I want to help you not just survive, but THRIVE in these crazy times. Here is your daily dose of inspiration – because if we set our compass right, we can sail through this!
“Deep work will make you better at what you do, let you achieve more in less time and provide the sense of true fulfilment that comes from the mastery of a skill. In short, deep work is like a superpower” – Cal Newport
Tip # 15: Set up a ‘deep work’ session
Today, set aside some time, anything between 30 min and 2 hours, for a deep work session. Choose 1 complex task that will really help move you towards your goals. Arrange that you will not be disturbed, turn off notifications, silence your phone and don’t check emails etc. You are going to allow yourself to think deeply and with focus about just this one project/task and make progress on it.
Psychologists talk about it as bracketing, others as deep work – I talk about it as living my life in columns – it makes me more present, productive and creative. What it means is to decide what you are prioritising right now and then do just that one thing. Everything that is important in life gets a column, then when I am in one column I am not thinking about the others. You eliminate distractions. Set aside all the other things that you could or should be doing, and give all your attention to this one complex task.
I highly recommend you give it a try, especially as an antidote to feeling either overwhelmed, unmotivated or unproductive. It gives you space to go deeply into one thing, enhancing your creativity and speeding up progress.
This is a tool for being present as well as deliberate about what you are prioritising. You will get more done, access more creative thinking and find yourself more energised as you move powerfully forward.
Recommended Reading
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep Work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship.
