It’s so relatable how every summer, you step away from your system thinking you’ll reinvent the wheel, only to rediscover how reliable your tried-and-true planning method is. That cycle of drifting toward shiny new tools or ideas, and then realizing simplicity often works best, is something so many people can identify with. It’s like a reminder that consistency often beats novelty when it comes to productivity. The emphasis on having a “core document” is a game-changer. Writing everything down-not just tasks but values, strategies, and overarching plans-takes so much mental pressure off. It’s interesting how you frame it as “rooted productivity,” where everything branches out from a single source. That concept of returning to a centralized system, especially after feeling overwhelmed, is a practical takeaway for anyone juggling complex projects. What stood out most was how flexible the system is. It can scale up during busy, high-stakes seasons or simplify down to the basics when life gets tough. That adaptability is rare in productivity methods, which often feel rigid. It’s also inspiring how it ties back to living in alignment with your values-turning productivity from just getting things done into something much more meaningful. Finally, the “shutdown complete” ritual is such a small but powerful habit. It’s not just about work-life balance; it’s about intentionally transitioning into rest and trusting that everything is captured. That level of trust in your system really highlights how important it is to avoid mental clutter and focus fully on what matters in the moment.
I love how Cal breaks down his planning system. It really resonates with me. Speaking of organizing, I just started using Astirna New Tab, and it's a game changer for keeping everything in one place.
Cal Newport's Planning System (In Detail) Core Systems Below are the summaries of the three main categories that contain the elements of my core systems: core documents, productivity, and discipline Core Documents Values My roles and the values by which I try to live each of them. Career and Personal Strategic Plans I have one plan for each of thee two parts of life that lays out my current thoughts, experimental systems, and plans for living them true to my values. Sometimes these will also link to an extended plan when I have a big enough, long enough pursuit that might need its own space. Maintenance I review my values once a week and create a value plan for that week with notes about what to emphasize and perhaps experimental habits/rules to try out that week to help keep my closer to my values. Include best practices for mental health in the value plan. I review my strategic plans (and extended plans) once a week, preferably when doing my weekly plan. I can tweak them at any time, but I try to give them major overhauls roughly once a semester (fall, winter/spring, summer) I sometimes maintain an idea notebook and/or digital idea storage system keeping thoughts on values and strategic plans. I should review this in detail, at the very least, when I do my strategic plan updates. Productivity I deploy weekly and daily planning. Each week: build a weekly plan based on a review of my strategic plans, my calendar, my task lists, and my value plan. Each day: Review my weekly and value plans, as well as my calendar. If it’s a weekday, build a time block plan. If not, sketch a looser plan. I have clear work shutdowns with a shutdown complete ritual. Make a rough but intentional plan for the time that follows the shutdown. I practice full capture of tasks. This includes processing captured tasks during shutdowns. Discipline I maintain in my strategic plan(s) an evolving list of core disciplines (behaviors, habits, activities) that I follow as strictly as possible to lay a foundation for a deep life. Sometimes I track my execution of these disciplines with metrics.
Conceptually sounds great. Getting to a point where "it all clicks" seems like a long journey, which is fair, gotta put the work into it. I just find hard to bridge the gap - from watching this video to a functional system - as this is not a deep dive, but really an overview.
What's your bottleneck? There are courses like LyT and Vicky Zhao does some free short stuff explaining these MoC concepts and they aren't really deep dives either unlike Scott Scheper's AntiNet, Cal really doesn't do deep dives. He's more an academic professor doing Huberman level types of analysis with less references so that the youtube vids are shorter, compact, more precise and easier to digest.
Its a 18 minuten video that is detailled in a giga book he already wrote. If it was able to be summarized in an 18 minute video he wouldnt have written the book as thick as it is
This system works because it encompasses doctrine, strategy, operations and tactics - the four kinds of decision making that are needed for success for any unit, be it a person, team, organisation, community, army, nation, etc.
@@deadsharkisartIn business usually the Strategy is the overall goal, Ops is the “method”that encompasses the details of the plan, and Tactics are the plan in action. OP might have a better organized explanation
Strategy: have the most consistent kitchen in the city. Consistent good food will bring more guests more frequent - more more = we sustain as a business. Operations set the stations up for success- balance the kitchen so no one station can bring others down. Tactics give each station a prep list - a list of items to have at the start of service to hold down their station and back ups they should have …? would this be what you just said in motion if I was running a kitchen as the exec chef?
I've been working on myself a lot lately and think this is the best way to formalize and make yourself accountable of your own system. I'm definitely going to incorporate Cal's system into my own. As for note taking, which was not deeply touched in this video, I recommend Tiago Forte's PARA system. It's being game changing for me.
