id: deepwork title: Deep Work previous: ewt next: habits date: 2021-02-27 ---

## Deep Work

So often I try to do a lot of things at the same time. Answering emails while working, putting on a movie or show while studying, or even just bouncing rapidly between a few productive tasks. We refer to this as multitasking and feel that it makes us more productive. But what this really makes us is busy and little else. We refer to this as multitasking and feel that it makes us more productive. But what this really makes us is busy and little else.

In his book Deep Work Cal Newport outlines the cost that this sort of thing has on knowledge work, in particular. Whether it is; writing a book, running experiments in a lab or any sort of cognitive task in between, the bane of actual productivity is distraction. Back in the days before global connectivity and the internet, it was easier to make time for for long periods of uninterrupted work. Writing by hand on paper is an inherently solitary activity that offers no direct path to doing anything else. As I am writing this I notice again and again that I am struggling not to pick up and check my phone. Is there an email or message that has come in since I last checked? Anything new and interesting on Reddit or Youtube? These thoughts constantly intrude and pull me out of writing.

I have been having some difficulties with writing this week and that makes those urges doubly present and more difficult to ignore. It is often a problem that I am not aware of and results in a fairly significant cost in the long run. The internet is a fantastic thing but this is one area where it works against us.

Deep work is a term used by Cal Newport and he defines it as: “Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.” I am sure that everyone has experienced this feeling. you get really absorbed by a challenge or project and have no desire to do anything else for a long period of time. The idea of flow is often used to convey that particular feeling I mentioned above and while deep work will often increases the amount of time that you spend in a flow state that is not all that it is. Getting a stretch like this often feels somewhat like winning the lottery. In his book Cal outlines methods for learning this skill and applying it on a regular basis.

Cal argues that as distractions become more present and shallow work takes up more and more of our working time that the ability to work deeply is becoming more and more valuable and will help you stand out professionally. Shallow work is non-cognitively demanding tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create much new value in the world and are easy to replicate. He is very clear however that the shallow work needs its time as well. Those tasks need to get done but they are there to support the production that comes from deep work and can’t replace it.

At its core deep work is developing the ability to focus on a single task for an extended period of time. Cal Newport outlines four rules that he uses to help maximize the amount of this sort of time that he has.

### Rule 1: Work Deeply

This section covers adding routines and rituals to help minimize the willpower it takes to transition into and maintain a state of deep work. We can train ourselves to react in certain ways that will create a ritual that tells our mind it is time to work deeply. There is no one size fits all approach to this. you will need to develop your own ritual. He uses a couple questions to help figure out your routine.

Where you will work and for how long? Time limits help keep the process from feeling endless. Having a dedicated space you keep free of distractions will help you get into your work. I don’t have a dedicated office but I do have a desk (which unfortunately I also use when playing games on my computer), I try to make it tidy and put easy distractions out of arm's reach like my phone. Ways to deal with not having a set space come up in the later questions. I generally try and work for 1-2 hours at a time. I find that the first half hour or so is picking up steam and getting into whatever mental space I need to be in for the task at hand. This means that sessions of less than an hour are mostly preparation and little actual work.

How will you work once you start? Set the bounds for your work so that you don’t go off topic. Often it is easy to stray into something not directly related to what you are trying to accomplish without it being as obvious a distraction as opening youtube or checking your phone. Will you let yourself use the internet? fidget toys? what books will you open?, what programs are you allowed to use?. Setting these rules beforehand keeps you from having to make these decisions while you work. As a programmer I am almost always working on my computer and often need to look up a specific syntax or function. As I get more proficient this will be needed less but for now I use the internet often. I limit myself to using google only for looking up problems that I can’t find the answer to in a textbook and don’t have any game or chat apps open while I work (when I am doing it properly). I do keep a fidget cube on my desk as I find the urge to grab my phone almost overwhelming at times and it is something much less distracting to grab instead though I am trying to wean myself off of that as well.

How will you support your work? You need to be comfortable and ready to put in the effort that this sort of work requires. I take a five minute break every half hour to stretch my legs and move around a bit. I also like to have a cup of tea and avoid going into a work session hungry or tired. I also use music. This may seem counter intuitive, but blocking outside noises is useful. My work playlist is mostly the Glitch Mob. I find that high energy but not necessarily complex music works best especially not having vocals is key for me. I also only listen to them while working and therefore I have trained myself that when the Glitch Mob is playing it is time to work.

### Rule 2: Embrace Boredom

You can’t avoid distractions while you are working and succumb to them everywhere else in life. Our mind develops habits and if we are going to break them we have to work at it. Getting used to being bored at times is practice at breaking the habit of constant distraction outside of work time. Schedule the time that you are allowed to take advantage of things like social media that have a large temptation to distract. You can still enjoy them without constantly switching activities and being distracted. Resisting impulses is in and of itself an exercise in concentration. This lets you focus completely on developing that skill by practicing and accepting being bored without also trying to get meaningful work done at the same time. Scheduling internet use is helpful for this.

Boredom is something that I struggle with a lot. Reading, listening to a podcast, or just sitting and thinking is often interrupted by grabbing my phone or some other distraction. Walking outside with devices in my backpack as opposed to my pockets is helpful and having something else to grab from my pocket instead of my phone also helps. It is something that I continue to practice.

### Rule 3: Quit Social Media

Social media is often the vehicle for a lot of distraction. This does not mean that there is no use for social media at all. It is a great tool and can be used to great effect but it also comes with a cost. Carefully analysing what platforms you use, why you use them, and if the benefits outweigh the costs is something that we don’t often do. The different platforms are all different tools. Just like every job does not need a table saw, not every task needs specific social media or any at all. Find the ones that concretely help what you are trying to do and avoid the rest.

I use Reddit but try to limit myself to my subscribed subreddits that contain targeted information and conversations for me. Linkedin is great for professional networking. I feel that the benefits from these two outweigh the cost, though there are times that I will take a break from them when they are starting to pull at my attention. When in doubt, take a break for a few weeks, to see if your life is improved or lessened by not having that particular platform.

### Rule 4: Drain the Shallows

This is where managing the shallow work comes in. When it dominates a lot of work time it costs a lot in productivity. Try to batch shallow work together so that it is not a constant pull on your attention. Cut out those tasks that are not actually providing a benefit. Check your email only at set times of the day and make sure that your replies preemptively answer some possible questions to reduce the length of email chains. Make yourself a little harder to reach so that only people who actually need to contact you take the time to get through.

I check email twice a day, once in the morning before I get to work, and once in the afternoon before I finish up for the day. This early in my career I think it is valuable to be accessible. I need to build a network and gain contacts and so do not make myself harder to contact but that is a conscious choice. I do take the time to try and craft emails and text messages to minimize back and forth and save time as a whole.

I can see the benefits Deep Work offers but I have certainly not mastered it yet. I find that I have periods where I feel that I am doing really well and then fall off the wagon for a few days or even a week. It does get easier the more that you do it

Deep Work is a very useful book and one of the ones that I return to the most often. It is a skill that is very rare today and is well worth developing. I certainly advise picking up a copy and giving it a read if you want to give yourself an edge in productivity.