Deep Work by Cal Newport (PDF)

STORYSHOTS Deep Work by Cal Newport StoryShots Book Summary and Review Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World  First published by StoryShots 2023 Copyright © 2023 by StoryShots All rights reserved. No part of this publica...

STORYSHOTS Deep Work by Cal Newport StoryShots Book Summary and Review Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World  First published by StoryShots 2023 Copyright © 2023 by StoryShots All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. StoryShots has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Disclaimer: This is an unofficial summary and analysis. It is not affiliated with, authorized, approved, licensed, or endorsed by the subject book’s author or publisher. 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Find out more at reedsy.com  Contents Preface iv Introduction 1 About Cal Newport 2 StoryShot #1: Unlike Shallow Work, Deep Work Increases Your... 3 StoryShot #2: Deep Work Is Valuable 4 StoryShot #3: Deep Work Is Rare 6 StoryShot #4: Deep Work Is Meaningful 8 StoryShot #5: The First Rule of Deep Work is to Work... 10 StoryShot #6: To Work Deeply, You Must Separate Life and... 13 StoryShot #7: The Second Rule is to Embrace Boredom 15 StoryShot #8: The Third Rule of Deep Work is to Quit Social... 17 StoryShot #9: The Fourth Rule of Deep Work is to Drain the... 19 Final Summary and Review 20 Rating 22 PDF, Free Audiobook, Infographic, and Ani- mated Book Summary 23 Related Book Summaries 24  Preface Life gets busy. Has Deep Work been on your reading list? Learn the key insights now. We’re scratching the surface here. If you don’t already have Cal Newport’s popular book on productivity, order it here or get the audiobook for free to learn the juicy details. iv  Introduction Ever felt your focus dissolve into thin air every time your phone pings? Struggled to hold on to a thought as your mind flutters from one distraction to the next? It’s a common situation in today’s hyper-digital world. But don’t worry, Cal Newport’s Deep Work has the answers we’re all searching for. In an era dominated by relentless social media and email notifications, achieving deep focus might seem like a lost cause. Yet, Cal Newport’s Deep Work advocates for the importance of such focus in navigating our information-driven world. The book has two goals, pursued in two parts. In the first part, it proves that “the deep work hypothesis is true.” Part two is all about action. You’ve got the theory, now it’s time to roll up your sleeves. As you dive into deep work’s key takeaways, get ready to unlock valuable insights on how to master your focus and boost productivity. Newport supplies scientific data and plans to help you build a productive deep working practice. 1  About Cal Newport Cal Newport is a professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University. Besides his academic work, he writes about digital technology and culture. Newport has written for the New Yorker and the New York Times. He also has a long-running blog called Study Hacks, which receives millions of visits a year. Newport is the author of six self-improvement books, in- cluding the bestselling “Digital Minimalism” and “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”. His work has been published in over 25 languages and has been featured in many national publica- tions, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Economist. 2  StoryShot #1: Unlike Shallow Work, Deep Work Increases Your Productivity Deep work involves long periods of distraction-free concen- tration. This degree of concentration helps you push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, strengthen your skills, and are hard to replicate. In effect, deep work will optimize your performance and allow you to produce at a peak level. The opposite of deep work is shallow work. Deep work is about focusing on one particular task that requires intense mental effort for a long time. Shallow work is the kind of task that requires little mental effort and can be done while doing other activities. These efforts create little new value in the world and are easy to replicate. Shallow work includes answering emails, checking social media, and attending meetings. Shallow work can sometimes be helpful. It allows for relaxation and breaks. But the problem is when we unconsciously focus on shallow tasks over more important deep tasks. 3  StoryShot #2: Deep Work Is Valuable “Human beings, it seems, are at their best when immersed deeply in something challenging.” Cal Newport Deep work is not the only skill valuable in our economy. Yet, it is one of the essential skills to gain. When you are in a state of deep work, your output is unique and cannot be replicated by someone else. For example, you’ve done something valuable if you can concentrate on writing code that’s hard to duplicate. If you want to be a winner in the new economy, there are two core abilities you must have: 1. The Ability to Learn Hard Things: The ability to learn complex topics quickly will play a key role in your attempt to master and perform any skill. Yoga instructors, for example, have to master increasingly complex physical skills. To excel in medicine, you have to master the latest research. Deep work is the act of creating intellectual value by focusing on a cognitively demanding task. It is like deliberate practice where you are using deep work to develop your skill set. It’s about doing 4  STORYSHOT #2: DEEP WORK IS VALUABLE things to make your performance better, and getting specific feedback. Deliberate practice has three defining features: it requires a lot of effort, focuses on improving a specific part of performance, and involves repetition continually. 