This is what I've been missing from strictly GTD. I have just never been able to see the big picture, and when I attempt to try (like nesting projects inside a value) it just feels too stressful. Thank you for sharing.
I'm always pleasantly surprised by the overlap between Cal's work and other peoples. Seeing good systems evolve from multiple people indicates that there is some value there.
Thanks Cal, new to your channel and hadn't seen yet how you piece your time-blocking daily into your bigger picture / weekly planning / larger horizons - for someone who has never had a system like this, I'm drawn to this out of necessity (my company grew, I had to evolve somehow) and the biggest challenge and benefit from this type of system is managing context - I don't yet understand why context is so challenging, when switching between various contexts - big picture, to small detail, to value-based, to weekly goal / objectives - but without some sort of structure , for me, it's impossible to manage these parallel and ever-moving contexts - I've started using your time-blocking just this week, on paper - vs my online calendar, and the paper simplfies, is cleaner somehow - as you said in another video, less clicks to input or change, it's on hand next to you as a support tool while the daily challenges arise and keeps us on track. Prior to seeing this video I'm also articulating this into a written document - I build software, and for that work the same crystallization occurs in writing down something - so I understand your perspective and will create my own from your share. Much appreciation
I enjoy hearing these ideas but I find it hard to put it into practice. I could use specific examples for each document or plan to help me understand it. Thanks.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🧠 Organizing Life System Overview* - Cal Newport shares his system for organizing life, emphasizing the importance of sticking to a consistent planning system over reinventing it. - Cal's planning system revolves around three main categories: Core Documents, Productivity, and Discipline. 03:13 *📝 Core Documents* - Core documents consist of values, career and personal strategic plans, and maintenance routines. - Cal emphasizes the importance of regularly updating these documents to align with personal values and goals. 07:42 *⏰ Productivity Planning* - Cal outlines his approach to weekly and daily planning, influenced by strategic plans and personal values. - His productivity system includes time blocking, clear work shutdown rituals, and thorough task capture for stress management. 11:12 *💪 Discipline Implementation* - Cal discusses the necessity of maintaining core disciplines to support a deeper life. - Tracking metrics and periodic adjustments are integral parts of his discipline system. 14:25 *🔄 Flexibility and Trust in the System* - Cal apologizes for straying from his established system, reaffirming its effectiveness and flexibility. - He encourages viewers to adopt his system, emphasizing its ability to handle complexity and promote relaxation and productivity. Made with HARPA AI
I saw somewhere that when you have troubles to sleep, to start saying in your mind random unrelated words till you felt sleep. It works wonders for me so I hope it helps you. That and to wait 3 hours before my last meal to go to sleep.
Excellent info, thank you. I will draw up a document like this for myself this week. It's very straightforward. I'm already working on deep work and timeblocking.
I interpret this to be something similar to the active voice scripting described by the author of Maybe It's You. She encourages you to pick a life area (health/fitness, career, romantic relationships, etc) and write what your ideal would look, feel, smell like. Using active voice as if it is already yours. Using that ideal as frame of reference, we can work backwards to craft a plan or strategy to accomplish our goals. I imagine Cal has a lot more structure and specific checkpoints or metrics to get from point A here to point B there, but this is my guess. Would also love to see him elaborate on this aspect of the planning and organization system. I found this video quite helpful
Exquisite video! FWIW two thoughts: 1. My breakdown/representation for this is Plan, Produce and Perfect (I'd have to think a little longer for ones beginning with Cs). Plan: being the set of Values, Career Strategy and Personal Strategy documents etc, along with a method for ideas capture. Produce: being the activities that use the above to get coin and make hay. Maintenance process for the above, as well for developing and digesting the weekly value plan, weekly activity plan, daily time blocker and working memory documents. Full capture etc. Perfect: namely foundation disciplines in the form of routines and habits that form the foundation for any good life; health, friendships, mastery and associated contribution. 2. Do you have the inclination to critique other methods, namely "The bullet journal method"? Perhaps keeping the critique structured to how it meets or fails to meet requirements you set out in other videos?
The key idea of the video is to use a three-part system of core documents, productivity, and discipline to align life goals with values and increase productivity, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining core documents and strategic planning. 📅 00:00 The speaker shares their struggle with getting organized for the fall semester after a lax summer, but finds comfort in their standard planning system. 📝 02:28 Plan your life and increase productivity with a three-part system that includes a core document, following the speaker's instructions. 📝 04:01 The lecture discusses the three main categories of core systems: core documents, productivity, and discipline, with a focus on aligning life goals with values through a maintenance system. 📝 06:49 The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining core documents and strategic planning to ensure productivity and keep values at the center of their life. 📝 10:08 Manage stress with trust, organization, and discipline by writing things down, using a calendar or task list, and setting hard boundaries for core disciplines. 💻 12:11 Use a flexible system to capture all aspects of your life and give it a try for a month to feel more relaxed and productive. 📝 15:25 Repetition and explicit discipline can help with understanding and trust, while Sisson and Rogan discuss their intense sauna routines. 💪 17:54 Speaker does resistance exercise in a barrel and takes ice bath as part of disciplined routine.
Is not it too many documents? I need then index of these documents. I think a sample document can help to visualise what is suggested, not just a set of instructions.
Here ya go: Cal Newport's Planning System (In Detail) Core Systems Below are the summaries of the three main categories that contain the elements of my core systems: core documents, productivity, and discipline Core Documents Values My roles and the values by which I try to live each of them. Career and Personal Strategic Plans I have one plan for each of thee two parts of life that lays out my current thoughts, experimental systems, and plans for living them true to my values. Sometimes these will also link to an extended plan when I have a big enough, long enough pursuit that might need its own space. Maintenance I review my values once a week and create a value plan for that week with notes about what to emphasize and perhaps experimental habits/rules to try out that week to help keep my closer to my values. Include best practices for mental health in the value plan. I review my strategic plans (and extended plans) once a week, preferably when doing my weekly plan. I can tweak them at any time, but I try to give them major overhauls roughly once a semester (fall, winter/spring, summer) I sometimes maintain an idea notebook and/or digital idea storage system keeping thoughts on values and strategic plans. I should review this in detail, at the very least, when I do my strategic plan updates. Productivity I deploy weekly and daily planning. Each week: build a weekly plan based on a review of my strategic plans, my calendar, my task lists, and my value plan. Each day: Review my weekly and value plans, as well as my calendar. If it’s a weekday, build a time block plan. If not, sketch a looser plan. I have clear work shutdowns with a shutdown complete ritual. Make a rough but intentional plan for the time that follows the shutdown. I practice full capture of tasks. This includes processing captured tasks during shutdowns. Discipline I maintain in my strategic plan(s) an evolving list of core disciplines (behaviors, habits, activities) that I follow as strictly as possible to lay a foundation for a deep life. Sometimes I track my execution of these disciplines with metrics.
Great video! Do you use any type of Kanban board or "cards"-based system to mange these tasks and projects? I'm a big fan of Jim Benson's "Personal Kanban"-book and approach. But sometimes I find it hard to balance that type of approach with what you're describing here.
Hey Cal, do you have a template for this in a PDF or Word document? Drafting my own version this weekend and w0uld love to have something to go off of.
So, is the weekly plan a written document? Or a timeblocked calendar? Or both? I know you timeblock on your calendar, but I'm curious if you write out a weekly plan aside from your weekly value plan. Thanks
I guess it is a typo in the maintenance subsection. Cal might mean updating value each week and creating a *weekl*y plan based on value, strategic plan, calendar, and to-do lists.
Super late reply but in an early podcast episode he reads out his weekly plan and it’s basically a written paragraph of what he wants the week to go like
I have a lot of trouble when I try to adapt these concepts to my life/work, where I'm not my own boss and dont have that much flexibility... oh how to live whilst working, and not living to work?
What is the name of the digital storage system that you use, Subsidian? You used to use Workflowy and I think you no longer use Workflowy. You have always used Moleskine.
I still love Workflowy! I had a planning session last night with the other leaders in my organization on Zoom. One of them asked if I was taking notes, and asked for them. I copied and emailed them as soon as the session was over.
