by Alexandra Gojowy

DEEP WORK

If you’re familiar with the flow state during athletic activities, you know how fulfilling it is to be completely absorbed in something you’re doing. If we manage to keep our focus on one thing, we can not only realize our full potential, but also increase productivity and reach our goals faster. And all this without pushing ourselves beyond our own limits.

In our everyday working lives, we are confronted with mentally challenging situations similar to those we face in athletic competitions. Moreover, our daily work is almost constantly accompanied by distractions. Incoming emails, push notifications on our phones, urgent phone calls, or brief questions from colleagues at the next desk. Many scientists, including Christian Montag, head of the Department of Molecular Psychology at the University of Ulm, now confirm that we are not biologically designed for multitasking. The problem is that once we are interrupted, we almost never pick up where we left off. This is because our brains need some time to settle into a concentrated, productive state.

Speed isn’t everything

Many people love the diversity of their job and the opportunities for advancement that come with it. Even though today’s daily working life can provide a stimulating atmosphere, one thing gets lost in the process: our concentration. For this reason, new working methods are designed to help us regain our focus and facilitate time management, because workers today should possess the following qualities above all else:

1.The ability to complete complex tasks in a short period of time. 2.The ability to perform work at a high, or “elite” level, in terms of quality and speed.

Cal Newport, professor of computer sciences at Georgetown University, is deeply concerned with the problem of constant distraction and increasing demands on our ability to focus. He rightly asks, “If the brain is the engine of the creative, service, and technology industries, why are we constantly interrupting it instead of allowing it to get going?” In response to this question, he developed the “Deep Work” method, which we would like to introduce to you in this article.

Deep Work – intensive training for the brain

Deep Work promises a state of deep immersion in our work, which should make us more productive and more relaxed in the long run. Thus, with the help of Deep Work methods, we can not only complete a task faster, but also achieve a better result. According to Newport, Deep Work is needed whenever we perform professional activities that require a state of focus without distractions. These types of tasks push our cognitive abilities to their limits. Contrast this with "Shallow Work" — tasks that are rather undemanding by comparison and can be performed easily even while distracted. Tasks that present a low cognitive challenge can be combined, according to Newport. Basically, it’s about creating intervals where we can find perfect focus. For this purpose, Cal Newport defined five different philosophies:

1.The monastic philosophy: Shutting yourself off from the outside world is an essential step for focused work. While this may sound radical, it is the foundation for focused work according to the Deep Work method. We should try to block out our surroundings as much as possible in order to avoid possible distractions. In this phase, we refrain from engaging with social contacts, emails, social media, phone calls, conversations with colleagues, smartphones and other factors that we do not urgently need to complete a particular task. Also, our task should not be interrupted by “Shallow Work”. Similar to a monk in a monastery, we withdraw to quietly pursue our task until it is completed or until we have reached a certain goal.

2.The bimodal philosophy: The bimodal philosophy states that large tasks require longer Deep Work phases that last from one day to weeks. Yes, this means shutting yourself off from distractions over several days or weeks in order to successfully complete a task or project. This technique is especially useful for project work, deadlines, or exam periods, because you can mark the Deep Work phases firmly on your calendar and let others know about them. In this way, you can prepare your productive retreat in the best possible way.

3.The rhythmic philosophy: If it isn’t possible to shut yourself off from the world for days at a time, you can try scheduling time periods in which you work on a task without distraction. It’s crucial that these periods of intense work recur regularly and aren’t interrupted by anything else. You should string the deep work units together like a chain throughout the week. Even better: create a deep work chain at the same time of day, 21 days in a row. That’s how long it takes for the brain to establish a new habit. Naturally, the weekend will interrupt these periods for many people, which is why the rhythmic philosophy is particularly suitable for students and self-employed people.

4.The journalistic philosophy: Journalists are used to delivering top performance at the push of a button, because they often have to react quickly and meet deadlines. With a little practice, however, your brain can actually learn to function like a light switch. For example, you can simulate a deadline at the beginning of the day and set very specific goals that you need to complete by the end of the workday. The important thing is to keep your goals realistic, but challenge yourself at the same time. If you set a goal to write one page, you probably won’t write more than one page, even if time would have allowed more. Planning the day and setting realistic goals is just as important as following through on each task.

5.Rest and reward! Finally, perhaps the most important step on the way to working with focus: Take breaks. Regardless of whether the Deep Work unit took a few hours or even days, your brain deserves a break afterwards. Periods of rest and regeneration are essential to recharge your batteries and prepare your brain for the next productive phase. There are various ways to relax, such as taking a bath, meditating, exercising, spending an evening with close friends, or taking a walk outside. The main thing is to switch off in the right way, because the brain works like a muscle: if you exert it, you also have to relax afterwards in order to regenerate.

Deep Work is just one method that can improve your focus at work. Mindfulness training in the workplace follows a similar approach, because it helps you to focus on one thing at a time and your attention in a targeted manner. With regular practice, you can access this skill at any time, even while working. Mindfulness at work not only improves your ability to focus, but can also help you relax during your recovery period.

It’s a fact that the modern working world won’t slow down any time soon. However, we are not helpless in the face of this process. Methods such as deep work and mindfulness training are the perfect additions to our everyday working lives, because they can help us to work with greater focus, to switch off if necessary, and to really enjoy our free time at the end of the day.

Picture Source: Jakob Owens