Deep Work - Thank You Mr. Newport

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 During the last sixteen minutes of my flight from San Antonio to Dallas Lovefield Airport, I was listening to Cal Newport's podcast.  It was about deep work, a topic which garnered him well-earned fame.  His book on the topic has been translated into forty languages and the English version has sold more than a million copies.

He divided his podcast into three sub-topics: what deep work means; why we should embrace it; and how to do it best.  

Deep work is defined any work done for a period of time without switching to another cognitive task.  The focus on one cognitive task at a time is pivotal.  Shifting tasks works against us.

Let us think through an experiment below, which I adopted from a training video I viewed on You Tube to help me with my work for my work.  Look at the next two lines and follow the guide in the paragraph after the two line.

                        123456789

                        GOING HOME

In the first trial we start at the beginning of the first line and complete it to the end.  We do the same for the next line.  We take note of the time it takes us for each line and the total time.  In the next trial, we go 1G 2O and so on to mimic switch tasking or cognitive shifs.  The second trial ends up taking more time.  The experiment debunks one myth - we are good at muti-tasking.  By debunking that myth, it makes the case for deep work.

Although taken from a different work, this experiment neatly segues into Cal's second subtopic: why we should embrace deep work.  The habit of deep work lets us tackle difficult tasks with the requisite amount of energy, intensity, and focus.  This type of effort and staying power is required to deliver new products, improve processes within a company, or any innovative or major task.

Because it is a critical skill and habit, deep work needs to be done better or performed at a higher standard.  We need also remember deep work is like a habit or routine.  If we have been lax, we shouldn't expect ourselves to jump onboard and be shining successes.  Deep work takes dedication and the willingness to go through growing pain.  Once we build our new habit, managing ourselves will be easier.  Deep work may even be more enjoyable in addition to being rewarding.

I am deeply grateful for this podcast and expecting to go through the book soon.

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