What about having one life time plan (updating it once at the end of the year), and from there create the year plan? I just think something like that could work.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 Cal *Newport addresses how he organizes his life, emphasizing the importance of his planning system.* 02:58 Newport *describes his three-part planning system that he has perfected over a decade.* 03:13 He *introduces the core document that summarizes his planning system, emphasizing the importance of having a central source for all information.* 04:10 Newport *details the core documents, including values, career, and personal strategic plans, and how he maintains them.* 07:42 Productivity *is discussed, focusing on weekly and daily planning, with Newport emphasizing flexibility in his approach.* 09:46 Newport *outlines the importance of clear work shutdowns with a ritual and the full capture of tasks for stress management.* 11:12 The *discipline category is introduced, highlighting Newport's evolving list of core disciplines to establish a foundation for a deep life.* 12:52 Newport *suggests tracking disciplines with metrics, emphasizing their role in supporting various ambitions and lifestyles.* 13:06 He *concludes by expressing trust in his system and encourages viewers to try it for a month, noting its flexibility and effectiveness.* Made with HARPA AI
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🗂️ Cal Newport addresses how he organizes his life, emphasizing the stress he faced before realizing the importance of his planning system.* 02:17 *🔄 Newport stresses the value of sticking to his tried-and-true planning system, which he's honed over a decade, rather than constantly seeking new methods.* 03:13 *📑 Newport's planning system revolves around a core document, which outlines his values, roles, and strategic plans for both personal and career aspects of his life.* 05:36 *🔄 Newport maintains his core documents by updating them regularly, with weekly reviews for values and strategic plans, ensuring alignment with his goals.* 07:42 *⏰ Newport's productivity system involves weekly and daily planning, influenced by strategic plans, calendars, and task lists, promoting flexibility in organizing his time effectively.* 09:46 *🛠️ Newport emphasizes the importance of clear work shutdown rituals and thorough task capture to maintain stress-free productivity.* 11:12 *📊 Newport maintains a list of core disciplines to establish a foundation for a deep life, often tracking them with metrics to ensure consistency.* 12:24 *🔄 Newport's planning system is flexible, accommodating both complex professional ambitions and periods of contraction during challenging times.* 14:25 *📝 Newport encourages viewers to adopt his planning system, highlighting its effectiveness in managing life's complexities and promoting relaxation and productivity.* Made with HARPA AI
I must be dumber than I thought, because this looks way too complicated for me. I get up, I have coffee and I go to work. If it works for you, that's great. I am a man not an algorithm. Plan to improvise.
You must work in a routine job without ambition to do something more with your life, fine if that's all you want. Consistent achievement and success though requires extensive planning.
@@jeran881 both sentiments are true. Strategy is important. The ability to improvise is important. If you are limited to one or the either then you are already at a disadvantage.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s so relatable how every summer, you step away from your system thinking you’ll reinvent the wheel, only to rediscover how reliable your tried-and-true planning method is. That cycle of drifting toward shiny new tools or ideas, and then realizing simplicity often works best, is something so many people can identify with. It’s like a reminder that consistency often beats novelty when it comes to productivity.
The emphasis on having a “core document” is a game-changer. Writing everything down-not just tasks but values, strategies, and overarching plans-takes so much mental pressure off. It’s interesting how you frame it as “rooted productivity,” where everything branches out from a single source. That concept of returning to a centralized system, especially after feeling overwhelmed, is a practical takeaway for anyone juggling complex projects.
What stood out most was how flexible the system is. It can scale up during busy, high-stakes seasons or simplify down to the basics when life gets tough. That adaptability is rare in productivity methods, which often feel rigid. It’s also inspiring how it ties back to living in alignment with your values-turning productivity from just getting things done into something much more meaningful.
Finally, the “shutdown complete” ritual is such a small but powerful habit. It’s not just about work-life balance; it’s about intentionally transitioning into rest and trusting that everything is captured. That level of trust in your system really highlights how important it is to avoid mental clutter and focus fully on what matters in the moment.
I love how Cal breaks down his planning system. It really resonates with me. Speaking of organizing, I just started using Astirna New Tab, and it's a game changer for keeping everything in one place.
Cal Newport's Planning System (In Detail)
Core Systems
Below are the summaries of the three main categories that contain the elements of my core systems: core documents, productivity, and discipline
Core Documents
Values
My roles and the values by which I try to live each of them.
Career and Personal Strategic Plans
I have one plan for each of thee two parts of life that lays out my current thoughts, experimental systems, and plans for living them true to my values. Sometimes these will also link to an extended plan when I have a big enough, long enough pursuit that might need its own space.
Maintenance
I review my values once a week and create a value plan for that week with notes about what to emphasize and perhaps experimental habits/rules to try out that week to help keep my closer to my values. Include best practices for mental health in the value plan.
I review my strategic plans (and extended plans) once a week, preferably when doing my weekly plan. I can tweak them at any time, but I try to give them major overhauls roughly once a semester (fall, winter/spring, summer)
I sometimes maintain an idea notebook and/or digital idea storage system keeping thoughts on values and strategic plans. I should review this in detail, at the very least, when I do my strategic plan updates.
Productivity
I deploy weekly and daily planning.
Each week: build a weekly plan based on a review of my strategic plans, my calendar, my task lists, and my value plan.
Each day: Review my weekly and value plans, as well as my calendar. If it’s a weekday, build a time block plan. If not, sketch a looser plan.
I have clear work shutdowns with a shutdown complete ritual. Make a rough but intentional plan for the time that follows the shutdown.
I practice full capture of tasks. This includes processing captured tasks during shutdowns.
