Rules that will simplify how you get a lot of work done.
Do you feel you are drowning under the things you want to do?
Do you never find the time to do your work?
Are you afraid you will never be a high achiever?
Do you need systems to get yourself in the right state of mind to create?
Let's talk about Deep Focused Work...
Cal Newport frames what deep and focused work is and defines it as:
"Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limits."
So how do you do it?
Distance yourself from social media.
Create time periods where you turn off Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.
In fact, in life, you should be ruthlessly discarding any site or app that doesn’t contribute to your quality of life.
I had my phone on airplane mode while writing this.
Give yourself a strict period of time to spend working.
This limits burnout and keeps you focused on your high-priority work.
Have a start and end to your workdays, take days off.
This is all about keeping your mental energy high.
I don't work past 8 pm and protect my sleep.
Use "dead time" to expand your mind.
Think commutes, exercise, cleaning, or other repetitive tasks.
Use this time to think about ideas, listen to a valuable podcast, or breathe and meditate.
Use this "dead time" to fuel your focus time, develop ideas and replenish energy.
Prioritize your work.
You can use the Eisenhower Matrix (Urgent-important vs. urgent-less important)
You can 80/20 a list of 10 key activities and pick the top 2.
Whatever it is, find a way to focus on the wildly important tasks first.
I make lists like this every Sunday.
Notice your shallow work zones.
Checking email, responding to group chats, tweaking your social media bio, or responding to news stories on Twitter. These are all examples of shallow work.
You will still do these but don't do them when your mental energy is high.
Work Smarter.
Bonus points:
- Doing your deep work at the same time each day improves output; I do my best work from 6-10 am
- Track, measure, and improve. See how long you can go without distractions, make it a game
- Your diet and media content intake will affect your concentration levels
Calling all:
-Leaders
-Executives
-Business owners
Are you struggling with your focus and self-productivity?
Do you feel like you never get time to do the essential tasks?
Maslow's hierarchy of needs applied to your modern working life.
A thread about self-actualization...
"Musicians must make music; artists must paint; poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What human beings can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization."
- Abraham Maslow
There are 5 levels to Maslow's hierarchy of needs: