Deep Work: The Power to Create Unique Value in a Distracted Age
How to achieve grand intellectual accomplishments in an ocean of constantly ringing alarms and emails? Through the technology of 'Deep Work' that goes beyond the limits of focus, we learn how to increase your productivity tenfold.
Deep Work: A New Scarce Resource in the Intelligent Age
What is the most difficult resource to obtain in modern society? Money? Fame? No. It is the 'ability to focus deeply without being disturbed.'
Computer scientist Cal Newport named this 'Deep Work.' Deep Work refers to "professional activities performed with concentration to the limits of cognitive ability." Conversely, trivial tasks such as checking emails and attending meetings are called 'Shallow Work.'
I. Why is Deep Work a Survival Strategy?
We are living in a 'winner-take-all' economic age.
- Mastering Complex Skills: Fast learning of new and difficult skills requires high concentration.
- Top-Level Results: In a future where intelligent machines replace shallow work, the only value left for humans is the result of deep thinking that machines cannot imitate.
II. 'Attention Residue' Disrupting Deep Work
When we are doing task A, briefly check email (B), and return to A, our brain cannot return immediately. Part of the brain is still staying on the email, an effect called 'Attention Residue.'
Just one minute of distraction can lower your work efficiency by up to 20%. The complacent thought "It's just a quick check" is self-devaluing your intellectual abilities.
III. Four Strategies for Deep Work
- The Monastic Approach: Working like a monk by cutting off contact with the outside world entirely.
- The Bimodal Approach: Dividing time into deep work periods (days or weeks) and regular periods.
- The Rhythmic Approach: Making a habit of performing deep work at a fixed time every day. (The most recommended approach.)
- The Journalistic Approach: A high-difficulty approach of switching to deep work mode immediately whenever there is a gap.
IV. Rituals to Support Deep Work
- Place: Establish a specific place used only for that work.
- Duration: Secure at least 90 minutes at a time. It takes time for the brain to reach a state of deep concentration.
- Block: Turn off all alarms and consider even disconnecting from the internet. Do not wait for inspiration; build an environment that forces concentration.
Conclusion: The Depth of Depth Determines the Depth of Life
We are forgetting 'depth' amidst stimulating short-form videos and constant information noise. Deep work is not just a technology for doing work well. It is a process of reclaiming the 'ultimate sense of immersion' and 'craftsmanship' that can be felt when pushing one's capabilities to the limit.
Did you perform even a single hour of deep work today? Do not be satisfied with picking up shells in the shallow sea. Descend into the deep abyss and retrieve your own gems. That depth will be your unique competitiveness and the key to making your life an art.