Discipline
I maintain in my strategic plan(s) an evolving list of core disciplines (behaviors, habits, activities) that I follow as strictly as possible to lay a foundation for a deep life. Sometimes I track my execution of these disciplines with metrics.
goat
The book mentioned is Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday. 😊 thanks for sharing Cal!
Downloaded an Amazon sample. Thanks!
I've been looking to refine my planning system and implement more of the tools from your books, so this video came just in time! Thanks Cal
I check this video every six months. so easy, yet so Important.
Conceptually sounds great. Getting to a point where "it all clicks" seems like a long journey, which is fair, gotta put the work into it. I just find hard to bridge the gap - from watching this video to a functional system - as this is not a deep dive, but really an overview.
What's your bottleneck? There are courses like LyT and Vicky Zhao does some free short stuff explaining these MoC concepts and they aren't really deep dives either unlike Scott Scheper's AntiNet, Cal really doesn't do deep dives. He's more an academic professor doing Huberman level types of analysis with less references so that the youtube vids are shorter, compact, more precise and easier to digest.
Its a 18 minuten video that is detailled in a giga book he already wrote. If it was able to be summarized in an 18 minute video he wouldnt have written the book as thick as it is
This system works because it encompasses doctrine, strategy, operations and tactics - the four kinds of decision making that are needed for success for any unit, be it a person, team, organisation, community, army, nation, etc.
What's the distinction between strategy, operations, and tactics? srs question. ✌️
@@deadsharkisartIn business usually the Strategy is the overall goal, Ops is the “method”that encompasses the details of the plan, and Tactics are the plan in action. OP might have a better organized explanation
Strategy: have the most consistent kitchen in the city. Consistent good food will bring more guests more frequent - more more = we sustain as a business. Operations set the stations up for success- balance the kitchen so no one station can bring others down. Tactics give each station a prep list - a list of items to have at the start of service to hold down their station and back ups they should have …? would this be what you just said in motion if I was running a kitchen as the exec chef?
Is this from a book?
I've been working on myself a lot lately and think this is the best way to formalize and make yourself accountable of your own system. I'm definitely going to incorporate Cal's system into my own.
As for note taking, which was not deeply touched in this video, I recommend Tiago Forte's PARA system. It's being game changing for me.
This is what I've been missing from strictly GTD. I have just never been able to see the big picture, and when I attempt to try (like nesting projects inside a value) it just feels too stressful. Thank you for sharing.
I'm always pleasantly surprised by the overlap between Cal's work and other peoples. Seeing good systems evolve from multiple people indicates that there is some value there.
Very helpful to have you explain this and to see the document. More like this please! Thank you!
Thanks Cal, new to your channel and hadn't seen yet how you piece your time-blocking daily into your bigger picture / weekly planning / larger horizons - for someone who has never had a system like this, I'm drawn to this out of necessity (my company grew, I had to evolve somehow) and the biggest challenge and benefit from this type of system is managing context - I don't yet understand why context is so challenging, when switching between various contexts - big picture, to small detail, to value-based, to weekly goal / objectives - but without some sort of structure , for me, it's impossible to manage these parallel and ever-moving contexts - I've started using your time-blocking just this week, on paper - vs my online calendar, and the paper simplfies, is cleaner somehow - as you said in another video, less clicks to input or change, it's on hand next to you as a support tool while the daily challenges arise and keeps us on track. Prior to seeing this video I'm also articulating this into a written document - I build software, and for that work the same crystallization occurs in writing down something - so I understand your perspective and will create my own from your share. Much appreciation
I enjoy hearing these ideas but I find it hard to put it into practice. I could use specific examples for each document or plan to help me understand it. Thanks.
100% agreed that this system is amazingly useful. I need this for working more consistently at home with less anxiety.
What do you use? Notion? Paper?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 *🧠 Organizing Life System Overview*
- Cal Newport shares his system for organizing life, emphasizing the importance of sticking to a consistent planning system over reinventing it.
- Cal's planning system revolves around three main categories: Core Documents, Productivity, and Discipline.
03:13 *📝 Core Documents*
- Core documents consist of values, career and personal strategic plans, and maintenance routines.
- Cal emphasizes the importance of regularly updating these documents to align with personal values and goals.
07:42 *⏰ Productivity Planning*
- Cal outlines his approach to weekly and daily planning, influenced by strategic plans and personal values.
- His productivity system includes time blocking, clear work shutdown rituals, and thorough task capture for stress management.
11:12 *💪 Discipline Implementation*
- Cal discusses the necessity of maintaining core disciplines to support a deeper life.
