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Deep Work by Cal Newport: summary. Working in a distraction-free and high concentration work environment. Not only improves your skills. But it also allows you to achieve more valuable tasks in less time. 

Along with being the same Shallow Work Time, it also creates a distraction.  By reading this book, you can learn to achieve quality work in less time, which is called deep work. 

 

Author of this book.

The author of Deep Work:Rule for Focused Success in a Distracted World is Cal Newport, an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University. 

He has written six self-improvement books so far.  He also has a Study Hacks blog on Academics and Career Success which he started in 2007.  He’s a U.S. Seiten and was born on June 23, 1982.

 

Introduction of deep work by Cal Newport : Summary

By reading this summary or review of deep work written by Cal Newport, you will come to know that. We want success in a short period. For this, we do Sallow work instead of deep work. We emphasize quantity more than quality.

 

And sallow work and dependency on technology making today’s young professionals like some puppets. Who start multitasking in the process of handling multiple tasks and projects at once.

 

So that the quality which is called “deep work” does not come in their work. Deep work means deeply indulging in any work that your full focus is on work without any distraction. To be a master of one not a jack of all. 

 

This also means that today’s professional people should set their priorities. Between long term success and short term success.

 

Cal Newport is a teacher at Georgetown University and the author of this book. He also asserts that. The best way to protect yourself from the corporate race or success race.

 

You have to take a break from technology and social media. For a span and give yourself some quality time.  

Because he thinks that social media and technology is the main hurdle between you and your deep work.

 

You may use the time for evaluations of yourself or re-examine yourself. In that period, You can overview your shortcomings and trouble and do improvements in it.

 

 Deep work is important not only. Because distraction is a bad habit and a big stopper in the way of success.

Because it helps you to achieve your target in minimum time without compromise with its quality. 

 

Deep Work:Rules for Focused Success in a distracted world book is divided by Cal into two parts.

 

1. Part: the idea, which is sub-divided into 3 chapters,

2. Part: the rule, which is sub-divided into 4 rules.

 

 

Summary of part One: The chapters

Chapter One: Why is Deep Work Valuable?

 

If you want to achieve success and finished your task in less time and more qualitative. Then you have to follow the two things.

 

 1- Ability to learn difficult things.

 2- Ability to finish any important task with quality and speed. To achieve high-quality work

 

Cal Newport formulated an equation which is something like this:

High-Quality Work Produced = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus) 

 

This means if you want to do high-quality work in less time. You will have to do deep work. And for this focus is essential.

 

This is the difference between a successful and average person. Successful people know this equation very well.

So, by increasing their focus and producing quality work in less time. They easily achieve the target of deep work.  

 

But to do any focused work, we need to do that work deeply while avoiding multitasking. Because multitasking has become a routine in our lives today. 

 

Sophie Leroy, a researcher, believes that there is a thing called “Attention Residue”.  When you move from Task A to Task B without finishing Task A. It happens that our mind is still thinking about Task A at that time. 

 

And your thinking produces a hurdle to accomplish task B. Because your attention residue of previous task A will be still in your mind.

 

 So when you learn the techniques of deep work by Cal Newport (which are given in this summary) and apply them in your life, then you will be able to produce the highest quality work in less time.  

 

Chapter Two: Deep work is Rare.

Tom Cohen noticed that every day he spends an hour and a half just reading emails and replying to them. So he thought about it.

What is its effect on the company and what is the contribution of an individual in his company? 

 

So, he collected some details like all sent emails, typing speed, reading speed and salary of employees.

When he took it out of the analytical system and saw it, it was found that reading every email was worth 95 cents according to the labour.

 

Many companies like Facebook etc. are adopting the concept of “The Hall”, in which there is an open space office and each employee is given a separate cabin so that he can interact and share his ideas. 

 

But, It also distracts them as it keeps them out of their deep work zone. Often people confuse business with productivity.

Too many knowledgeable workers due to lack of clear knowledge about being valuable in their jobs and being productive.

 

They make the same mistake which is an industrial indicator of productivity: that is, doing too many things at once.

This is what many employees do. They start doing any work they read in front of them. So that they feel that they do a lot of work. And together.

As is the trend nowadays, the work which is related to the internet will be considered as productive. Deep work is becoming rare due to all these reasons. Which in a way is good news for you.

 

Because the one who can do deep work will complete productive work in less time. They will do it and will easily leave behind those who work with him.

 

Chapter Three: Deep Work is Meaningful.

Rick Fuhrer is a Black Smith. He is an expert in Ancient and Medieval metalworking practice. Which he painstakingly creates in his shop.

 

If he has to make a sword. Then it will take him 8 hours to make it by hand. And each time the hammer should hit only a specific point of the blade.

