Deep Work

Practice #2: Build Your Deep Work Environment

In addition to scheduling time for deep work, Newport encourages you to build an environment that supports deep work by reducing distraction triggers.

Step 1: Create a Deep-Work-Only Environment

Newport suggests designating a deep work space, where you go only to do deep work (like a conference room, the library, or an office in your home). Compartmentalizing your location this way will cement the habit of deep work more strongly.

(Note: In Atomic Habits, James Clear discusses the power of using environmental cues to trigger desirable behaviors. Try adding environmental cues to your space-for example, lighting a specific candle each time you start working. Over time, your brain will associate these cues with deep work, and you’ll more easily enter a focused state of mind.)

Step 2: Get Rid of Distractions

Newport points out that a key to spending more time in deep work is to avoid distractions that take you out of deep work.

(Note: You may think that it’s not necessary to cut out potential distractions, instead opting for simple management techniques like placing your phone face down to avoid looking at notifications. However, studies show that when working on the computer, people become distracted, on average, every 40 seconds. Even if your phone is face down on your desk, it’s still an available distraction to reach for.)

Floorplans

Newport argues that the ideal office floor plan is the “hub and spoke” model, in which central hubs-such as meeting rooms, break areas, and cafeterias-allow for communal work and serendipitous meetings and branch off into spokes that lead to quiet, private places for people to do deep work.

(Note: While Newport suggests this model as a solution to the trend of open floor plans, he doesn’t give any type of workaround for those who have no control over the layout of their workspace. In Indistractable, Nir Eyal suggests that workers who may find themselves in a distracting workspace can try creating visual cues to show others that they need to be left alone. This may look like a certain hat you wear when you’re in deep work mode or a small “Do not interrupt” sign on top of your monitor.)

Social Media

Newport says that social media is insidious in that it seems like you’re doing productive things when really the gains are minor. To begin managing the way you use tech, Newport suggests taking the following steps to examine each of your tech tools in regard to their benefits and cost. This will help you see which tools are worth your time and which aren’t.

1. List your goals. Make a list of your most important goals-professional and personal-and then list the two or three activities that help you progress most toward these goals. Newport notes that these activities should be specific enough to give you direction, but general enough to be repeatable. (Note: Your goal-supporting activities can include social media. For example, Newport may claim that journalists and authors on social media are wasting their time, but these days, establishing a presence on social media is an essential part of marketing for authors trying to break into the industry.)
2. Examine your tech tools: For each of your major tools-for example, Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit-describe how they contribute (or don’t contribute) meaningfully to your important goals. (Note: To fully understand a tech tool’s effect on you and your goals, you must be honest with yourself about why you’re using the tool. Research shows that your intent in using social media determines how negatively or positively it will affect your well-being-those who use social media to check out what others are up to develop negative well-being due to constant comparison, while those who use social media to chat with their friends develop positive well-being due to strengthened social bonds.)
3. Try quitting: If you’re on the fence about how much you need a tool, do an experiment: Quit for 30 days and see what happens. Afterward, consider whether your life would have been notably better if you had been able to use that tool. (Note: Breaking out of the dopamine cycle of social media is easier said than done. There will be an adjustment period: Research shows that it takes about eight days for your brain to calm down and become accustomed to a lower level of stimulation.)

Emails

Newport contends that emails are an insidious time suck, both for senders and recipients. He says many people use emails unthinkingly or as a quick way to toss responsibilities into someone else’s court. Newport suggests several ways to reduce the time you spend on the shallow work of unproductive emails.

1. Make sure your emails contain all essential information. Newport explains that when replying to an email, you should articulate: 1) the current state of things, 2) what the ultimate goal is, and 3) what the most effective next steps are. He says this prevents unproductive email volleys and closes the mental loop for you, preventing mental residue from accumulating.
   
   For example, a bad reply would be, “Yes, let’s meet for lunch. When works for you?” A better reply is, “Here are times over the next week when I’m available. If any of these work for you, let me know, and please send a calendar invite. If none of these work, please send over a few times that do
   
   (Note: Newport takes the idea of closing the “mental loop” from David Allen’s Getting Things Done system. When you fail to clearly define and delegate the next steps (no matter how big or small a project), you keep too many thoughts and unanswered questions on your plate and can feel scattered or unfocused. On the other hand, sending out emails that ask recipients for clearly defined actions lets you mentally put the project aside until the action is performed.)
   
2. Publish your email policy, and respond-or don’t-accordingly. Make sure people who are interested in contacting you know how you’ll handle incoming emails, and which emails you’ll reject. Newport suggests a clear message such as, “Please only contact me via email if you have a speaking engagement, collaboration, or introduction that you think I may be interested in.
   
   (Note: Newport’s practices aren’t “one size fits all.” While they might work for some knowledge workers-professors, authors like Newport-most knowledge workers aren’t in a position to tell others what they will and won’t respond to. You can, however, simply slow down your response times, as suggested by Nir Eyal. He explains that humans have an innate need to imitate one another-if you reply quickly to a colleague, they’ll reply quickly to you. Consciously slowing down this exchange means you’ll receive fewer emails, and the emails you do get will be more thoughtful-by taking the pressure of a quick response off the other party, you allow them time to think through their response.)