- Tracking metrics and periodic adjustments are integral parts of his discipline system.
14:25 *🔄 Flexibility and Trust in the System*
- Cal apologizes for straying from his established system, reaffirming its effectiveness and flexibility.
- He encourages viewers to adopt his system, emphasizing its ability to handle complexity and promote relaxation and productivity.
Made with HARPA AI
Thank you for providing this. (Now can you come and implement this for me too? :-) )
Thank you for this summary. Also, you let me know about a new AI tool. It seems to be powerful.
Thanks😊
thank you!
Other than your contribution being tremendous - Great marketing technique ;)
he should write a small book that capture his productivity system. i feel like his total system is spread out over 4-5 videos
what are the videos?
@@nigelmphisa
ruclips.net/video/eff9h1WYxSo/видео.htmlsi=znqX3ne5qIcFEidN
ruclips.net/video/ncbNk2MX8yk/видео.html&ab_channel=PortfolioBooks
Waiting for those videos
@@IsaacSomuah Look for yourself or you're NGMI.
I saw somewhere that when you have troubles to sleep, to start saying in your mind random unrelated words till you felt sleep. It works wonders for me so I hope it helps you. That and to wait 3 hours before my last meal to go to sleep.
Great video but it would be amazing to have new book that explains his whole system.
pure gold.
Excellent info, thank you. I will draw up a document like this for myself this week. It's very straightforward. I'm already working on deep work and timeblocking.
Values - like the Franklin system (before Covey bought them).
is there a full in-depth guide to this system?
Thanks for sharing this with us. Is there any chance that you publish this document and maybe another of the mentioned documents?
I like how he places Values at the top of his system - wasn't expecting that...
Being productive is meaningless without alignment to your values
What did he teach in the video
YOU ARE AWSOME!!
Fighting those redundancies myself right now. Thanks for the video! Great, as always!!!
I’m curious about your strategic plans…are they goals? Projects? Can you elaborate some more?
I interpret this to be something similar to the active voice scripting described by the author of Maybe It's You. She encourages you to pick a life area (health/fitness, career, romantic relationships, etc) and write what your ideal would look, feel, smell like. Using active voice as if it is already yours. Using that ideal as frame of reference, we can work backwards to craft a plan or strategy to accomplish our goals. I imagine Cal has a lot more structure and specific checkpoints or metrics to get from point A here to point B there, but this is my guess.
Would also love to see him elaborate on this aspect of the planning and organization system. I found this video quite helpful
Exquisite video! FWIW two thoughts:
1. My breakdown/representation for this is Plan, Produce and Perfect (I'd have to think a little longer for ones beginning with Cs).
Plan: being the set of Values, Career Strategy and Personal Strategy documents etc, along with a method for ideas capture.
Produce: being the activities that use the above to get coin and make hay. Maintenance process for the above, as well for developing and digesting the weekly value plan, weekly activity plan, daily time blocker and working memory documents. Full capture etc.
Perfect: namely foundation disciplines in the form of routines and habits that form the foundation for any good life; health, friendships, mastery and associated contribution.
2. Do you have the inclination to critique other methods, namely "The bullet journal method"? Perhaps keeping the critique structured to how it meets or fails to meet requirements you set out in other videos?
It's great, man!
This is next level
Thanks for sharing this! Going to get this one done by this week.
The key idea of the video is to use a three-part system of core documents, productivity, and discipline to align life goals with values and increase productivity, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining core documents and strategic planning.
📅
00:00 The speaker shares their struggle with getting organized for the fall semester after a lax summer, but finds comfort in their standard planning system.
📝
02:28 Plan your life and increase productivity with a three-part system that includes a core document, following the speaker's instructions.
📝
04:01 The lecture discusses the three main categories of core systems: core documents, productivity, and discipline, with a focus on aligning life goals with values through a maintenance system.
📝
06:49 The speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining core documents and strategic planning to ensure productivity and keep values at the center of their life.
📝
10:08 Manage stress with trust, organization, and discipline by writing things down, using a calendar or task list, and setting hard boundaries for core disciplines.
💻
12:11 Use a flexible system to capture all aspects of your life and give it a try for a month to feel more relaxed and productive.
📝
15:25 Repetition and explicit discipline can help with understanding and trust, while Sisson and Rogan discuss their intense sauna routines.
💪
17:54 Speaker does resistance exercise in a barrel and takes ice bath as part of disciplined routine.
How can I get clarity on building a weekly plan? I don't get what he does. Maybe it's semantic (the word "plan"). Does Cal mean . . . a weekly vision?
Can you upload the document so we can take a look at it? Maybe the Root document only?
Isn't it like GTD's weekly and monthly review?