1. The Ability to Produce High-Quality Results: To be a professional at any skill, you have to master it, but it’s not enough. Producing tangible results with the knowledge you have is what matters in the end.Newport’s formula for producing top-notch work is: High-Quality Work Produced = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus) “In this new economy, three groups will have a particular advantage: those who can work well and creatively with intelligent machines, those who are the best at what they do, and those with access to capital.” Cal Newport 5  StoryShot #3: Deep Work Is Rare Being expected to read and respond quickly to emails is an example of distracting behavior in the workplace. But is being constantly connected at the workplace particularly helpful? Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow found that professionals spend more than twenty hours a week monitoring emails. They believed it was necessary to answer any email within an hour of its arrival. This time spent checking emails is a waste of potential time that you can apply to more crucial tasks instead. Ultimately, a tendency to check our emails reduces our well- being and productivity. But, we don’t need this culture of connectivity in the workplace. Workplace behavior and culture can encourage unproductive activities like constant monitoring of emails. Newport describes three main mindsets that have pushed businesses away from deep work: 1. The Principle of Least Resistance: When we don’t get feedback on the impact of different behaviors, we’ll do what’s easiest. 2. Busyness as a Proxy for Productivity: A lack of clear productivity indicators can lead to these unproductive 6  STORYSHOT #3: DEEP WORK IS RARE behaviors. As a result, many knowledge workers will turn toward an industrial productivity indicator, i.e., visibly doing many things. It can seem crucial to convince yourself and others that you’re doing well if you’re using busyness as a proxy. 3. The Cult of the Internet: “Technopoly” happens when new technology is assumed to be good without considering trade-offs. Deep work requires rejecting high-tech dis- tractions. But popular trends promise increased exposure, serendipity, and fast responses. 7 StoryShot #4: Deep Work Is Meaningful What we pay attention to shapes our world. So, consider the type of mental world constructed when you dedicate significant time to deep endeavors. Suppose you can cultivate deep focus at your work. In that case, this will prevent you from noticing the many smaller and less pleasant tasks that unavoidably populate your life. Jobs are actually easier to enjoy than your free time. Newport points out that jobs have built-in goals, feedback rules, and challenges, just like flow activities. Each of these features encourages you to become involved in your work, concentrate, and lose yourself in the moment. Free time, in contrast, is unstructured. Free time requires much greater effort to be enjoyable. Embracing deep work in your career and directing it toward cultivating your skills will need effort. It’s a great way to turn work tasks from drudgery into something fun. Newport describes this transformation as a portal to a world full of shining, wondrous experiences. “The Deep Work Hypothesis: The ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. 8  STORYSHOT #4: DEEP WORK IS MEANINGFUL As a consequence, the few who cultivate this skill, and then make it the core of their working life, will thrive.” Cal Newport Now let’s dive into the four rules of Deep Work: 9  StoryShot #5: The First Rule of Deep Work is to Work “Deeply” Deep work is essential, but focusing on your work will never be without distractions. Your prioritized tasks will suffer if you’re constantly checking emails and notifications. We fight desires all day long. A recent study showed that our top five desires comprise: Taking a break from hard work Checking our emails and social networking sites Surfing the web Listening to music and Watching television This study suggests the importance of adopting specific strate- gies to reinforce your deep work. To cultivate a deep work ritual: 1. Consider “where” you’ll work and for “how long”: Your ritual needs to specify a location for your deep work efforts. This location can be as simple as your regular office, with the door shut and the desk cleaned. 2. Consider “what approach to work” you’ll take once you’ve 10  STORYSHOT #5: THE FIRST RULE OF DEEP WORK IS TO WORK... started working: To keep your ritual structured, you need rules and processes. For example, you might institute a ban on any internet use. You could also aim to maintain a metric like words produced per twenty-minute interval to keep your concentration honed. 3. Consider “how” you’ll support your work: Your ritual needs to ensure your brain gets support to keep operating at a high level of depth. For example, your habit ritual could include starting your working day with a cup of good coffee. This coffee should help quicken the speed at which your brain wakes up. You must ensure you have access to nutritious food to maintain your energy. Finally, consider integrating light exercise, such as walking, into your working routine. Exercise can help keep your mind clear. “To learn hard things quickly, you must focus intensely without distraction.” Cal Newport Decide on Your Depth Philosophy You need your “own philosophy” for integrating deep work into your professional life. Let’s explore four unique strategies for deep work: 1. Monastic philosophy: Imagine shutting out distractions. No social media pings or unnecessary meetings. Just you, your workspace, and your task. That’s how some academics, writers, and self-managed individuals make 11 DEEP WORK BY CAL NEWPORT STORYSHOTS BOOK SUMMARY AND REVIEW magic happen. By minimizing shallow obligations, they create a sanctuary for uninterrupted, high-concentration work. 2. Bimodal philosophy: Picture your week split into two distinct halves. One part is for deep, immersive work. The other half is for everything else. You may reserve Monday through Wednesday for focused tasks and let the rest of the week handle other responsibilities. 