It's Time to Dig Deep

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 6 seconds

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Depth is your superpower in a distracted world.

Shallow tasks nibble at your time - deep work builds your legacy.

Focus isn’t just about productivity. It’s about purpose.

Let’s look at today’s illustrated version of wisdom:

The results of your deep work are precious.

But you won’t be able to achieve deep focus unless you have the right tools in place.

But before we understand how to achieve deep focus, let’s look at why Cal Newport thinks deep work is important.

Newport argues that focus isn’t just a professional advantage - it’s a path to meaning.

When you go deep, you don’t just work better. You live better.

Cal Newport defines deep work as focused, distraction-free concentration on a cognitively demanding task.

It’s where high-quality work happens, and yet most of us spend our days bouncing between emails, meetings, and shallow tasks.

Deep work trains your brain to think deeply, solve better problems, and build things that matter. It’s rare to experience deep work in a world that endlessly demands our attention - and that rarity makes it all the more powerful.

Here are 3 Ways to Do Your Best Work:

1. Block out the time. 

   It starts with making time in the diary.

   Schedule 60–90 minute blocks with no notifications, tabs, or multitasking.

   Treat it like a meeting with your future self.

2. Start with a Ritual. 

   If you’re familiar with James Clear’s 4 Laws of Behaviour Change, you can apply some of those principles here.

   Use a specific space, time, or phrase to cue your brain to get it kickstarted, then you go deep.

   This helps you drop in faster.

3. Guard your attention. 

   Every interruption is a tax on depth.

   Say no more often - not just to people, but to pings, swipes, and endless scrolling.

   “Do not disturb” is your friend. Use it.

Take your first steps diving deeper with today’s reflection.

Here are 3 journal prompts to help you explore today’s wisdom:

• When do I feel most mentally clear and creatively alive?

• What shallow habits might be diluting my focus?

• How would my work (or life) change if I gave it more undivided attention?

Want to learn more about journaling? Join Journal Wiser today!

If you want to learn more about how you can achieve deep work, you won’t want to miss today’s sponsor: Shortform.

They have Cal’s Deep Work and his other great hits too, including Slow Productivity, A World Without Email and How to Become a Straight-A Student.

Enjoy these and thousands of other easy-to-digest book summaries with audio narration, interactive activities and much more.

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Catch you in the next issue!

Thanks,
Michael