My review of Cal Newport, the professor who says social media is ruining our lives
In a world of social media distractions, one lone voice is alerting to the detrimental effects social media is having on our work, relationships, and overall happiness.
Cal Newport is the youngish Georgetown computer science star professor who is trending as the world’s anti-distraction advocate---getting rid of social media, smartphones, and emails---any modern day technology that is overtaking our lives and preventing us from doing meaningful work (or at least using less).
Professor Newport is the author of eight books and is a contributor to publications such as the New York Times, The New Yorker, the Atlantic and WIRED. He is an early bloomer who became an accomplished author at the age of 21, even before graduating from Dartmouth College.
These days, Newport is better known for his books, Deep Work (2016), Digital Minimalism (2019), and A World Without Email (2021).
In his most recent work, Slow Productivity (2024), Newport examines knowledge work overload and outlines ways to produce better work outcomes.
Newport also runs a popular Deep Questions podcast and YouTube channel that answers questions related to living a more meaningful life and producing the best work according to your ability.
As a huge Newport fan, here are my key takeaways:
Delete your Facebook and other social media sites.
Time-block your days and weeks, ideally 3-4 hours.
Upon returning to your home, use the “foyer” method of leaving your phone near the doorstep and not bringing it with you wherever you go.
Block time in your day for long walks, hikes, or just about any activity that takes you away from your work and computer screen. (Newport’s favorite was taking long walks throughout the day).
Find an “escape,” or ideal place to do your writing, thinking, and creative work, which could be a quiet coffee shop, an upstairs office, or a park bench.
If you ever wonder why you can’t concentrate and do your best work, then you might want to check out Newport’s work.
Doing so will allow you to come up with a plan to combat life’s daily distractions, focus on meaningful work, and produce quality work like never before.