Is not it too many documents? I need then index of these documents. I think a sample document can help to visualise what is suggested, not just a set of instructions.
Are you actually writing down your daily tasks on paper? Or What tool or software do you use to keep tracking if your tasks on daily basis?
I love your videos but I am finding it overwhelming to know where to start because there are so many. Could you make an introduction playlist.
I am also feeling overwhelmed on where to start.
Start from the book, where he introduces this systems
@@ompatel9298 which book? he has several it sounds like
love this! Thank you for sharing :)
Where should I start? Which book? Is this written down somewhere?
So great! Thank you!
Does Cal have a separate list of the episodes where he uses visuals?
How do you differentiate your task list and active projects/holding tank? Or I should ask, how do you make use of them? Thank you.
Is this document available somewhere?
Here ya go:
Cal Newport's Planning System (In Detail)
Core Systems
Below are the summaries of the three main categories that contain the elements of my core systems: core documents, productivity, and discipline
Core Documents
Values
My roles and the values by which I try to live each of them.
Career and Personal Strategic Plans
I have one plan for each of thee two parts of life that lays out my current thoughts, experimental systems, and plans for living them true to my values. Sometimes these will also link to an extended plan when I have a big enough, long enough pursuit that might need its own space.
Maintenance
I review my values once a week and create a value plan for that week with notes about what to emphasize and perhaps experimental habits/rules to try out that week to help keep my closer to my values. Include best practices for mental health in the value plan.
I review my strategic plans (and extended plans) once a week, preferably when doing my weekly plan. I can tweak them at any time, but I try to give them major overhauls roughly once a semester (fall, winter/spring, summer)
I sometimes maintain an idea notebook and/or digital idea storage system keeping thoughts on values and strategic plans. I should review this in detail, at the very least, when I do my strategic plan updates.
Productivity
I deploy weekly and daily planning.
Each week: build a weekly plan based on a review of my strategic plans, my calendar, my task lists, and my value plan.
Each day: Review my weekly and value plans, as well as my calendar. If it’s a weekday, build a time block plan. If not, sketch a looser plan.
I have clear work shutdowns with a shutdown complete ritual. Make a rough but intentional plan for the time that follows the shutdown.
I practice full capture of tasks. This includes processing captured tasks during shutdowns.
Discipline
I maintain in my strategic plan(s) an evolving list of core disciplines (behaviors, habits, activities) that I follow as strictly as possible to lay a foundation for a deep life. Sometimes I track my execution of these disciplines with metrics.
@@Nemthel42 you're my hero of the day!
@@Nemthel42 you're the best
@@Nemthel42 Thank you
@@Nemthel42 Thanks a lot
Thank you for sharing this!
Very nice system
Skip to 3:00
Great video! Do you use any type of Kanban board or "cards"-based system to mange these tasks and projects? I'm a big fan of Jim Benson's "Personal Kanban"-book and approach. But sometimes I find it hard to balance that type of approach with what you're describing here.
I think he uses different trello-boards for each professional role to capture the tasks.
Great ideas! How do the "quarterly plans" fit in this framework?
Which of his books discusses multiscale planning in detail? It's not in Deep Work
Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday (stoic virtues series)
Is there a way we can get this file or something similar?
Hey Cal, do you have a template for this in a PDF or Word document?
Drafting my own version this weekend and w0uld love to have something to go off of.
@@Random_shyness thanks dude! What app or plugin did you use to transcribe? I didnt think to do that for this video.
This Getting Things Done with daily time blocking which isn't inconsistent with GTD principles.
thank you
So, is the weekly plan a written document? Or a timeblocked calendar? Or both? I know you timeblock on your calendar, but I'm curious if you write out a weekly plan aside from your weekly value plan. Thanks
I guess it is a typo in the maintenance subsection. Cal might mean updating value each week and creating a *weekl*y plan based on value, strategic plan, calendar, and to-do lists.
Super late reply but in an early podcast episode he reads out his weekly plan and it’s basically a written paragraph of what he wants the week to go like
@@Daniel_McDougall The weekly plan. It's like a mini-essay?
Weekly plan done on Sunday or Monday?
It's just up to you.
I have a lot of trouble when I try to adapt these concepts to my life/work, where I'm not my own boss and dont have that much flexibility... oh how to live whilst working, and not living to work?
amazing
In the Catholic spiritual tradition, this would be called a 'rule of life' or horarium. Nice to see modern psychology catching up ;)
Hey Professor, is this strategy work for ADHDers as well?
Love it
I never knew Jason Bateman had a RUclips channel dedicated to productivity 😂
How can i download the pdf
Does anyone know if Cal Newport has shared his best practice for mental health?