This type of work requires a lot of concentration and shouldn’t be any distractions. And you shouldn’t be surprised to know. Why this guy doesn’t have a Facebook account.

 

The ability to focus your attention on anything. Has a huge impact on the quality of your life. And it also increases your experience level.

 

Laura Carstensen uses an MRI scanner to check her patient’s brain activity. She wants to know. How a part of the brain is called the amygdala. Reacts emotionally to positive and negative images. 

 

But this doesn’t mean that older people were happier. Because they liked positive images more. But because their brains were rewired in a way that inspired them to appreciate positive things rather than negative ones.  

 

By managing their attention in this way. These people had improved this world a little for themselves. And did all this by changing their thoughts and not by any external change.

 

And it has also been proved that. Even small things that seem positive like email or meeting an old friend or talking about office policies. All these together build up an image in your mind.

 

It is so that you will feel how stressful, frustrating and depressing your life is. That is because. You have divided attention on all these small things.  

So always choose your target carefully and then put your full focus on it. In short, you should try to live a focused life which is the best. 

Chick – san – mehaaye is a famous psychologist who has proved with ECM (Experience Sampling Method ), ( a technique that records your feeling at a particular moment ) that

 

” The best moments are usually. When a person’s mind and body get completely focused to achieve some difficult and precious thing and in this state, he can be happiest.”

 

And by Cal Newport, this mentor state flows on which book can also be written.

 

Summary of part Two: The Rules

 

Rule #1: Work Deeply.

Eudaimonia Machine is a Greek concept about a room. Where humans can reach their full potential and an extremely focused state. This is a space, where you can do deep work.

 

This is a 5 room space. That is interconnected and to reach room no 5. You have to first pass through room no 1,2,3,4. But you can not bypass any stage of the machine.

You are given a little stress in the first room, it is said that the work you are about to do is important.

In the second room, A related curiosity is awakened so that you start thinking about them.

 

In the third room, you will find all the records that are necessary to complete your work so that when you start work

It is necessary to complete it so that when you start the work, you do not have to go to the end in the middle.  

 

In the fourth room, you write all the ideas related to your work on a piece of paper and the fifth room is soundproof and different.

 

So that no one disturbs while doing that work.  This is the room where the deep work happens.  You concentrate for 90 minutes and take a break for 90 minutes. So that you get the maximum benefit of the human brain.  

 

Unfortunately, this vision is far away from our current reality. Instead, we still find ourselves in open space offices. Where messages and emails from the inbox can’t be negated and meetings go on constantly.

 

If you want and according to this book. You are forced to do shallow work in a way. But if you follow the rules, then you can get the same effect in your work. As you would with a Eudaimonia machine.  

 

For developing a deep work habit you have to add routines and steps to your daily working life. That is designed to increase your willpower and help you to understand. What you need to do for the active high-quality work. 

 

Keep you in a state of mind in which. Your concentration will not be broken by using it in a minimized amount. 

Because willpower is like a mobile battery that gets depleted with time. Here cal Newport is telling you four such strategies that can take the mind to the stage of “deep work”.

 

1. MONASTIC APPROACH.

 

This strategy is based only on keeping yourself isolated from every distraction of life.  In this approach, you are like a monk/priest. Who keeps himself away from any kind of distracting thing.

   

Now as we take the example of Donald Knuth. He is very famous for his many innovations in computer science. Especially for the development of Analyzing Algorithm Performance.

 

Which is a very difficult approach. When you check his website at Stanford. You will find his email address will not be found.

 

Yes, there will be a note which reads “I am very happy since January 1, 1990, since I do not have an email address. I used email  till 1975 and I think 15 years of life is a lot.”  

 

To do email is a great thing for those people. Whose role in life is to be on top but not for me.

Because my role is at the bottom of things and by not using it. 

I get uninterrupted concentration and a lot of time. In which I can  study.” Of course, he didn’t isolate himself from the world as he gave his postal address. 

 

He said that his assistant keeps the letters sorted and they reply to the important letters. People who practice Monastic Philosophy have a well defined and highly valued professional goal. 

Which they follow completely and most of the credit for their professional success. Goes to follow this one thing very well.

 

2. BIMODAL APPROACH.

Sometimes it is not possible. We cut ourselves from the world. So in these circumstances, we can use this strategy.

Revolutionary psychologist and thinker Carl Jung adopted this strategy. He used to write in his room for a few hours in the morning and then while walking in the forest.

He used to think about it. What he would have written. And then later he had to go to attend his lectures. He also goes to the clinic to earn money.  

 

According to this philosophy. You have to divide your time. Out of which, some time slot is to be given only to that work. 

Which is most important for you. And in the rest of the time give your other work in your deep time.

 

This bimodal philosophy believes that extreme productivity can be brought from deep work.

But only when the person who does it works with maximum concentration. There is a state where there is a breakthrough in reality.

