The second part of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport contains the rules and ideas for learning to work deeply. Chapter Four, Rule 1, is titled Work Deeply. When I read this chapter for the first time I was listening to the audiobook while jogging. I initially felt that the chapter title was trite. The title reminded me of the Steven Martin joke, “You can become a millionaire and never pay taxes.” After announcing the name of the joke, Martin states with a deadpan face, “First you get a million dollars and not pay taxes. When the tax person comes you tell them two simple words. You forgot.” (Link) Fortunately, Newport follows the title with ideas for avoiding the superficial and making space for deep work. 

There are several ideas that I want to highlight in this chapter.  The first is that attention and focus are finite AND consumable resources. You can use that resource on deep or shallow work but once used your reserve is diminished until it is recharged. If we think of our daily reserve of focus as an automobile’s gas tank; if we joyride in the car for hours we will not have the gas to pick Aunt Hilda up at the airport when her flight arrives. Taking a joyride, like shallow work is far easier than negotiating airport traffic. Deep work is hard while shallow work is often easier and designed with triggers to make it addictive and superficially more attractive. Newport points out that many signals draw our attention to shallow work and avoid deep work. One of the approaches I have been exploring to help maintain my reserve of focus leverages Stoicism. One of the Stoic principles is that individuals should focus their attention and energy on things that are within their control. By focusing my attention on things I can control, rather than on externalities I am better positioned to do deep work. 

My wife and I try to take at least one long hike in the woods each week. One of our recurrent observations is that disconnecting and being more in touch with nature recharges us. The walk improves our ability to focus even days later. Newport cites a study at the University of Michigan that supports our observations. Finding a way to recharge is important. As an experiment based on this chapter, I have been trying to draw a hard line between the business day and family time in the evening. The intent is to allow time for idleness so that I can recharge for the next day.  Newport describes his daily shutdown approach late in the chapter. I make sure I have my plan for the next day written down, turn off the laptop, and say “Mischief managed.” Sounds easy but it has not been. We live in a world that expects you to be always on. People send texts and expect you to respond. My younger brother went out of his way to call me to let me know my phone was set to do not disturb. I am getting better at accepting that the expectations of others are out of my control and should be accepted with equanimity (that Stoic Principle again). I can control the majority of the interruptions but that requires discipline. Who would have thought that you need discipline to generate space for non-work-related idleness? 

Newport states, “We have a desire to do shallow things but so does everyone else. It is like multiplying fractions.” Making space for deep work requires a mechanism for isolating yourself from distractions. Staffan Nöteberg’s books on Monotasking and Pomodoro (Monotasking was featured in an earlier re-read – https://bit.ly/3x1oVap)  have had a major impact on me. I leverage the short cycles of attention both books discuss to create a form of isolation that fosters deep work. I use a variant of Pomodoro when collaborating with others. We work together for a fixed period and then apart for a fixed period. At the end of the timebox we get back together, compare notes, resynchronize, and then repeat. This approach helps to avoid the “multiplying fractions” phenomenon Newport notes. This is an example of one of the routines I used to maximize what I can control which helps maintain time for focus. 

During this read, I decided to experiment with creating a routine for deep work. I am currently a morning person. I use the word “currently” purposefully, at one point in my life I was not. To pursue an opportunity I changed my body’s rhythm. I am better at focusing before noon. To create space for concentration, I block my calendar before 10 AM and am very picky about meetings before noon. It isn’t perfect since I occasionally break “my” rules to help with important or urgent work. Because I have a routine, I make a conscious choice rather than immediately saying yes to every potential interruption. I am still working on quieting the automatic interrupters. One powerful technique I use is the simple mechanism of blocking my calendar. It is fairly effective but tends to piss off at least one person per month who feel that they have a right to my time. Note, that the people who get angry aren’t those with a contractual or familial lien on my time. This is my process and it is evolving based on context. Newport describes several other approaches ranging from the monastic to the ad hoc. 

Which approach works the best for you?

Experiment Update. This week I am working on equanimity (another reference to Stoich philosophy). My focus routine includes  1- 2 hours every morning for a long jog (or walk) with or without the dog. For half the run, I turn off the book I am listening to and think. It is just me, nature, the cars on the street, the occasional human (4:00-ish), and my thoughts. The past week has been peppered with early-morning thunderstorms. I do not run when there are high winds or lightning which has thrown my whole process off. Faced with this adversity, I have mentally modified my process to include an alternative. When I can’t run, instead of sleeping in or listening to the news, I repurpose the time for writing or research. While I can’t control the weather, I can control how I react.