Deep Work: How to Immerse More in Execution
In the previous two pieces, we discussed why capturing and planning matter. Capturing clears a crowded mind so you can enter execution without stray thoughts. Planning quickly reminds you what to do, reduces wasted time, and helps you focus. For details, see the articles below.
- The Importance of Recording to Clear a Crowded Mind (feat. Second Brain)
- The Importance of Planning for Fully Focused Execution
Ultimately, both capturing and planning are preparation for deeper execution. In this article, we look at specific ways to achieve stronger focus and higher performance through deep work.
Why deep work is necessary
Cal Newport, author of Deep Work and a computer science professor at Georgetown University, wrote the book after describing how intense focus led to outsized results in his own work. He defines deep work as professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive abilities to their limit. In other words, it is the skill of creating an environment for focus on what matters and then immersing yourself in it.
When was the last time you focused on a single task for more than two hours? We now live amid constant inputs. Smartphone notifications, social media, and online content interrupt us again and again, making sustained concentration harder each day. You might open your phone during work, glance at social media for more than ten minutes, or find your eyes repeatedly drawn to alerts. This happens many times a day.
At the same time, the pace of change has accelerated to a level that demands fast learning. With the rise of generative AI, major tech companies announce new models frequently, and tools have already advanced from simple chat to image and video generation, even real-time interaction with models like GPT-4o. In such conditions, deep work becomes a vital strategy to reclaim focus and maximize productivity. It helps you step back from the firehose of information and acquire new technologies more quickly.
Four principles for practicing deep work
The idea of deep work is attractive. Everyone has tried to achieve their best work in a distraction-free state at least once. In practice, it is harder than it sounds. The book explains four principles for making it real.
- Work Deeply
Environment matters. Willpower is not infinite; like a muscle, it gets depleted with use. Set up conditions that let you enter focus while spending as little willpower as possible. Practical approaches include the monastic strategy that removes everything except one goal, the bimodal strategy that clearly separates periods available for deep work from those that are not, the rhythmic strategy that builds a routine for daily immersion at set times, and the journalist strategy that drops into deep work whenever small openings appear.Personally, while working at a company, the monastic strategy is difficult to apply. I try to use a rhythmic approach by creating a routine and the journalist approach by leveraging spare moments. For example, I reserve a specific time in the morning to read or study before work. During work hours, meetings are frequent, so I use the gaps between them to focus on individual tasks.
2. Embrace Boredom
To raise concentration, stop relying on constant stimulation and make room for boredom, which here means intentional focus time. Rather than setting times when you cannot use the internet, explicitly set times when you will use it. Instead of defining only focus periods, also designate periods when distraction is allowed. Accepting more boredom in this way helps increase your ability to concentrate.
3.Quit Social Media (or Use It Intentionally)
Social media is often the biggest barrier to immersion in everyday environments. If you open your phone and tap Instagram or TikTok, thirty minutes can disappear quickly. Avoid using the internet for simple amusement. Evaluate how each network tool you use affects your goals, and keep only what clearly helps.
4. Drain the Shallows
Shallow work refers to low-cognitive tasks you can do while partially distracted. These activities do not create new value. Examples include replying to email, checking messengers, and browsing the web. The book also treats many inbound requests from others as shallow work.In reality, you cannot eliminate shallow work entirely. Some roles require frequent messaging or timely email responses. Even so, set a latest work time and aim to finish within it. Schedule a specific window for shallow tasks and process them quickly within that time so they do not expand and take over the day.