life.

People were leaving jobs, pushing back on things, and anything was possible.

The Deep Reset

A deep reset is an intentional reconfiguration of your life to amplify the small number of things you've learned through experience that you value and minimize those things that get in their way.

Millennials are engaging in deep resets due to pandemic disruptions, viewing work as a means to an end philosophy, and approaching middle age.

A deep reset is different from a midlife crisis because it's more intentional, focused on amplifying meaning rather than avoiding distressing things.

Work Simplification

Simplification of work is part of the deep reset trend among millennials approaching middle age.

Lead stepping involves stepping off the ladder at your organization onto a ledge where you can hang out without striving for the next level.

Going all remote or reducing hours are other ways people are simplifying their work. Freelancers or small business owners may eliminate streams of income.

Achieving Financial Independence and Simplifying Life

In this section, the speaker discusses two approaches to achieving financial independence: FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) and Candle Fire. The latter involves reducing expenses to simplify one's work portfolio while still being able to support oneself.

FIRE vs. Candle Fire

FIRE involves aggressively saving while living cheaply to achieve financial independence at a young age.

Candle Fire involves simplifying one's work portfolio by reducing expenses, such as moving to a cheaper location or homeschooling children, so that one can still support oneself without having to rely solely on investments.

Intentional Relocation

Intentional relocation is moving for value-based reasons, such as being closer to family or living in an area with better outdoor activities.

Examples of intentional relocation include moving from crowded suburbs in Washington DC to Colorado for skiing and outdoor activities, and permanently relocating from Virginia to Santa Fe during the pandemic for family connections.

Deep Community Involvement

Deep community involvement is investing time in meaningful communities, such as familial or faith-based communities.

This involvement can be positive but also has its challenges.

Deep Play and Self-development

Deep play and self-development involve dedicating serious time to leisure activities or personal growth.

Examples include building a lifestyle around mountain-based activities like hiking and skiing or investing time in philosophy or health and fitness.

The Deep Reset

In this section, Cal Newport discusses the concept of a deep reset and how it connects to the pursuit of a deep life. He explains that a deep reset involves an intentional reconfiguration of one's life to amplify the small number of things that one has learned through experience and values outside of work.

Characteristics of a Deep Reset

A radical investment in deep play or self-development.

Examples include Barefoot movements, physical training activities, and interesting physical activity.

Typically involves making more radical changes as part of a deep reset.

Pursuit of a deep life will probably lead you to something like a deep reset.

Millennials and Deep Resets

Millennials are coming to this more haphazardly than systematically.

Deep resets are something we're going to see as a defining characteristic of the Millennials in their 30s and early 40s.

It is a positive trend that reflects an approach to thinking about life and the relationship between work and other elements of life.

The Deep Life Book

The Deep Life book is all about pursuing a systematic approach towards living deeply.

The book was initially titled "The Deep Reset," which was going to be more prescriptive on how to do it.

Cal Newport is still figuring out how he wants to tackle writing the book.

Definition of Intentional Reconfiguration

An intentional reconfiguration amplifies the small number of things you've learned through experience that you value outside work.

Millennials have enough experience now to answer what's important outside work with an experience-based answer.

Career Capital and Eight Sleep

In this section, Tim Ferriss talks about the importance of understanding what works for you in your career and leveraging your career capital. He also gives a personal anecdote about his positive experience with the Eight Sleep Pod.

Understanding Your Career Capital

It's important to understand what works for you in your career and what doesn't.

You have leverage and career capital that you can use to your advantage.

Anecdote About Eight Sleep Pod

The Eight Sleep Pod is a mattress pad cover that allows you to control the temperature of your mattress.

Tim Ferriss is a big believer in the product because it helps him sleep better by preventing him from getting hot throughout the night.

If you're a hot sleeper, get the Eight Sleep Pod. It will help you sleep better.

Questions About Tasks, Metrics, Facebook Kids, Video Games, and Knitting

In this section, Tim Ferriss previews some upcoming questions he will be answering related to tasks, metrics, Facebook kids, video games, and knitting.

Preview of Upcoming Questions

There are questions coming up related to tasks and metrics.

There is a question about Facebook kids and video games.

There is a case study involving knitting and time blocking.

Rhone Commuter Shirt

In this section, the speaker talks about the features of the Rhone commuter shirt and how it is suitable for different occasions.

Features of the Rhone Commuter Shirt

The shirt is flexible, moisture-wicking, and does not wrinkle. It can be worn with jeans or nicer pants.

The lightweight fabric makes it suitable for speaking in front of people as it generates less heat and prevents sweat build-up.

