If you’re trying to be productive, what if the answer isn’t to do more… but to do less, better?

On today’s episode, we welcome back Cal Newport — Georgetown computer science professor, bestselling author of Deep Work and Slow Productivity, and one of the most influential voices on focus, sustainable achievement, and the hidden costs of our digital lives.

Cal and Dr. Mike pick up where their first conversation left off — exploring why the human brain can’t do its best work while juggling five active tasks, how context switching quietly crushes output, and what leaders can do to build cultures that protect focus without adding headcount.

On the human side, Cal dives into digital fatigue, rethinking our relationship with phones, and how parents can create healthier tech norms at home. Finally, he looks ahead to AI — not with fear, but with clarity about how it can remove friction and restore our ability to think deeply.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why doing fewer things at once leads to faster, better results
How to reduce context switching and build deep work into team culture
The difference between true productivity and “pseudo-productivity”
How to counter digital fatigue at work and at home — with different strategies for each
What parents should know about phones, social media, and attention
How AI can actually protect deep work when used wisely

The heart of this conversation: mastery in the modern world isn’t about speed or volume — it’s about depth, clarity, and choosing what truly deserves your attention.

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Links & Resources

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