The prevalence of one of the most valuable skills in our economy is diminishing. You will attain exceptional achievements if you master this skill.
Deep work is the capacity to concentrate undistractedly on a cognitively difficult endeavor. It’s a skill that allows you to learn complex knowledge rapidly and generate superior results in less time. Deep work will make you a better practitioner of your profession and deliver the sense of genuine satisfaction that comes with craftsmanship. In our more competitive twenty-first century economy, hard work is akin to a superpower. And yet, the majority of individuals have lost the ability to dig deep, spending their days in a frenetic haze of e-mail and social media without even recognizing there is a better way.
In DEEP WORK, author and lecturer Cal Newport inverts the conventional wisdom regarding influence in the connected age. Instead of claiming that distraction is negative, he celebrates the strength of its opponent. In the first section of this book’s two-part structure, he argues that developing a strong work ethic will bring enormous rewards in virtually any career. Then, he outlines a tough training regimen, presented as a series of four “rules,” for modifying your mind and behaviors to support this skill.
From Carl Jung constructing a stone tower in the woods to isolate his thoughts to a social media pioneer purchasing a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book without distraction while in flight, DEEP WORK is a blend of cultural criticism and practical advice that takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories and straight-talking advice, such as the assertion that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. Anyone who wants to get things done in our chaotic environment should read DEEP WORK.
Key ideas in this book:
- Multitasking and distraction are detrimental to productivity.
- There are a variety of approaches to achieving deep work, all of which involve intention.
- Utilize technology judiciously and with mental concentration.
- To restore energy, it is vital to schedule both work and leisure time.
About the Author:
Cal Newport specializes in the theory of distributed algorithms as an assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown University. Numerous publications, such as Inc. Magazine, The Globe and Mail, and 800-CEO-Read, have included his most recent book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You, on their lists of the greatest business books of the year.
