What Is Deep Work? An Overview [How to Apply Deep Work]

If you’ve spent any amount of time on the internet, you’ve probably heard of deep work.

The idea is to do intense, focused work, usually completed in short sprints.

Deep work is not a fad

Deep work is how we get most things done at Software Blade. This content, for instance, is completed in short, intense sprints of work – not a long slog.

Here is our best advice for making your time count:

Stop tracking your hours

Work expands to fill time.

When you plan to work, say, eight hours, your projects tend to slow themselves down to fit that timespan.

Instead, focus on short bursts of distraction-free work.

You may be surprised how much more you get done.

Separate busy work from deep work

Checking emails and Slack messages is busy work.

One tip for doing busy work: Set a timer for 30 minutes.

Open your email and Slack and rapid-fire responses to as many messages as possible.

Don’t allow yourself to check messages outside of this window.

Afterward, take a break to mentally reset before going back to deep work.

Do fun stuff when you’re not working

For most people, a healthy balance of fun, healthy life activities alongside work is far more productive than a workaholic, 80-hour week schedule with no room to breathe.

To do good work, you need good rest.

It’s easy to get sucked into the black hole of Slack messages, email, and 12-hour days.

Resist the temptation – you’ll thank yourself later.

Deep Work: How to Develop the Most Valuable Skill of the 21st Century (PART 1)

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