Our the ability to focus without distraction is becoming increasingly rare and valuable in our ever-connected world. Cal Newport calls this Deep Work and he contrasts it with shallow work:

• Deep work means those professional tasks that push your cogniti...

To learn hard things quickly, you must focus intensely without distraction. To learn, in other words is an act of Deep work.

To produce at your peak level you need to work for extended periods with full concentration on a single task free from distractions.

Put another way, ...

• 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 creat...