How Much Deep Work Are You Doing?

Weekly Reflections - January 6, 2024

Happy 2024!  I hope the week has started off well.

This week has been focused on setting myself up for success for the first quarter. 

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

🤔 Did I get what I wanted done?  Nope. The list looks like very little has come off of it.  I clearly overestimated my ability to move through the list

🤔Was the list reasonable based on the other commitments I made for myself.  Nope.

🤔Was I focused on the most important things?  Nope.

🤔Why not?  Because I can be easily distracted by tangential topics or trying to cross off the very quick and easy things.

🤔Was I doing deep, focused work?  Rarely

🤔 Why not?  I didn't set up my calendar and priorities to make this week what I had hoped it would be.

Now, I can beat myself up about it, or, I can admit that I'm human and regroup.

Here's what regroup will look like for me: 

• I've committed to doing some deep, focused work this weekend by giving myself a deliverable (to someone else) due date of Sunday night.  There are very few plans on the calendar and the afternoon weather is supposed to be dreary so I won't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

• I've reviewed my calendar again for next week and am identifying where I have pockets to do deep work, and I will finalize my top 3 priorities for the week on Sunday.  I make sure my calendar specifically outlines what I'm supposed to be working on whenever I block it for working time.

What got me thinking about deep work?  This short (7 minute) podcast episode on The Life Lessons podcast where Professor Cal Newport discusses deep work "where we perform undistracted work on something cognitively demanding." 

How often are you making time and head space to do deep work? 

Many leaders I speak with don't have it as one of their top priorities.  It shows up as a "when I have time" priority.  Unfortunately, if you aren't making deep work (thinking, reflecting, writing, planning, creating) a priority, you will not be as effective as you could be.

Is it time to start prioritizing this in your life?