3. Rhythmic philosophy: This approach turns deep work into a regular, unbroken habit. You aim to tackle the task every single day, creating a rhythm that becomes second nature. It’s like brushing your teeth. Instead of fighting cavities, you’re cultivating consistency and progress. 4. Journalistic philosophy: Here, you slot in deep work whenever your schedule allows. But this method demands a high level of mental discipline to switch between modes. For the disciplined mind, switching from shallow to deep mode is an effective tool, although it is not recommended for beginners. 12  StoryShot #6: To Work Deeply, You Must Separate Life and Work You should also inject regular and substantial freedom from professional concerns into your day. For example, try to avoid worrying about work matters when you are not working. These worries will ruin your well-being and only hinder your working hours. When you return to work, you will feel tired and stressed. By providing yourself with idleness during your non-work hours, you can get more work done. At the end of the workday, shut down your consideration of work issues until the following day. So, you should never check your emails after your dinner. Also, you should not replay work conversations or plan for your upcoming working week. Shut down completely and enjoy your relaxation time. Downtime and having a clear endpoint to your workday can significantly improve your work performance in three ways: 1. Downtime facilitates insights: Studies show that the un- conscious mind is better at solving complex problems than the conscious mind. The implication is that if you let your conscious brain rest, you empower your unconscious mind to sort through your most complex professional problems. 2. Downtime helps recharge the energy needed to work 13 DEEP WORK BY CAL NEWPORT STORYSHOTS BOOK SUMMARY AND REVIEW deeply: Spending time in nature or looking at nature scenes helps people concentrate. You can restore your ability to focus your attention if you give the activity a break. 3. The work that evening downtime replaces rarely matters much: You are limited in the amount of deep work you can do per day. If you’re careful about your schedule, you should hit your daily deep work capacity during the day. So by evening, you are past the point where you can continue to work deeply and effectively. So you won’t be doing high- value work at night; instead, it’ll be low-value shallow work that takes a long time. 14  StoryShot #7: The Second Rule is to Embrace Boredom The first rule teaches us how to integrate deep work into our schedule and support it with routines and rituals. These routines are rituals designed to help you consistently reach the current limit of your ability to concentrate. The second rule will help significantly improve this limit. You should learn to live without distractions. Once you’re wired for distraction, you crave it. To succeed with deep work, you must rewire your brain to resist distracting stimuli. This doesn’t mean that you have to cut distracting behaviors. Instead, it is enough that you instead drop the ability of such behaviors to hijack your attention. The ability to concentrate intensely is a skill we must learn. Taking care of your concentration is just as important as taking care of your body. It’s hard to focus if you give into distractions at the first sign of boredom in your daily life. Theodore Roosevelt is an example of an individual who adopted a similar strategy to Newport’s. Identify a task that’s high on your priority list. Estimate how long you’d usually put aside for an obligation of this type. Then, give yourself a hard deadline that drastically reduces this time estimation. If possible, commit publicly to the deadline. For example, you 15  DEEP WORK BY CAL NEWPORT STORYSHOTS BOOK SUMMARY AND REVIEW could tell the person who will receive the finished project when they should expect it. If this isn’t possible, motivate yourself by setting a countdown timer on your phone and propping it up where you can’t avoid recognizing it as you work. At this point, there should be only one way to get the deep task done in time: working with great intensity. You won’t be able to take email breaks, daydream, browse Instagram, or go to the coffee machine too often. You should attack the task with every free neuron, like Roosevelt. If you commit to true intensity, your task will give way under your relentless barrage of concentration. Start by trying this experiment only once a week. This will give your brain practice with intensity but also give it time to rest between tasks. Once you feel confident in your ability to trade concentration for completion time, you can increase the frequency. 