Deep Work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to produce high-quality work efficiently and is becoming increasingly rare — and valuable — in the knowledge economy.
Two Types of Work
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Deep Work: Professional, distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limits.
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Shallow Work: Non-cognitively demanding tasks that are often performed while distracted (e.g., checking email, social media).
Four Rules of Deep Work
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Work Deeply
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Cultivate focus with rituals and routines.
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Remove distractions (e.g., block social media, set time limits).
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Embrace boredom to train your brain to resist switching tasks.
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Embrace Boredom
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Practice being okay with boredom so your brain doesn’t seek novelty constantly.
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Don’t switch to distractions at the first sign of boredom.
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Quit Social Media
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Use tools only if they provide substantial benefit.
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Be intentional — don't let tech dictate your attention.
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Drain the Shallows
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Minimize time spent on shallow work.
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Schedule every minute of your workday, including breaks and admin tasks.
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Key Concepts
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Attention residue: Switching between tasks leaves part of your attention stuck on the previous task, hurting performance.
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Willpower is finite: Structure your environment to require less of it.
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The craftsman mindset: Focus on what you can offer the world (deep work), not what the world can offer you (passion).
Popular Techniques from the Book
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Time Blocking: Plan out your day in chunks with specific tasks.
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Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes deep work, 5 minutes break.
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Shutdown Ritual: End each workday with a clear break and a review of what's next.
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