In a world full of distractions, maintaining focus is a tall order. You've probably already gotten a new notification on your phone since opening this post on WEKU. Its Not your fault. The key to increasing your productivity and actually getting things done without Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram likes and group texts getting in the way is "deep work." It's a skill that will take some practice but will pay off big time.
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Adjective: DEEP
|DEEP|
Not easily disturbed or changed; big or strong • a deep breath • a deep sigh • a deep trance • deep concentration • deep emotion • in a deep sleep
(Adopted from my mobile dictionary)
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Noun: work
|wurk|
Activity directed toward making or doing something • she checked several points needing further work
(Adopted from my mobile dictionary)
DEEP WORK
The term "deep work" was coined by Cal Newport, an author and associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University. From one of his books, He describes deep work as the following: "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 skills, and are hard to replicate." Some examples include writing a book, creating music, or solving a difficult problem. In contrast, there is shallow work: "Non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create new value in the world and are easy to replicate." Examples include reading emails, filing expenses, and other easily checked items on your to-do list.
In our distraction-heavy society, Newport argues that the ability to access a state of deep work is becoming both more valuable and rarer. Spending more time in deep work than in shallow work is key to accomplishing more with your time.
Great, so you can do this by just blocking off time to only do the thing you're trying to do, right? Not exactly. According to Newport, the notification-heavy lives we live have trained our brains and reduced our attention spans. "You have to treat your attention with a lot of respect, like a professional athlete might treat their body," Newport tells Entrepreneur. Sharpening your deep work skills can be done with intentional practice focusing and removing distractions. The result, according to Newport? You'll be able to learn difficult things faster and create to the best of your ability.
(NB: all image soucred from Google)
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