The odor-free technology called Gold Fusion ensures that even after wearing it all day long, the shirt will not smell bad.

The shirt is 100% machine washable and can be hung to dry.

Don't Break the Chain Method

In this section, the speaker discusses whether using the "Don't Break the Chain" method is effective for research work as a professor.

Using "Don't Break the Chain" Method for Research Work

The "Don't Break the Chain" method involves doing a task every day and marking each day on a calendar with an X to create a chain.

However, as a professor or in other higher-end professional positions, there may be unavoidable periods where research work cannot occur due to other obligations.

Therefore, using this method may lead to frustration when one cannot maintain their chain due to external factors.

Autopilot Scheduling for Uncertain Demands

In this section, the speaker recommends using a season-specific autopilot schedule to manage uncertain demands on your time. This involves scheduling work that needs to happen regularly at the same times and days every week.

Autopilot Schedule for Research

Build an autopilot schedule for research that makes sense for your semester or upcoming season.

Factor in your teaching schedule and identify times that are less likely to get disrupted than others.

Stick to your autopilot schedule as much as possible.

Task Board and Weekly Plan for Personal Life

In this section, the speaker talks about how she manages her personal tasks using Trello boards and a weekly plan that covers both professional and personal aspects of her life.

Task Board for Personal Tasks

Use Trello boards to keep track of personal tasks.

Create different columns or categories such as waiting to do, back burner, waiting to hear back, project-specific.

Attach files and information to cards.

Weekly Plan for Professional and Personal Life

Have one weekly plan that covers everything.

Time block each day in detail with notes on what's going to happen in the evening ahead.

Include relevant things from your personal life in your weekly plan.

Be informal with personal scheduling but apply the same ideas as you would with professional scheduling.

Pull out some things from your task board and stick them into your weekly plan every week or daily if necessary.

Nuance

If there is a personal task you need to do during work hours, include it in your time block schedule because you time block your workday.

Planning and Metrics

In this section, the speaker discusses how they plan their day and track their metrics.

Daily Planning

The speaker plans their day by listing tasks for the evening if it's not during work hours. They do not assign specific times to each task.

Exercise is usually done before or after work, or right after picking up kids from the bus stop.

Tracking Metrics

The speaker tracks their metrics daily using a time block planner that has a metric tracking space.

They review how things went in their weekly plan and adjust accordingly for the next week. If they notice something is falling behind, they add an extra reminder to focus on it in the next week's plan.

The speaker does not track metrics over a long term but instead relies on their nuanced understanding of how things are going based on daily tracking and observation.

Long-Term Goal Setting

In this section, the speaker talks about setting long-term goals.

Setting Goals

The speaker sets long-term goals every semester based on what they want to achieve in that period of time.

They set aggressive goals but also make sure they are achievable with hard work and dedication.

Adjusting Goals

If the speaker realizes that a goal is too ambitious or unrealistic, they adjust it accordingly to make it more achievable while still challenging themselves.

Productivity Tips

In this section, the speaker shares some productivity tips.

Prioritizing Tasks

The speaker prioritizes tasks based on their importance and urgency. They use the Eisenhower Matrix to help them prioritize effectively.

Time Management

The speaker emphasizes the importance of time management and suggests using a timer to stay focused on tasks. They also recommend taking breaks to avoid burnout.

Avoiding Distractions

The speaker recommends avoiding distractions by turning off notifications and setting aside specific times for checking emails and messages.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes the talk.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of setting goals, tracking metrics, and staying productive in achieving success. They encourage listeners to take action towards their goals every day and not let fear hold them back from pursuing their dreams.

The Importance of Tracking Metrics

In this section, the speaker discusses the idea of gaining additional intelligence through data analysis and how tracking metrics can help with self-improvement.

Tracking Metrics for Self-Improvement

Tracking metrics every day and reviewing them weekly can help integrate data points into a sophisticated model of progress.

It is not necessary to track beyond what matters or use additional tools to gain bigger insights.

Seeing daily numbers changes your relationship with movement, but higher order trends are better analyzed by our brains.

The Future of Facebook and Instagram

In this section, the speaker talks about the impact of suggested posts from accounts users don't follow on Facebook and Instagram's future.

Algorithmic Selection vs. Following People

Algorithmic selection without connection to people you follow or their shared content will be the doom of these services.

TikTok's algorithmic selection is like Blues Clues for adults, which may not be sustainable in the long run.

Blues Clues and Attention Maximization

In this section, the speaker talks about how children's TV shows like Blues Clues were engineered to maximize children's attention. He explains that these shows may seem incoherent and arbitrary to adults but are successful because they are designed to keep kids engaged.

