Where can I realistically do 'adventure working' if I can't travel to exotic locations?

You can practice adventure working by visiting local parks, museums, quiet cafes, or even pubs. The key is to choose a location that offers novelty and is different from your usual workspace to stimulate your mind.

What are the benefits of working in novel environments?

Novel environments reduce familiar distractions, spark creative insights due to visual novelty, make the work itself more enjoyable and sustainable, and create a psychological separation between different types of tasks.

Why does 'adventure working' feel slow but ultimately lead to better results?

It feels slow because it focuses on deep, singular tasks without the constant administrative overhead of typical work. However, this focused, deliberate process allows ideas to unfold fully, leading to higher quality output and significant accomplishments over time.

How can I incorporate 'adventure working' into my routine?

Plan dedicated blocks of time for adventure working, even if it's just a few hours. Choose a specific objective for the session and a novel location. Capture your thoughts and insights in a notebook or on your phone.

What's the difference between daily disciplines and rituals?

Daily disciplines are actions taken to transform self-perception and demonstrate capability for non-obligatory action in key life areas. Rituals, on the other hand, are habits or disciplines specifically designed to reinforce one's value system or spiritual beliefs.

How much time should I dedicate to reading sessions?

While 10-minute reading sessions can happen, Cal Newport finds 20-40 minutes more regular. He emphasizes making reading a default habit during free time rather than strictly scheduling long blocks, especially for achieving goals like reading five books a month.

What are Cal Newport's writing rituals?

He often writes first thing in the morning without checking email. Writing typically begins with a walk, and he sometimes breaks to write in a novel location before returning to his desk or HQ.

Should I focus on developing skills slowly or rush applications for admired jobs?

Focus on your ideal lifestyle first, then identify jobs that align with it. Building skills and applying strategically over time is generally better than rushing applications. Opportunities will arise when you know what you're looking for.

How can teachers apply 'working at a natural pace' beyond summer break?

Teachers can vary intensity weekly by having lighter days, and spread developmental work over marking periods rather than trying to do everything at once. This prevents burnout and allows for sustainable, impactful innovation.

What should I do if a project I'm actively working on gets stuck?

Ensure projects are 'tractable' (days or weeks, not months). If stuck for a few days, work on another active project. If stuck long-term (a week or more), move it to a 'waiting' list and pull a new project into your active queue.

Why is email traffic a poor metric for productivity?

Email traffic indicates communication activity, not necessarily valuable output. Focusing on email volume can incentivize 'pseudo-productivity' (busyness without impact) and distract from the actual work that creates value.

Key Moments

Escape Your Desk: A Simple Way To Find Clarity & Make Hard Work Feel Like Play | Cal Newport

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

People & Blogs4 min read77 min video

May 28, 2024|20,005 views|469|22

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Cal Newport advocates for 'adventure working': changing locations to boost clarity and make work enjoyable.

Key Insights

Radically changing your work environment can transform the nature of your professional life.

'Adventure working' involves tackling demanding cognitive tasks in novel and inspiring locations.

This practice, inspired by 'adventure studying,' can enhance creativity, comprehension, and enjoyment.

Historical figures and contemporary writers have utilized unique environments for their most important work.

Practical options for adventure working include museums, parks, quiet natural spots, hostels, and even bookstores.

Key to successful adventure working is having a singular objective, capturing reflections, and employing an iterative process.

THE POWER OF ENVIRONMENT IN COGNITIVE WORK

The conventional approach to knowledge work often involves mundane, unchanging desk environments, leading to cognitive jobs feeling like a grind. Cal Newport argues that by being more radical about the physical locations where we undertake our most important or demanding work, we can fundamentally alter the experience. This concept, termed 'adventure working,' suggests that our minds crave novelty, and shifting our surroundings can make complex tasks more engaging, creative, and even enjoyable.

FROM ADVENTURE STUDYING TO ADVENTURE WORKING

Newport traces the idea back to his 2008 concept of 'adventure studying,' where students avoided traditional study spaces for places like bookstores or riverbanks to prepare for exams. This strategy leveraged novelty to improve focus, creativity, and comprehension. He proposes applying this same principle to professional cognitive work, encouraging knowledge workers to seek out inspiring and unusual locations for their most challenging projects, a practice that he believes can make demanding work feel less like a chore and more like an engaging pursuit.

HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES

The effectiveness of working in inspiring locations is supported by historical examples. Writers like Neil Gaiman, who purchased a house on the Isle of Skye for inspiration, and Mary Oliver, who found her muse walking by Blackwater Pond, demonstrate the power of unique environments. Similarly, crime novelist Ian Rankin sought inspiration in a cottage in the Scottish Highlands. These examples highlight how deliberate engagement with novel surroundings has long been a strategy for deep creative and cognitive output in knowledge work.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR MODERN WORKERS

Adventure working is highly relevant today, especially with the rise of remote and hybrid work models. While not everyone can travel to Scotland, accessible options abound. These include visiting local museums, finding quiet spots in parks, exploring nature trails, or even working from a bookstore or a quiet cafe. The key is to choose a location that offers a distinct change from the usual routine and is conducive to focused, deep thought, turning everyday environments into potential springboards for productivity and insight.

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE ADVENTURE WORKING

To maximize the benefits of adventure working, Newport suggests several tactics. Crucially, one must have a clear, singular objective for the session, rather than simply wandering or checking emails. It's important to have a method for capturing thoughts and insights, such as journaling or dictation, creating an artifact of the cognitive process. Employing an iterative approach, moving between thinking and writing, and ideally completing administrative tasks beforehand, further enhances the effectiveness of these sessions.

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE BENEFITS

The effectiveness of adventure working stems from several psychological and cognitive mechanisms. Novel environments reduce familiar cues that often lead to distracting thoughts, thereby improving focus. Location novelty can spark creative insights by opening the mind to original ideas. Furthermore, working in an interesting setting makes the work itself more engaging and less draining, fostering sustainability. This practice also creates important psychological and physical separation between different types of work, combating the jumbled, draining nature of generalized modern knowledge work.

AN ANTIDOTE TO DIGITAL FRENZY

In an increasingly digital and often dehumanizing work landscape, adventure working serves as a powerful antidote. It prioritizes analog cognition in analog environments, fostering a defiantly un-technological engagement with ideas. This approach resists the tendency to become an 'inbox cyborg,' bombarded by constant information. By embracing slowness and physical presence in carefully chosen locations, individuals can maintain their humanity and produce more meaningful, high-value output, contrasting with the frantic, information-processing model of digital work.

THE PARADOX OF SLOWNESS AND PRODUCTIVITY

While adventure working might feel slow and inefficient in the moment, its long-term rewards are significant, aligning with the principles of 'Slow Productivity.' The initial feeling of lost time can be worrisome, but over time, this deliberate pace yields higher quality results and allows for the generation of significant cognitive output. This highlights a core paradox: slowing down in specific, intentional ways can ultimately lead to greater, more meaningful accomplishment and a more sustainable approach to professional life.

INTEGRATING ADVENTURE WORKING INTO ROUTINE

Newport emphasizes that adventure working doesn't require elaborate travel; it's about intentionality. Even brief excursions to local parks, museums, or quiet natural areas can be highly effective. He advocates for actively scheduling these 'expeditions' into one's weekly plan, treating them as essential appointments, particularly during non-teaching periods or when seeking to re-energize one's routine. Making these excursions a regular practice can lead to greater happiness and better quality work.

OVERCOMING THE 'PSEUDO PRODUCTIVITY' TRAP

The episode critiques the common metric of email traffic as a measure of productivity, exemplified by Jim Ratcliffe's stance on remote work at Manchester United. Newport argues that a drop in email volume during work-from-home days, rather than signifying reduced productivity, actually indicates a success in cutting down on 'pseudo productivity' – the performative, busywork that drains energy without producing real value. True productivity, he contends, is about tangible output, not the volume of communication associated with it.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Adventure Working: Dos and Don'ts

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Have a clear, singular objective for your work session.

Wander to a beautiful or novel location.

Capture your thinking through writing or dictation.

Implement an iterative process of thinking and writing.

Consider doing adventure work as the final task of your day.

Plan adventure work into your weekly schedule.

Make your work more interesting by choosing unique locations.

Avoid This

Do not simply answer emails or wander aimlessly.

Do not let other distractions (like email) intrude on your session.

Do not expect immediate results; embrace the 'slowness' for long-term benefits.

Common Questions

Adventure working involves tackling demanding or interesting work in inspiring and unusual places, moving away from traditional desks. It's about leveraging novelty in your environment to boost creativity and engagement, making work feel less like a grind.