The Book review of Deep Work by Cal Newport is long due on Disha Learning. Let’s explore this book’s lessons on improving productivity and focus in the technology-enabled world of work.
At its heart, Deep Work is a productivity book with a refreshing twist. Like the typical modern day productivity book, it helps people deal with time issues, handling emails, and also the management of expectations that arise at the place of work. The twist comes at the end when a tangible goal is being identified with a set of actions. That is, it is not a book that stresses the need to go around in circles trying to improve oneself.
Published in 2016, the book Deep Work is written by someone who has been practicing what has been written. Cal Newport is a full-time professor at a university and participates in peer-to-peer reviews almost on a daily basis.
Why the book, Deep Work?
List of Contents
In the first part of the book, that runs to nearly a hundred pages, the idea of what constitutes deep work is tackled. Some people might find the writing here rather tedious but it does help to go through this part to be in a better position to implement the steps that are outlined after this.
In the first chapter, a few case studies are carried out on different professions to point to the fact that deep work can indeed make a difference to these professionals. At the same time, enough space has been devoted to explain some of the trades that are not helped by taking to deep work. Thus, a fine balance is struck in the beginning of the book that brings to the fore the strength of the concept of deep work.
In the second chapter, the author dwells to how very few people in the work force have mastered the concept of deep work. It then becomes evident to the strong reasons why this concept must be understood and mastered early before it gets to be more mainstream as such. This chapter also points to the fact that the products of working deeply are valued by society as a whole and is thus bound to produce winners.
In the third chapter, the case is being made out as to why people find working deep fulfilling. It strives to add purpose to an otherwise mundane existence. People are encouraged to spend time and effort to instil skills that are in demand and are to be used over their lifetimes.
Rules of Deep Work
After having gone through the entire book, Deep Work, there seems to be some basic rules or premises that are brough to play in implementing this new idea of work. These rules have been explained succinctly in the paragraphs that follow.
Rule1.
The first rule is to work deeply. This might not seem to be very helpful at first as the whole book by Cal Newport is all about Deep work. But the first rule covers the basics of having a mindset that values deep work. It does contain some rather useful tips and discussions to start with.
The chapter covers the different approaches to deep work. From the strict monastic way, to the more relaxed and non-regimental journalistic approach to taking to Deep Work. The idea is to make the implementation of the Deep Work interesting and fun to do. Often it takes a certain stoicism to get through with some steps and this has been emphasized strongly as well.
Rule 2.
The second rule is to embrace boredom. Often it has been noticed that when people tend to work deeply, they would have spaces between the deep activities that creates a sense of boredom. The chapter teaches that boredom is part and parcel of Deep Work. One of the common mistake people tend to do when faced with boredom is to go online to check on their social media account or to catch up with emails to be read. This tendency is to be avoided to produce the most productive work possible.
One of the most notable ways that the author tries to implement Deep Work is to stay offline as far as possible and at least during the hours of work. Boredom in such cases is to be accepted and has to be taken to be part of the process of working deep.
Rule 3.
The third rule is to quit social media. This might be considered a draconian step to recommend but considering the amount of time that is spent on social media networks, rather a sane one. At the end of the day, there is no useful purpose served by spending time using social networks. Most professionals tend to have their professional networks that are out side of social media for networking.
Cal Newport advises readers to try out a few weeks without using any of the social media platforms. If there really is not much of a difference to the work life of a person to be outside social media then it is best to completely come out of it.
Rule 4.
The fourth rule is to drain out the shallows. By the shallows, the author refers to the time between bouts of Deep Work that is often spent doing some mundane stuff or the other. It is advised to cut out shallow work altogether. But this might be too much to ask for from workers as there is bound to be some shallow work at some point each day.
One of the successful methods of reducing shallow work is to gather together the periods of shallow work and to convert it into a deep work session. The most productive part of what each person does must fall under the Deep Work pattern.
Thus, what the whole book reduces to Deep Work can be condensed to four rules which are covered in the four chapters as outlined above. Each chapter can be taken to be a step in the right direction to implement Deep Work at work places.
Conclusion
Deep Work by Cal Newport is not just another management book. It should be considered to be one of the ground shaking works for its insistence to avoid social media and to remain offline as far as possible. The end result is that people would be in periods of Deep Work as far as possible.
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