The Metrics of Children's TV Shows

Children's TV shows like Blues Clues were created based on metrics that measured what grabs children's attention.

The goal was to keep kids' attention on the show for as long as possible, resulting in an audio-visual assault mishmash that baffles adults.

Social Media Platforms and Attention Maximization

Social media platforms like TikTok are similar to Blues Clues in their focus on maximizing attention.

These platforms have gotten rid of potential value propositions such as connecting with others or discovering interesting things, instead focusing solely on what keeps users' eyes affixed to the screen.

The Future of Facebook and Instagram

If Facebook and Instagram continue down this path towards attention maximization, they will lose their main competitive advantage - their social graphs.

Moving away from their social graph leaves them exposed to competition from other platforms trying to grab users' attention.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes that social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram will ultimately fail if they continue down the path of maximizing attention at the expense of other value propositions.

The End of Monopolistic Platforms

The speaker argues that once these platforms move away from their social graphs, they lose their protection and will ultimately fail as monopolistic culture-shaping platforms.

Video Games and Children

In this section, the speaker discusses his thoughts on video games for children. He talks about the dangers of multiplayer online games and how they can be addictive. He also shares his views on single-player video games and how they can be a fine activity as long as time is controlled.

Dangers of Multiplayer Online Games

The danger lies in multiplayer online games such as Roblox, Fortnite, and World of Warcraft.

These games are primary vectors of addictive behavior and are massively time-consuming.

They play with your brain in a way that can be very discouraging.

Some of the strongest examples of digital addictions come from massively online video games.

Views on Single-Player Video Games

Single-player video games such as Minecraft, Legends of Zelda, or Mario Party are not inherently bad.

They can be a fine activity for kids if time is controlled.

Modern video games are beautiful, fun, and have benefits to offer.

As long as it's not a default activity something the kids can just do whenever they want in their room why not.

McGonagall's View on Video Games

The speaker does not fully buy Jane McGonagall's view that video games teach skills quickly.

Stephen Johnson wrote a book like this in the early 2000s.

Screen Time Guidelines for Kids

In this section, the speaker discusses his approach to screen time guidelines for kids. He compares YouTube to television and emphasizes the importance of controlling what children watch on the internet.

YouTube as Television

The speaker treats YouTube like television and believes that it should be restricted for young children.

The recommendation algorithm can lead children to inappropriate content, so parents should have complete visibility on what their children are watching.

Parents should only allow certain channels that they know are appropriate for their children.

Channels such as Mark Rober, Adam Savage, and Mr. Beast are fine.

Social Media and Smartphones

The speaker believes that social media access and unrestricted internet access on a smartphone should be delayed until at least 16 years old.

Having a smartphone with unrestricted internet access at a young age can lead to problems.

Children can have a dumb phone for texting purposes but should also be involved in activities that allow them to connect with others without relying on social media.

Video Games

Multiplayer online video games are not recommended by the speaker.

Single player video games are fine as long as parents control the amount of time spent playing them.

Case Study Discussion

In this section, the speaker introduces a case study and prepares to discuss it.

Introduction

The speaker introduces a case study that will be discussed in detail.

Best Practices for Task Management

In this section, the speaker shares his best practices for task management. He explains how to capture tasks and obligations, process them, and decide whether they should go on a task list or calendar.

Capturing Tasks

When something pops up, jot it down in your capture tool.

For the speaker, it's his time block planner.

There's a section for capturing these things on the daily pages.

Processing Tasks

At the end of the day, process your captured tasks.

Decide whether they should go onto an appropriate task border list or onto your calendar.

Task List vs Calendar

If a task is connected to a specific day in which you've decided it needs to be executed, put it on your calendar.

The calendar is for time-specific tasks.

If not tied to a specific day, put it on your task list.

The speaker keeps his lists on Trello boards.

Trusting Your System

Check your task list every day.

If you're following this system properly, trust that important stuff will get done when you see it tomorrow.

If you start emailing yourself reminders, step back and say you're off your system.

Daily Planning Routine

In this section, the speaker talks about his daily planning routine and where he does it.

Daily Planning Routine

The first thing he does each morning is make his daily plan for the day using his time block planner.

He tries to do this before walking his kids to the bus stop if possible.

Where He Does It

In his study at home

Custom-built desk made to fit in a weird space of the study

One drawer built-in with his time block planner

He takes out his time block planner, puts it on the desk, and turns on his laptop.

The Importance of a Set Location for Deep Work

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of having a set location for deep work and how it can help with productivity.