Yeah, get off of social media. Exercise and good diet. You’re welcome.
Do you mind sharing this document online?
What is the name of the digital storage system that you use, Subsidian? You used to use Workflowy and I think you no longer use Workflowy. You have always used Moleskine.
It's Obsidian, I use it too 👌it's great.
@@nataliaramirez1078 Thank you very much!
@@selinylmaz7418 Where in the video does he mention it?
Found it myself, 7:02
I still love Workflowy! I had a planning session last night with the other leaders in my organization on Zoom. One of them asked if I was taking notes, and asked for them. I copied and emailed them as soon as the session was over.
It is interesting how phrases like "lean into that" have made it into your vocabulary.
I love it it's very simple.
Great video, but I do have a little pet peeve with calling a 15 minute RUclips video a "deep dive". Keep up the good work.
Is the strategic plan for the year or your life time plan?
What about having one life time plan (updating it once at the end of the year), and from there create the year plan?
I just think something like that could work.
Does this method work for Neurodivergent people?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 Cal *Newport addresses how he organizes his life, emphasizing the importance of his planning system.*
02:58 Newport *describes his three-part planning system that he has perfected over a decade.*
03:13 He *introduces the core document that summarizes his planning system, emphasizing the importance of having a central source for all information.*
04:10 Newport *details the core documents, including values, career, and personal strategic plans, and how he maintains them.*
07:42 Productivity *is discussed, focusing on weekly and daily planning, with Newport emphasizing flexibility in his approach.*
09:46 Newport *outlines the importance of clear work shutdowns with a ritual and the full capture of tasks for stress management.*
11:12 The *discipline category is introduced, highlighting Newport's evolving list of core disciplines to establish a foundation for a deep life.*
12:52 Newport *suggests tracking disciplines with metrics, emphasizing their role in supporting various ambitions and lifestyles.*
13:06 He *concludes by expressing trust in his system and encourages viewers to try it for a month, noting its flexibility and effectiveness.*
Made with HARPA AI
This is all fairly abstract without some specific examples, and as such doesn’t mean much concretely or explicitly.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 *🗂️ Cal Newport addresses how he organizes his life, emphasizing the stress he faced before realizing the importance of his planning system.*
02:17 *🔄 Newport stresses the value of sticking to his tried-and-true planning system, which he's honed over a decade, rather than constantly seeking new methods.*
03:13 *📑 Newport's planning system revolves around a core document, which outlines his values, roles, and strategic plans for both personal and career aspects of his life.*
05:36 *🔄 Newport maintains his core documents by updating them regularly, with weekly reviews for values and strategic plans, ensuring alignment with his goals.*
07:42 *⏰ Newport's productivity system involves weekly and daily planning, influenced by strategic plans, calendars, and task lists, promoting flexibility in organizing his time effectively.*
09:46 *🛠️ Newport emphasizes the importance of clear work shutdown rituals and thorough task capture to maintain stress-free productivity.*
11:12 *📊 Newport maintains a list of core disciplines to establish a foundation for a deep life, often tracking them with metrics to ensure consistency.*
12:24 *🔄 Newport's planning system is flexible, accommodating both complex professional ambitions and periods of contraction during challenging times.*
14:25 *📝 Newport encourages viewers to adopt his planning system, highlighting its effectiveness in managing life's complexities and promoting relaxation and productivity.*
Made with HARPA AI
Can somebody summarise the video for me
I must be dumber than I thought, because this looks way too complicated for me. I get up, I have coffee and I go to work. If it works for you, that's great. I am a man not an algorithm. Plan to improvise.
Ooooo 😉
Difference between an amateur and a professional
You must work in a routine job without ambition to do something more with your life, fine if that's all you want. Consistent achievement and success though requires extensive planning.
@@NickSiekierski No plan ever survives contact with the enemy. Stay flexible or brake like a twig. "Be like water my friend. "
@@jeran881 both sentiments are true. Strategy is important. The ability to improvise is important. If you are limited to one or the either then you are already at a disadvantage.
in re: thumbnail - "everyday" is an adjective
Use Excel
how about spending time doing things instead of spending time on planning things?
Everyone is looking for a system…production is often overrated.
Have been rather enjoying your videos till now. You said y’ve been listening to Joe R*gan.🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
What a useless video. How th do you review your "values" periodically - your values should be permanent based on Biblical principles.
Without examples, this is useless vid
Good, but it's 5 mins of content over 20 mins of delivery.
Watch on double speed. Some people need the whole story
this is so complicated complicated things do not work
Bad
Bad start. Just jabbering for first minute.
BS