Deep Work vs. Shallow Work
What are deep and shallow states of work?
So much change has quickly come about in the way we work and live our lives. We are being constantly distracted by a range of circumstances in our working environments. Take a hybrid or home worker as an example. You are working from home and the washing machine has finished, notifications are popping up on your phone, the door bell rings… one thing to the next, you are working around a plethora of distractions.
Here is the problem, working in this distracted style can cause us to work in the ‘shallows’, moving between one surface level task to the next.
Shallow work - described as “non cognitive, logistical”, minor duties are performed in a state of distraction.
Deep work - “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.”
In our modern way of working, it is difficult to access deep work. Streams of distractions such as replying to that urgent work email reduce our chance of staying in the deep.
What can help?
There are many things you can do to improve your chances of accessing deep work. It is a skill that requires development. Succeeding in this way of working will take practise and dedication and may be something to focus on with your coach, in order to increase awareness of your current distractions and work to eliminate them. Below are some ways you could get started on improving you deep work.
Schedule your deep work time.
Reclaim control over your work schedule and purposely block out sections of time. This requires planning, communication and above all, discipline. You may want to consider the best time of day for this deep work block. Some might prefer to block out a morning of afternoon, whereas others may need deep work on a project and will schedule two or more consecutive deep work days.
Tip: Start small, practise accessing deep work for 20 minutes per day.
2. Eliminate distraction.
Let’s presume that you have scheduled a block of deep work. What would cause you to fail in this? What distractions would pull you from the depths and back into the shallows?
Do whatever is neccessary to eliminate those distractions from your environment. Phones can be placed out of reach and on ‘Do not disturb’ mode. Your office door is shut, maybe a sign is hung on the front to prevent others from disturbing you. Maybe, you decide to book a private space entirely.
Tip: If there are streams of notifications popping up on your chosen device and you cannot stop them. Turn to the old fashioned pen and paper.
3. Prepare!
Fail to plan, plan to fail.
Communication is key. Co-workers/partners might feel a little put out if the first they know of your deep work session is a sign hung on your door like some teenager ‘Keep out!’. Ask yourself, who needs to know what you are doing? Can you have a conversation beforehand? Could those people offer you extra support with your endeavour if they knew the reasons behind it?
Prepare with a good night’s sleep. Prepare with food and drink beforehand if you think hunger or thirst could distract you.
Tip: Take a few minutes to write down all the ways you could possibly be distracted in the environement you have chosen for this deep work. How will you ensure those things do not succeed in winning your attention?
Last word.
Cal Newport - author of ‘Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World’ describes deep work as “the superpower of the 21st century.”. Deep work is not about working harder and longer, it is about working smarter. Train yourself to become a master of productivity and creating a space where you can devote yourself to high-value high-quality output.
Reach out if you want to improve your self-awareness around current working habits and want to craft your superpowers further.
