A beginner's guide to deep work
Ohhh I might just make myself a cuppa. I stop writing mid email. I settle myself back at my desk. Where's my tea? Oops, must have left it in the kitchen. Right, what was I doing? Oh yes, that email. But I might just check one of the approx 10,437 tabs I've got open. Hang on, I might put a wash on, that pile of dirty clothes has been building up and I'm distracted. Then I'll really be able to concentrate. Okay, back at my desk. Urm, what was I doing?
WFH life isn't for everyone. But since the pandemic changed working patterns, we spend much more of our work-life at home. And now, we could be facing a four-day week (yes, please). A pilot scheme by 4 Day Week was so successful that the majority of companies continued with the programme after the initial end date.
On both counts, we really need to be better at getting down to it and being productive when we're actually on the clock. So I caught up with tech entrepreneur Alicia Navarro – founder and CEO of startup FLOWN, which creates ‘deep work’ resources – to find out if the concept of deep work might help me get my working hours in order – and mean I could potentially get the same amount of work done in four days as five...
What is deep work?
"It's like being in a state of flow: when you're so in the moment, that you aren't aware of time passing. When you're deep into something complex, and you're making connections and getting through meaty tasks faster and more effectively than you normally do. If you're immersed in a piece of writing, or a complicated spreadsheet, or working through some contemplative thinking... this is all deep work."
How does it work?
"Setting yourself blocks of time to do deep work absolutely works, and having that time boxed can give you that motivating push. But there's no one-solution-fits-all to deep work. Everyone approaches focus in different ways. The best thing you can do is experiment with your own psychology: try using live deep work sessions [which are available if you join FLOWN, free trial also available FYI] to see if that works for you.
"Many people swear by the Pomodoro technique, which is a 25 minute timer to get smaller tasks done. However, for proper deep work, you need a couple of hours, as it can take 25 minutes to get into a deep work state once you’ve been distracted."
How can I get myself in a deep work state?
"To get into the state of deep work you generally need an uninterrupted expanse of time, because if you're also attending to emails or Slack notifications or in-person conversations, you'll never get into that deep flow state you need. To get that uninterrupted expanse of time, you need to prioritise deep work into your day, so that the "shallow work" – emails, calls, chores – doesn't fill your entire day.
"You know when you finish your work day sometimes, and you feel like you've achieved nothing, but you haven't actually stopped working all day? Usually that's because you've prioritised shallow work. Often, our best days are when we know we tackled something complex, and got it done. Deep work is about reorganising the way you work so you feel this way every day.
"Deep work prioritises challenging tasks, and working on them in a focused, distraction-free manner. Distractions are everywhere, you can’t escape them. But we can train our brain to resist them. Rituals help – rituals are habits or routines that you repeat regularly with intention. Come up with your own deep work ritual that you repeat whenever you want to get into a deep work state (for example, setting a timer or moving to a different space). With repetition and intention, you’ll train your brain to focus when you commence this ritual."
Tips to achieve the best deep work space
"One of the best ways to achieve deep work is to get away from your day-to-day. This means deliberately going somewhere else – perhaps somewhere close to nature – to work on a particular project. The reason this is so effective is that by making the decision to go somewhere different, your mind focuses more deeply on the task, and makes it easier to get into a deep work state. Also, changing one's environment is a key ingredient to boosting your mental powers and accessing creative reserves that may otherwise lie dormant when you are stuck in the same mental and physical space, day after day."
And what can you do in between periods of deep work? "The key to maintaining focus when you work is to deliberately not work between sessions. Play is vital: it's restorative as well as the source of creative spark, so play with your dog or child, do something silly, or explore a new idea with an inquisitive mind."
Can we get as much work done in a four day week?
"Great ideas often come when you're in the shower, or going for a jog, or talking to someone interesting. So, we recommend weaving these activities into your life to imbue your work with more energy. On an individual level, if you’re able to teach yourself to focus in bursts of time where before you might have spent too much time procrastinating, then a shorter work week is totally achievable."
Some practical tips:
Set the scene: light a candle, clear the space (piles of books and paper be gone), put a 'deep concentration' playlist on (there's loads of them on Spotify).
Move to a different part of your home – even if it's just to the other side of the same room, turn off notifications and get to it.
If you're in the office, block out some time in your calendar and tell your manager, then go off and find a quiet corner – perhaps book a room or one of those phone booths if you have them.
If you're at home, try putting on a different outfit, or brushing your hair and putting on some make-up to see if it gets you into a different mood.
If at first it doesn't work, try and try again. Good luck.
You Might Also Like
