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The 7 Essential Rituals for Focused Work | Scott H Young
The Distractions We Can Control
For any focused work session, we should prevent the distractions we can control.
- Allow only a select few emergency channels to go through and interrupt you. Turn off all other notifications on your phone and computer.
- Ensure your email inbox is closed.
- Pack your phone away to minimise the impulse to check your phone.
- Schedule short focused check-in times for essential emails.
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SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
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Key Ideas
The new law of productivity
High-Quality Work Produced = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus)
Deep work vs. Shallow work
- Deep work: Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. Creates value.
- Shallow work: Noncognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. Doesn't create value.
4 philosophies to integrate Deep Work into your life
- Monastic: maximize Deep Work by minimizing or removing shallow obligations. Isolate yourself for long periods of time without distractions; no shallow work allowed
- Bimodal: divide your time into some clearly defined stretches to deep pursuits and leave the rest open to everything else. Reserve a few consecutive days when you will be working like a monastic. You need at least one day a week
- Rhythmic: involves creating a routine where you define a specific time period — ideally three to four hours every day — that you can devote to Deep Work
- Journalistic: alternate your day between deep and shallow work as it fits your blocks of time. Not recommended to try out first.
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The 2 kinds of work :
- “Deep work”: using your skills to create something of value. It takes thought, energy, time and concentration.
- “Shallow work”: all the little administrative and logist...
Cal Newport
"The ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. As a consequence, the few who cultivate this skill, and then make it the core of their working life, will thrive. "
Cal Newport on time management
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'Copying' famous routines
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Rituals
Rituals are repeated behaviors (like routines). However, they’re deeply personal and are imbued with deeper meaning beyond just a sequence of actions. They mark a change, a switch in task or moment of importance. And it’s those symbolic actions performed at key moments that help us move through the day smoothly.
Routines
A routine is a series of regularly followed actions. There are few things that impact your daily productivity, career trajectory, and overall well-being as much as your routines. What’s important isn’t the exact nature of your routine, but that you have one and stick to it.