 

3. RHYTHMIC PHILOSOPHY.

 

As some people call it The Chain Method. A specific time can be selected for doing a particular activity every day.

Whenever you finish that task you have to put a big red cross on the calendar. Do this until you keep increasing the chain of red crosses.  

 

Don’t see what happened. Just keep in mind that this chain should not be cut.

 

4. JOURNALISTIC APPROACH.

 

When you are very busy the whole day. If yes, then you can follow this approach, act as a journalist. as soon as you get free time. 

Even if it’s half an hour, then you should do deep work, that means if you know that you will be free from 5 to 5:30.

If you are, then switch off your mobile and sit at an isolated place to complete your important tasks.

 

Rituals i.e. what action to take?  According to the book “On the Origin of Species”, Charles Darwin’s working life had a very strict structure.

 

Charles Darwin would wake up at seven in the morning to take a short walk. Then he used to sit alone and had his breakfast and went to study between eight and nine and a half hours.

 

For the next one hour, he used to check the letters of the day before. After which he used to study back from ten and a half to noon.

After this session, he took a round trip from his greenhouse to all his property and thought deeply about the ideas.

 

which he found challenging until he was satisfied with his thinking. Only after that, he used to declare his work for that day as the finish. 

 

Of course, Cal Newport does not say that you should do the same thing, but there are some things you should consider. 

Where will you work and for how long, think about it in advance? Because you will have to choose a location. Where you can do deep work and give effort. 

 

Once you start, think in advance about. How you will work on it? For this, you need rules and procedures so that your efforts can be structured. 

 

Like turning off the internet etc. So that your time is not wasted while doing deep work. And all this thinking does not drain your willpower battery.

 

How will you support your work? You have to make sure that your brain can get the support to go to a high level of depth.

 

For example, you can start yourself with a cup of coffee and think about everything in advance. So, that your mental energy is not wasted in thinking about it. What do you need at that moment? 

 

J.k. Rowling could not finish her last book in the Harry Potter series at home. Her deep concentration could not be felt due to. The barking of dogs, the noise of the children and even the noise of the window cleaner.

 

So, she kept a grand gesture and went straight to stay in a hotel. Which was expensive but there she found peace. 

Could have easily gone into deep work, when you invest to go to this state, then you get the benefit. Because you will only achieve something from it and will also avoid procrastination.

  

Should you work alone? Collaboration gives rise to new ideas and innovations, although your concentration should not be disturbed. 

 

Because of this, you may be inspired by others but be left alone to think deeply. Yes, if someone is going to think like you with you. Then the matter is different. Then you will get success. 

 

Execute like a boss. A big company like Intel has adopted a published research-based working strategy. The author of the research describes the CEO.

By describing what to do, how to do it and answering these two questions.

There is a lot of difference and it is called 4 disciplines of execution.

By Cal Newport, the same can be applied for Principal Deep work as well. 

 

Discipline # 1: Be focused. It will be easier to just “focus more on deep work” than achieve a lot of small goals. And there comes a lot of differences from motivation. 

 

Discipline # 2: Act on both Leg and Lead Measures.

 

You need a kind of feedback, for that there are two ways in which you can measure your performance. These are Leg Measures and Lead Measures. 

 

Let’s understand it with an example of Leg Measures and Lead Measures. 

For example, suppose you are a student and you are going to have a mock test. So the marks you get in the test are leg measures. 

 

Now because you have given the exam then you cannot change your marks. But it will give you important feedback according to your mock test result.

 

If you give 1 hour daily to your weak subject then. It is a lead measure. Because this technique will bring a lot of improvement in your future performance.

So to improve in any area. You need both leg measures and lead measures. 

 

Discipline # 3: Make a comparative Scoreboard.

Compared to this step you have to keep a record of your progress to get more success and increase your competitiveness.  

 

Discipline # 4: Be Accountable. To keep yourself motivated, keep checking your score every week, make it your regular habit.

 

Make yourself accountable for your task. Accept your loss and win with the same grace. If your win then it’s ok.

But if you lose shut everything down for a while i.e rest. So that you find time to regenerate yourself, can output your battery at work, and increase your performance.

 

Reason # 1: When you rest, your performance will improve surely. Whenever you are in rest mode. Your unconscious mind can handle complex and larger information better. 

 

Reason #2: It helps you to rewire your mind. so that you can work deeply and open your mind to explore new things.

 

Reason # 3: Most of the time your maximum energy gets used up while doing the work. Which will make you tired.

Then you will not be able to do your deep work. So for doing deep work you have to include a rest period in your task.

Rule 2: Embracing boredom.

There was a Jewish man. Who woke up every morning to read his religious book. Yes, concentration can be achieved by practising in the same way. 

