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:ID: 2021-04-30-Cal-Newport-tips
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- State "DONE"       from "NEXT"       [2021-04-30 Fri 12:29]
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[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal_Newport][Cal Newport]] is an author of [[https://www.calnewport.com/books/][several books]] and a researcher. He is most
famous for his work on [[https://www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/][Deep Work]] where he provides ideas on how to
work in an effective and efficient way. He criticizes most corporate
environments that suppress deep work.

I recently started to listen to [[https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/][his podcasts]].

Here are some of Cal's tips in my own words:

- Read books
  - Train to concentrate on uninterrupted reading activity
  - Learn from peers
- Embrace boredom
  - Ideas may develop in those phases
  - Let your mind wander
- Work in uninterrupted sprints
  - Similar to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique][Pomodoro technique]]
  - Start with twenty minutes and work yourself up to ninety uninterrupted minute sprints
- Avoid the social media drug and other distractions
  - Social media is optimized as a modern drug to steal your time and personal data and turns you into a like-addict
  - Don't confuse social media with the positives aspects of the social internet

I currently fail in all those categories. I'm unsure if I'm truly an
addict on Twitter and Mastodon or if I'm "only" using to get valid
input and not just distractions and (false?) affirmation.

His [[https://www.calnewport.com/books/a-world-without-email/][newest book on a world without email]] is on my shelve, waiting to be read some day.