In this BIT: In this interview with Cal Newport he shares productivity tips and everything you need to know to be more productive.
Cal Newport is a modern-day legend. He is a professor of Computer Science and a best-selling author. His books focus on work, productivity, and time management. Cal has broken the code on procrastination and getting-it-all-done. In this interview with Cal Newport, he shares how anyone can be more productive!
As a teenage, Cal was an entrepreneur! He had a web business in the late 1990s. Balancing business with attending high school, Cal began diving deep into productivity books. In college, Cal became aware of the amount of money he was spending to attend school, and was determined to get his money’s worth. Combining his high school knowledge with college circumstances, Cal honed his time-management skills from the business world and applied them to college life. His grades increased – and so did his sleep schedule. “I wasn’t staying up late, I felt like I was studying less than my friends, and I decided at that point that I should probably write a book about this.” Since then, Cal’s become an expert in the field of getting-it-all-done, for college students, businesspeople, and everyone. Prepare to get it all done, and have time to spare, with Cal’s life hacks.
“I am not one of these people who can grind. I get tired. I don’t like working long amounts of time in a row,” Cal explains. If you just keep pushing yourself to keep working or studying, you may sacrifice on mental health and rest. At the same time, you’re relenting factors that make you more productive, creative, and help you perform at your highest level. “The goal is not”, Cal continues, “I want to take six classes where most people are taking four. It’s how can I get my work done in those four classes while not having to work past 9pm or 8pm on most nights.” Focus on sustainability, maintaining your energy, creativity, drive, and passion. To be more productive, it is better to get less done at once than have to re-do something because you rushed through the process.
What work can you anticipate? Items like weekly homework, deadlines, emails, and workouts. Each week, schedule this repeating work into your days. In a world full of chaos and last minute deadlines or tasks, these are your controls. You know that these tasks are coming, and you know when they are due. It’s likely that you know what is expected of you. For instance, complete weekly chemistry homework every Tuesday at 9am. Then, do your daily workout every afternoon, right when you arrive home. “Autopilot work that’s regular, that takes it off your plate as something you have to figure out on the fly.” Simplify your life.
This productivity tip is often overlooked! Look ahead in your schedule and schedule in advance! Write down deadlines, dates, and events. Schedule prep or work time into your days leading up to this situation. Cal shares that “you can start actually scheduling blocks of time a week, two weeks, sometimes three weeks in advance.” How far out into your schedule should you look? Autopilot your task of scheduling in advance! Every Sunday, go over your week-in-a-glance and create a complementary schedule. On the first Saturday of each month, do the same for the month ahead. When you find out about a deadline, immediately schedule it. Additionally, schedule any corresponding prep-time. At the end of the day, productivity is about getting the most done in the best way possible. Don’t sacrifice quality, be smarter with your time.
As a professor and bestselling author, Cal Newport’s advice is truly profound. We hope that these productivity tips help you create a more achievable to-do list, bringing you a Small Bit of Happiness.
Listen to Cal’s full episode here.
Find Cal here:
Website: www.calnewport.com
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Read this interview with Cal Newport for advice on how to get more done in a day!