Benefits of Having a Set Location

Helps to keep one on track with their daily tasks.

Provides consistency in one's routine.

Helps to avoid falling off the system.

Case Study: Knitting Time Blocks

In this section, the speaker shares a case study from Anna, an anthropologist who documented her time by knitting a scarf.

Anna's Method

Documented time spent on different activities each day.

Knitted proportional number of rows in her scarf using different colors for each activity.

Saw shifts in her knitting pattern after implementing deep work interventions.

Scarf served as both knitted data and relaxing activity.

Mailbag Segment and Life Insurance Advertisement

In this section, the speaker briefly mentions an advertisement for life insurance before moving onto the mailbag segment where he discusses interesting emails he has received.

Ladder Life Insurance Advertisement

Ladder is 100% digital and requires no paperwork or doctor visits when applying for coverage.

Mailbag Segment Highlights

Interesting case studies and questions submitted by listeners.

Ladder Life and Stamps.com

In this section, Cal Newport talks about two companies: Ladder Life and Stamps.com. He explains how Ladder Life can help people get life insurance quickly and easily, while Stamps.com can simplify shipping and mailing needs.

Ladder Life

Ladderlife.com is a website where people can apply for life insurance.

The website provides instant approval and cost estimates.

Cal recommends that anyone who doesn't have enough life insurance should visit the website immediately.

Stamps.com

Stamps.com is a One Stop Shop for all shipping and mailing needs.

It has been indispensable for over 1 million businesses for more than 20 years.

Users can access USPS and UPS services right from their computer without going to the Post Office.

Users can schedule package pickups through the stamps.com dashboard.

It offers major discounts on shipping rates, making it useful even for small amounts of mail or big online businesses that send a lot.

Augmented Reality with Oculus Quest 2 Pro

In this section, Cal Newport discusses augmented reality technology using an example sent to him by Chris. He predicts that augmented reality tools will eliminate physical screens in our lives.

Augmented Reality with Oculus Quest 2 Pro

Chris sent Cal an example of augmented reality technology from Twitter.

Cal predicts that augmented reality tools will put digital screens into our world, eliminating physical screens in our lives.

The computation behind what we see on those screens will happen in the cloud.

The example from Twitter is a demo of the new Oculus product, The Quest 2 Pro, which uses pass-through real-time camera feature to add screens into our field of vision.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

In this section, the speaker discusses the logic behind adding virtual elements to a video stream and how it is easier than literally adding them using a waveguide. The goal is to move from virtual reality helmets to actual glasses where these elements are being added to what you see.

Mastering Augmented Reality

Adding virtual screens onto real-time video feed is much easier than literally adding them using a waveguide.

Facebook's goal is to move from virtual reality helmets to actual glasses where these elements are being added to what you see.

Facebook has a big collaboration with Ray-Ban as they're working on the physical form of these glasses.

Using virtual reality as a way to master augmented reality while waiting for the augmented reality hardware to get viably usable by most people is a smart strategy.

Environment and Cognition

In this section, the speaker talks about how environment affects cognition. He cites an article by Andrew Huberman, Stanford neuroscientist, who explains the "cathedral effect" which captures how setting affects cognition.

The Cathedral Effect

Workplace optimization called the cathedral effect in which thinking becomes smaller more focused on analytic processing when we are in small visual fields.

Working in high ceiling spaces elicits abstract thoughts and creativity whereas working in low ceiling spaces promotes detailed work.

Consider using different rooms our buildings indoors and outdoors to help access specific brain states and the types of work they favor.

Focus Porn

In this section, the speaker shares an example of beautifully aesthetic and deeply aspirational examples of people going to radical means to find concentration and peace and quiet to actually focus and do work.

Focused Porn

The speaker shares an example of beautifully aesthetic and deeply aspirational examples of people going to radical means to find concentration and peace and quiet to actually focus and do work.

Alistair Humphreys' Rock House

In this section, the speaker talks about a video of Alistair Humphreys writing his book in a rock house in the mountains.

A Remote Writing Retreat

Alistair Humphreys is shown leaning against a rock house in the middle of nowhere.

The video shows him inside the dark rock house with only one window, illuminated by light from outside.

The speaker recommends watching the beautifully shot video for inspiration to escape from distractions and write.

Studio in a Rock Shed?

The speakers discuss how recording their show from a remote location like Alistair's rock shed would be an exciting move.

They acknowledge that it would be inconvenient to hike up every day and bring firewood during winter.

Closing Remarks

The speaker thanks everyone who submitted questions and encourages listeners to visit their YouTube channel for full episodes and segments.