Ever heard of “Deep Work”???

I just finished an awesome book. I listened to it twice through, actually. That’s how much I liked it.

“Deep Work” by Cal Newport

This book is about something I had literally never given thought to before - focused concentration! Seriously, read this book. The Amazon link will be below. You can also find it on Libby.

This book has changed my life in the same way “The 5 Second Rule” changed my life 10 years ago. Cal Newport teaches us why, how, when, and where to do deep work. The who is obvious, but that’s also the most challenging part. No one is coming to save you, right?

I started practicing deep work the first day I started reading this book. I have not looked back since, and I find it easier every time I do it. I’ve even gotten to the point where I can turn it off and back on very quickly if a distraction does occur. There are 3 dogs in my house - distractions are inevitable.

I make it very easy on myself. Here are my rules:
1) Put the cell phone away. Pretend it’s 1993 for a moment. Leave the phone in the kitchen like it’s a house phone.
2) Set a timer! I use the Focus Period on my laptop.
3) Keep it short and sweet. I will generally set my timer for 45 minutes and end up working for 90. Once I get going, I can keep going. If that amount of time sounds daunting, set the timer for 30 minutes. You can do anything for 30 minutes.
4) Just do the dang thing. That’s what it comes down to. There is no secret. The secret is just raw grit.