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A Single Sheet of Paper Can Fix Your Overwhelm

Cal Newport, 1 hr 07, 61.7K views, Oct 5, 2026

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One of the more debilitating experiences in our current digital world is the sense of being trapped in relentless, reactive, busyness. This “whirlwind” can separate you from both ambition and presence, leaving you feeling flat and fried. In this episode, Cal discusses a simple trick he deploys when he finds himself in this state. It requires only a single sheet of paper. More from Cal Download Cal’s FREE guide to cultivating a deeper life: calnewport.com/ideas Learn more about Cal’s books: calnewport.com/books Listen to Cal’s podcast: thedeeplife.com/listen Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:25 Why Overload Makes Life Feel Flat 5:17 The Two Plus Five Plan 21:54 The Long-Term Fix: Workload Management 26:04 Office Hours: Rebuilding After a Health Crisis 31:50 Landlining and Taming Your Phone 46:54 Talking to AI, Star Trek Style 55:57 September Books and Studio Update Thanks to our Sponsors: https://www.monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”) https://www.superhuman.com https://www.pipedrive.com/deep https://www.scribe.how/deep Credits: Podcast Production: Jesse Miller Newsletter/Research: Nate Mechler Theme Music: Jay Kerstens