Cal Newport

here in Washington DC down on the mall.

So for me, I can jump on the Metro where I live, go a few stops.

I'll get out like in Judiciary Square and maybe walk, whatever it is, third of a mile, half a mile down to the mall.

I sort of like that walk and it helps clear my mind.

It's not too far away.

All right, so I went to the National Gallery of Art.

My warmup routine,

I would go to a particular gallery within the larger art museum.

Like here is a room that has whatever Dutch still life paintings.

I would read an article about,

about either one of the artists featured in that gallery or the style in general, and then consume the paintings.

Let me look at these paintings, try to understand what's going on in light of what I just read about it.

This is a warm-up routine because now I'm consuming information that's stimulating my brain and putting me into more of an intellectual or contemplative state.

Then for the actual productive exercise, I have done this on a couple occasions.

Go down to the Cascade Cafe, which is in the basement of the National Gallery.

It's actually on the underground tunnel that's connecting the modern from the non-modern art wing.

You can see there's a waterfall that starts up top, and you can see the waterfall from the cafe.

And I get very bad cell service down there.

So you're effectively disconnected while you're down there.

Get a coffee, sit down.