How To Succeed In A Distracted World

QUOTE OF THE DAY

DEEP WORK

529 Words | 1 Min 55 Sec Read

Deep work is defined as ‘professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive abilities to their limit.’

These efforts create new value, improve your skills, and are hard to replicate.

• JK Rowling used deep work to complete the final book of her Harry Potter series, The Deadly Hollows.

In 2007, she needed to escape the distraction of screaming kids and barking dogs, so she checked into a suite in a five-star hotel in downtown Edinburgh, Scotland, where ended up finishing the last of the Harry Potter books here.

• Bill Gates used deep work in 1974 to programme the first version of Basic in just eight weeks. He would often collapse into sleep on his keyboard in the middle of writing a line of code.

The basic software that Gates wrote in eight weeks in a state of deep work became the foundation of a billion-dollar company.

So, how can you practice deep work for yourself?

Here are three deep work strategies that you can incorporate into your schedule to heighten your ability to focus and produce results that are hard to replicate.

First, schedule your distraction periods at home and at work.

Most of us allow ourselves to go online at any moment and check our phones whenever buzzes or dings, but doing so is training your brain to avoid deep work.

A day full of unscheduled distraction is training your brain to give in to any and all distractions to build your tolerance to avoid distraction.

You need to place boundaries on your distraction, have a notepad nearby, and put down the next distraction break. You'll have to hold your focus until that time.

At first, it's going to be painful, but remember that doing this is effectively doing the reps that build your ability to concentrate.

Second, develop a rhythmic deep work ritual.

Cal says the easiest way to consistently start deep work sessions is to transform them into a simple, regular habit.

The goal, in other words, is to generate a rhythm for this work that removes the need for you to invest energy in deciding if and when you're going to go deep.

For people who are not seasoned at doing deep work, it's best for them to have a reoccurring time each day or each week to go into deep work.

Early morning is typically the best time to do this because at that time you typically don't have to deal with incoming requests.

Which could be the reason behind why a lot of successful people tend to get up extremely early.

The third strategy to cultivate deep work in your life is to have a daily shutdown.

Cal recommends that we incorporate an evening shutdown into our daily routine.

An evening shutdown ritual involves making a plan to complete any unfinished tasks, goals, or projects. The following day, getting a series of steps lined out for the following day is enough to get items off your mind so you can disconnect for the rest of the day.

When you get things off your mind, you restore the ability to sleep well and do deep work the following day.

TAKEAWAYS:

The end of deep work is incredibly valuable because it changes your brain and allows you to produce innovative work that is hard to replicate.

Here are the 3 takeaway steps to getting into a state of deep work:

• Step 1: Schedule distribution periods.

• Step 2: Develop a rhythmic, deep work ritual.

• Step 3: Have a daily shutdown.

BOOK OF THE WEEK ⤵️

The book of the week is ‘Deep Work’ by Cal Newport, a book about how to achieve success in a distracted world and master the art of focus and deep undistrcted work. Check it out here.

CREATOR OF THE WEEK ⤵️

The creator of the week is @LiamPorritt, a corporate lawyer who makes content around how to work smart, find balance, and ultimately be happy. Go check him out.

LESSON OF THE DAY ⤵️

Every 3-6 months, it's smart to take a step back and see if you are still on the path you chose to pursue, or if you changed directions to pursue the path someone wanted for you.

ARE YOU SICK AND TIRED OF US?

We get it, for some the daily emails can be a lot but the last thing we want is to lose you as a subscriber because of that.

So we came out with an alternative - The Kaizen Weekly.

One hard hitting edition a week, every Friday.

We both know you need The Kaizen in your life and whether thats once a week or once a day, thats up to you.

If you want to change your preferences, check out this link:

CHANGE TO THE KAIZEN WEEKLY

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here

Got any questions or thoughts about this edition? Send us an email at [email protected]