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‘Deep Working’
The modern working environment is making our ability to focus on a huge issue: Open-plan offices, social media, etc.
When you need to do deep work, remove the distractions and work on a single task. The task will get done quicker and to a higher quality.
How much time you should spend on deep work will depend on your job.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
Use an app to get you into the routine of doing certain activities daily and weekly.
At first, it might feel silly to write day-to-day tasks down in an app, but the process of ticking them off and tracking your progress helps to get you into a routine.
If you find your mind frequently jumping around, an app can be life-changing to help you focus.
It can train you to notice when your mind is wandering, and help you to get back on track.
E-mail can destroy your focus.
- Turn off e-mail notifications on your work computer, so that you are in control of when to look at e-mails.
- Schedule a time in the morning to reply to e-mails from the previous day.
- E-mails that require a speedy reply are highlighted and get attended to on the same day.
- Ditch social media during the day.
Read up about the daily routines of other CEOs, sports stars, etc.
You might not find an exact routine to suit you, but you might find some amazing ideas to use for your own life.
RELATED IDEAS
Doing more than one task at once is completely anti-productivity. It is nearly impossible to concentrate on two tasks at the same time. This way of working is inefficient for focus and deep work. If you are doing shallow work like washing the dishes, multitasking works.
- Take time to make a list.
- Analyze your tasks from the past and look for patterns.
- Evaluate recurring tasks. Identify their effects in the future. Know if you can delete, delegate, or outsource the task. Ask yourself what you would feel if you're going to do it.
- Be honest with yourself about what should be on your not-to-do list. Realize that you should let go, and commit to other things.
- Prepare your template for kind declines and start saying no to yourself and other people.