16  StoryShot #8: The Third Rule of Deep Work is to Quit Social Media Leaving a distracted majority to join a focused minority is a transformative experience. Not everyone can live a deep life. It will take a lot of effort and changes in your habits. The false sense of busyness that comes from quick email messaging and social media posting provides a sense of security for many. But the deep life requires you to leave most of that behind. When you try to produce your best, you’re confronted with the possibility that it isn’t that great, at least not yet. It’s safer to make observations about our culture than to enter the Rooseveltian ring and try to wrestle it into a better state. Newport covers this topic deeply in one of his famous TED Talks. He argues social media has been addictive since it was first introduced years ago. We increasingly recognize that these tools fragment our time and reduce our ability to concentrate. Our willpower is limited. Thus, the more enticing tools you have pulling at your attention, the harder it will be to focus on something important. Based on this, to master the art of deep work, you must take back control of your time and attention from the many diversions that attempt to steal them. You should create social media isolation. Ban yourself from all social networks. This includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, 17  DEEP WORK BY CAL NEWPORT STORYSHOTS BOOK SUMMARY AND REVIEW Snapchat, and TikTok. You do not have to delete your accounts permanently, but you should start by deleting the apps for thirty days. Importantly, you should also avoid mentioning online that you’ll be signing off. Instead, stop using these social media platforms altogether. Ask yourself these two questions after thirty days of self- imposed network isolation: 1. Would the last thirty days have been notably better if I had used this service? 2. Did people care I wasn’t using this service? If your answer is “no” to both questions, quit the service permanently. If your answer was a clear “yes,” then return to using the service. If your answers are qualified or ambiguous, it’s up to you whether you return to the service. But, always lean toward quitting. By adopting this approach, you’ll spend less time on unimportant procrastination. 18 StoryShot #9: The Fourth Rule of Deep Work is to Drain the Shallows The Shallows by Nicholas Carr is the title of a book about how the Internet affects our brains and lives. Shallow work, such as answering emails and going to meetings, is often inevitable, but ultimately low-value. You must drain the Shallows if you’re serious about working deeply. You must schedule time for deep work and spend as little time as possible on shallow work. Don’t let shallow work impede deep work. This is how Newport suggests you accomplish this: Divide the hours of your workday into blocks and assign activities to the blocks. For example, you might block off from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for writing a client’s press release. To fully engage with this approach, draw a box covering the lines corresponding to these hours. Then, inside the box, write “press release.” The smallest length of a block should be thirty minutes. When you’re done scheduling your day, every minute should be part of a block. You have given every minute of your workday a job. Now, as you go through your day, use this schedule to guide you. Quite often, your schedule will get interrupted, so make sure you revise your plan. 19  Final Summary and Review Deep Work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cog- nitively demanding task. Author and professor Cal Newport coined the term on his popular blog Study Hacks. Deep work lets you achieve more in less time. It provides a sense of fulfillment that comes from the mastery of a skill. In short, deep work is like a superpower in our increasingly competitive economy. Deep Work is rare and requires discipline to maintain. It’s also meaningful, bringing satisfaction and engagement to your career. Adopt a deep work ritual, choose a deep work philosophy that suits you, and ensure you separate work from relaxation time for optimal results. To maximize productive work, follow these four rules: 1. Work Deeply 2. Embrace Boredom 3. Quit Social Media 4. Drain the Shallows Tap into these four disciplines of execution (4DX) to achieve exceptional results: Pinpoint what’s wildly important. That’s your focus. Make 20  FINAL SUMMARY AND REVIEW it your mission. Action is key, but not any action - it’s about the lead measures. These are the activities that will drive your success. Don’t forget to keep score! An interesting scoreboard keeps you motivated and on track. Establish a routine of accountability with regular check-ins, updates, and adjustments. Celebrate your wins, learn from your losses, and keep pushing forward. We hope these key takeaways act as your roadmap. This sum- mary will help you stay focused, transform your work life, and boost your memory. It’s time to bid farewell to logistical-style tasks and leave shallow work behind. As you journey towards a more focused and productive you, remember to share your triumphs. Tag us on social media and let’s inspire others together. 21  Rating We rate Deep Work 4.2/5. 22 PDF, Free Audiobook, Infographic, and Animated Book Summary This was the tip of the iceberg. To dive into the details and support Cal Newport, order it here or get the audiobook for free. Did you like what you learned here? Share to show you care and let us know by contacting our support. New to StoryShots? Get the PDF, audiobook and animated versions of this summary of Deep Work and hundreds of other bestselling nonfiction books in our free top-ranking app. It’s been featured by Apple, The Guardian, The UN, and Google as one of the world’s best reading and learning apps. 23  Related Book Summaries Digital minimalism by Cal Newport Atomic Habits by James Clear The Shallows by Nicholas Carr Ultralearning by Scott Young Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Rework by David Hansson and Jason Fried So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer Essentialism by Greg McKeown The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan Indistractable by Nir Eyal The War of Art by Steven Pressfield The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Limitless by Jim Kwik Make Time by Jake Knapp 24