There came a point a few years ago when I realized I had lost the ability to fully focus on anything I was doing. I couldn’t finish a news article, I’d get distracted while writing, I couldn’t go two minutes at the gym without checking my phone. I was always the sort of person who could fully concentrate on an idea or a project until it was finished. So what had changed?
Well, quite a lot.
For one, I was addicted to my phone. I’d grown accustomed to always being connect no matter where I was. I’d scroll twitter in the elevator, text in line at airport security, and watch youtube videos to fall asleep.
Plus, I was caught up in the constant need to be as productive as possible. My inbox became my biggest nemesis. I’d check emails all hours of the day and respond as quickly as possible.
Not to mention: social media, the constant distractions of being self-employed, television, and more.
I had a problem.
So, I fixed it. I read “Deep Work” by Cal Newport.
If you’re in the same state I was in, then this book just might be life-changing for you, too.
Newport coined the phrase “deep work” and defines it as follows:
“Activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limits.”
He favors deep work - intensive, thoughtful tasks that are difficult but worthwhile - such as writing difficult papers, books, skilled trades, and more, over shallow work, such as checking e-mail and scrolling social media. Reading his approach to his own work really shifted my own focus back onto mine.
Here were a few of my takeaways:
- Don’t spend as much time on social media. (I took this to heart and deleted all of mine at the end of 2019. More on that later this week.)
- Set your work hours and stick to it. Newport shows how he was able to maximize his productivity with deep work, while sticking to a strict work schedule which allowed him to still have time for other projects and his family.
- Recognize the shallow work in your life and work to avoid it. A main part of this was social media (see #1 above) but there were other aspects in my life, including watching mindless TV, checking my email too often, or even agreeing to commitments I didn’t want to be a part of. I eliminated distractions on my phone, starting saying “No” to things I didn’t want to do, and prioritized my time for the things that I wanted to be doing.
When I read a book or article I really enjoy I always make the attempt to reach out to the author and let them know. However, Cal Newport is really hard to get a hold of. He doesn’t publicize his e-mail and he doesn’t use social media. If you try to write him through his website chances are he won’t respond, and he likes it that way. I admire that - he has sought out seclusion for the sole purpose of pure, uninterrupted creativity and focus. Sounds like an incredible way to live, don’t you agree?
I have a long way to go on my “Deep Work” journey but it’s made a huge difference in the work I do and how satisfied I am with my efforts. I’m hoping to continue on this path to learn even quicker and produce at an even higher level.
If you’re anything like me, I’m guessing if you force yourself to recognize how you’re spending your time you’ll wish you’d read “Deep Work” a lot sooner and put it into practice. I know I do.
As Cal Newport says, “Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.”