 

We all have this ability but we don’t want to try.  But always keep in mind that while focusing. Keep taking breaks in between and not focusing while taking breaks. 

 

This will sound like an obsessive thing. But it is also true that this is why you get distracted. This is true. Because you included the rest period for improving your focus. So for this when you take a break.

 

You have to withdraw your attention from your existing work. And engage your attention in the work, which relaxed you, like music, talking with someone, and if you are alone doing mindfulness exercise.

 

Point #1: If you have a lot of internet usage in your work or you have to reply to many emails. Then this strategy can be useful for you.  

 

Point # 2: It does not matter. How do you schedule your internet intervals? But strictly you have to give some free time for yourself. In which there is no internet access at all. 

 

 Point # 3: In your home and office. If you fix that you will use the Internet only at a particular time. Then your concentration can be greatly improved. 

 

 

Rule #3: Quit Social Media.

 

“Baratunde Thruston” was called by his friends as “the most connected person in the world”. He decided to quit his online life for 25 days. 

 

It was only after the first week that he got used to it. The pace of his life had slowed down. But then after 25 days passed. he started living online again and this time more than before. 

 

So, it is not possible to leave anything completely and it is not a solution.  It is better that you keep using the internet. Considering the needs of today’s life. 

Sometimes it also benefits. Now take social media only. Sometimes it helps you to achieve some goal in life.

 

And if you look at it. It has many such benefits instead of its negative side. And then there is an 80-20 rule that 20% of your work produces 80% results.

So make sure that this. In 20% you invest the maximum of your time. So that the results are achieved at a Drastic level. Keep yourself away from the internet for 30 days and. if you think you live 30 days without using the internet.

 

If you go through fun or if people keep missing you for so many days. Then, of course, you can stay online again. 

And if it is not so, then keep distance from the internet. Write in a side note that you are going offline for a few days.

 

Usually, a man works 8 hours a day.  Which means it is free for 16 hours.  So why should this time be wasted just browsing the internet?

 

By Cal Newport, It is better to do a self-development experience. To avoid boredom, it can be decided in advance what you have to do in this free time. So, that you will be more efficient.

Rule # 4: Drain the Shallow.

 

A software company called ” 37 Signals ” did its working days from 5 to 4 and still. There was no difference in its production.  Some people will ask how this can happen?  

 

This happened because of the employees of this company. Gave a lot of importance to the time to finish their work. They had almost eliminated the Shallow work from their work.

 

And when you replace shallow work with deep work. You will see how you get extraordinary results. 

Of course, you have to reach your physical limit. As it has been seen in studies that 4 hours is the maximum time to do deep work. Yes, the matter of rare individuals is different.

 

By Cal Newport, if you do deep work. Then you can achieve it in 4 hours. Will take what other people achieve in 8 hours. 

 So what is Shallow Work?

 

By Cal Newport, shallow work is that in which your brain is not used much. In which you work while being lazy. And doing which you get distracted again and again.

 

Shallow workers don’t add much value to the world and they can easily be replaced.

To avoid Shallow Work, you have to stay away from everyone’s reach. This means that the sender.

 

Who sends you the emails before sending any email, valuing your time, will only send you those emails. Which are very important and which you will reply to only when you need to reply.

 

And if your replying or checking email does not suit audible time, then the first thing that email the ender will not send you emails at all so that you will be saved from unnecessary Shallow work. 

 

And as a replier, when you think deeply about what to reply, then your answer is clear, not by twisting, there is confusion in it.  

The second option is not to reply if you feel that: If you do not understand anything clearly in this, for which no one is answering you. 

 

If there is no question or proposal of your meaning in this. Nothing special is going to happen due to your “replying” and nothing will be harmed by “not replying”.

 

 

Conclusion

We learned in this summary or review of the deep work by Cal Newport the difference between deep and shallow work.

We also learned four ways of doing deep work in it which are the Monastic Approach, Bimodal Approach, Rhythmic Approach, and Journalistic Approach. 

 

And the most important thing that we learned is how to avoid the distraction of social media and the internet.

And if we apply all the rules of this summary, then there is no doubt that we will be able to spend more time with our family and friends even after working more deeply than before.

What will we learn from this book? 

Shallow work is easy but deep work is hard.

But it is valuable because in a limited time it gives you maximum productivity. In today’s fast-paced life, when we have less than 24 hours.

 

We can learn to utilize our work time in a meaningful way through deep work. This summary of deep work by Cal Newport adds some value to your life.

Who should read this book? 

 

The importance of this book increases in today’s busy lifestyle. This book can be useful for people of all ages, any businessman, student, working person or housewife can take advantage of this book because every busy person needs deep work.

 

So this is the summary or review of deep work:rule for Focused Success in a distracted world written by Cal Newport. Give you a blueprint for this book. Whether it is valuable for you or not.

Best of luck.

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