Ep. 397: Is Deep Work Still Possible in 2026?

Cal Newport reflects on the 10-year anniversary of his book "Deep Work," revisiting its core ideas and considering updates for 2026. He reexamines the four rules from the book, including "Work Deeply," "Embrace Boredom," "Quit Social Media," and "Drain the Shallows," adding new perspectives on hybrid attention, AI usage, and focus training. Newport critiques the shift in social media from utilitarian value to addictive consumption, suggesting a "sobriety" approach to managing its use. He also addresses listener questions about AI's impact on productivity and education, advocating for the importance of cognitive strain and humanistic writing.