** Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism**
Join us to learn from best-selling author & Computer Science professor Cal Newport as we talk to him about exploring the world of digital abundance, using technology with intention, and walking through life with purpose. Learn more from Cal on his website, at calnewport.com, where he has archived about 10 years of blog posts on everything from study habits to career advice and more - and read one of the business books everyone will be reading this year to engage in this discussion further.

Connect with Cal Newport
Website: calnewport.com | Book: Digital Minimalism

Connect with Vrain Waves
Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb

Links & Show Notes

• From the book: “The urge to check Twitter or refresh Reddit becomes a nervous twitch that shatters uninterrupted time into shards too small to support the presence necessary for an intentional life.”
• Why digital minimalism? (03:27)
  • Deep Work - technology in the workplace
• Professional v. Personal use of technology (04:42)
• Engineering technology for constant use (05:52)
  • Re-engineer the social experience to be addictive - constant, intermittent, incoming stream of social approval indicators - autotagging, liking, etc.
• Steve Jobs on minimalism (08:02)
  • Original iPhone - making listening to music & talking on the phone more magical
  • (Cal’s NYTimes OpEd: Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us To Use Our Smartphone Like This)
  • Screen use iOS
• Average modern user - 2 h social media per day - Tristan Harris (10:58)
  • Psychology of detaching yourself from social media
  • Maximalist mindset - natural loss aversion
• What is Digital Minimalism? (13:04)
• How to minimize: 30 day Digital Declutter (14:38)
  • Digital Declutter experiment with 1,600 people
• Modeling good digital habits for the younger people in your lives (19:41)
• Public perception on these shifts (20:52)
  • NBA commissioner on social media and stress in players
  • 2016 oped for NYTimes - & the commissioned response
• Increased social media use & loneliness (23:18)
  • “Social Snacking”
  • (Psychology today article on this topic)
• Focus is the new IQ - from Deep Work (25:10)
• Start with the value and then identify the tools that help; questions we should ask for instruction (26:14)
  • Start with learning goals & add the goal of developing deep, focused thinkers
• Audio vs. visual for reading (29:33)
• Value of in-person lecture (31:34)
• Professional Rock-Paper-Scissors (on YouTube!) & what that teaches us about social psychology (32:27)
• Value of solitude (35:04) - “freedom from input of other minds”
  • Lead Yourself First
  • Solitude deprivation
  • Stress & anxiety in generations with ubiquitous technology during adolescence
• Making the declutter process stick (39:35)
• Attention capital theory & Cal’s next book (42:16)
  • From his blog: Attention switching blog post
  • Attention residue (48:14)
• Willpower is a finite resource (50:25)
  • Rituals around deep work can reduce the barrier of entry
• “Follow your passion” is bad advice (54:38)
  • Blog post
  • So Good They Can’t Ignore You
  • Ngram viewer
• To learn more from Cal: calnewport.com - 10 years of blog posts
• Work Life Podcast with Adam Grant