Thesis: “Deep Work,” the ability to sustain attention on a single problem, is both increasingly rare and increasingly valuable in today’s world.
I relate to the author’s observation that, in an environment where many colleagues might see your presence and output online rather than in person, this motivates people to do more high-visibility, low-value work, such as responding to email, rather than isolating themselves for periods to focus deeply on low-visibility, high-value work. Q: What kind of policy or agreement might exist in a company that would encourage workers to work more deeply?
One memorable analogy: just as a medieval stonecutter’s methods might seem primitive to us now, the craftsmanship of a cathedral still inspires awe and respect. In the same way, work itself may fall anywhere on [spectrum] of nobility, but the way in which the work is done has meaning independent of that.
Implementation Strategies
- Don’t rely on willpower. Instead, rely on routine and habit
- People will generally respect your right to unplug, provided that these periods are
- well defined, and
- well advertised.
- I’m adding a 3rd criteria, which is that you actually produce something valuable during this time
- Newport refers to a [spectrum] of possibilities, ranging from J.K. Rowling retreating in solitude to a hotel room to finish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, to Facebook’s “biggest open office in the world.” One encourages focus and deep work, while the other encourages collaboration and serendipity. In the middle was MIT’s office plan, using a “hub and spoke” model, or other offices using long hallways with isolated offices branching from it, which allow for both isolation, when desired, as well as meetings when walking down the long hallway to a kitchen or bathroom. Another middle point is the example of Bell labs, in which two researchers isolated themselves to collaborate on deep work (transistor research) together.
- Focus Deep Work time on the “wildly important.” It may be easier to do this by saying “yes” to these few things, instead of trying to say “no” to everything else.
Discussion Questions
- What “shallow work” habits or behaviors do you find yourself exhibiting? What “deep work” habits do you already use?
- What are the “wildly important” problems or outcomes in your work?