Recommended sequence for "Deep Work": Self-improvement and cheer for every day

[](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiroe8ZA66ppev8ca5QeLfy5aLBrcPc35G_kIzxHb02pVNE2 d9M5S0lE6cdOpqgztIfrZ6VW_Vrh_vbXq-wA839rxYXqiul0JB9LKnnsolTkEmZtHhdTfpksm8bvhoYHhA6sbxR4HMaCmw/s1600/work.jpg)

Know this wonderful book “Deep Work” by Professor Calnewport Deep Work Power](https://www.books.com.tw/exep/assp.php/vista/products/0010758381?utm_source=vista&utm_medium= ap-books&utm_content=recommend&utm_campaign=ap-201707)” has actually been around for some time. I have read the original version in Eslite Bookstore earlier, and I deeply agree with the concept of “eliminating superficiality” that he advocates. It just so happened that I recently accepted an invitation from the publishing house, which gave me the opportunity to read the Chinese version of the book in person, so I spent nearly two hours reading it intently in the quiet night.

To be honest, it is really enjoyable to read Professor Carl Newport’s masterpiece in one go. After reading this book, I feel that I have gained a lot! I suddenly discovered that many of the concepts advocated by the author in the book are actually quite similar to some of my own practices in recent years. Of course, I also know that there are still deficiencies that deserve review and improvement; and after reading this book, I also gained some enlightenment of ideas.

Without further ado, let’s talk about “deep work”. In fact, when I first came across the word “deep work”, I immediately thought of concentration - in this colorful world, there are too many novel, fun or gorgeous things every day, just waiting to divide your and my attention.

According to a 2012 survey conducted by McKinsey, the average knowledge worker spends more than 60% of their working time on electronic communications and Internet searches, and nearly 30% of their working time is spent just reading and replying to emails. I was really surprised to see this data from five years ago, because now people are more addicted to the Internet. Obviously we are all restricted by mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets!

Franklin has a famous saying: “Time is life, time is money.” This sentence sounds particularly harsh and touching now. Because we all know that when the value of time far exceeds money, attention has become a rare currency. Many social elites or white-collar workers are willing to spend money in order to “save time”, but some people are still wasting time needlessly. It is no wonder that the author wants to write and speak out, hoping that everyone can focus on the most productive areas.

Professor Carl Newport mentioned that three groups, including those who can work with robots and create new things together, leaders in various industries, and those who have the ability to use capital, will have special advantages in the new economic society.

If we first exclude specific groups with capital power (after all, not everyone has the ability to mobilize large amounts of money), then what are the key core capabilities for surviving in the 21st century? Professor Carl Newport believes that it is the ability to quickly master professional technologies and the ability to achieve high-level production in terms of quality and speed.

The author also proposed a formula for improving productivity, which I found very useful:

Quality work produced = (time spent) x (level of focus)

You may think it’s not easy to quantify your productivity, but it’s not difficult at all! In addition to getting rid of the constraints of mobile phones, there are now many digital tools and methods that can help! For example, you may have heard of the “Pomodoro Technique”, which means giving yourself a 5-minute break every 25 minutes of work. As long as you repeat this cycle, you can speed up the completion of complex tasks by improving short-term concentration.

Nowadays, there are many apps or web plug-ins that provide “Pomodoro” programs, and you can follow the schedule by just pressing a few buttons. Here, I recommend that everyone use “Tomato Do”, a program with a Traditional Chinese interface, to improve work performance.

In addition, we can also use software such as toggl to specifically measure the time we spend on work or play. Maybe you think there is no harm in swiping your phone and chatting with friends on LINE, but through the analysis of charts, you can understand your daily progress in detail and the time you unintentionally waste.

In “Deep Work In “Deep Work Power”, the author repeatedly reminds us to focus on a certain technology that we want to try to improve, or an idea that we want to master. For example, I recently started planning a new media called “Fuel Up”. In order to speed up my pace, I not only deliberately increased the speed and frequency of writing, but also used a goal-oriented and achievement-oriented approach to overcome the enemy of being easily distracted. As long as I complete an article, I will give myself a small reward.

According to the author’s observation, the general trend in today’s corporate world is indeed reducing people’s ability to work deeply bit by bit. This is also the most worrying point: think about how we waste time on Facebook, and how much time we spend on liking friends’ updates or unnecessary advertisements and event information?

Thinking about busy journalists, how do they ensure that they can be productive and write powerful works? Take “Benjamin. Franklin: The Prototype of the American Mind”, “[Jobs Biography](https://www.b ooks.com.tw/exep/assp.php/vista/products/0010599221?utm_source=vista&utm_medium=ap-books&utm_content=recommend&utm_campaign=ap-201707)” and other best-selling author Walter Isaacson, a world-famous author, follows a very effective method to ensure that he can concentrate on the world of writing. His approach is actually very simple, that is, whenever he can find a free time, he will switch to deep work mode and devote himself seriously to writing. This is also the method I am learning.

After reading “Deep Work Deep Work”, I was touched by a passage in the book:

An often overlooked fact about people who create value with their minds is that they rarely change their work habits at will.

This reminds me that both Steve Jobs and Zuckerberg like to wear the same style of clothes to work. They save time on dressing up and can devote more precious resources to work. I also remember that I once wrote an article about [Build Up Your Reading Rituals] (https://www.vistacheng.com/build-up-your-reading-rituals). I suggest that if you have something you want to invest in for a long time, or hope to enter a state of longing quickly, you might as well try to establish a ritual and rhythm that suits you.

German psychologist Lorelies Singerhoff believes that in our society, regularly repeated and symbolic social activities are actually “rituals.” [This book](https://www.books.com.tw/exep/assp.php/vista/products/0010758381?utm_source=vista&utm_medium=ap-books&ut m_content=recommend&utm_campaign=ap-201707) The author also mentioned that when establishing a ritual, you must designate a place for yourself to perform deep work. You must also ensure that your brain can obtain the necessary support to maintain a high level of deep operation, so as to complement each other.

Therefore, if you are used to writing in a coffee shop, or like to work in a corner of the office, make sure to give yourself a specific time period to facilitate time arrangement and avoid uncertain resistance.

整体而言，卡尔・纽波特教授在《[Deep Work Deep Work Power](https://www.books.com.tw/exep/assp.php/vista/products/0010758381?utm_source=vista&utm_medium=ap- books&utm_content=recommend&utm_campaign=ap-201707)”, based on cognitive science and psychology, introduces readers to eighteen strategies that can complete the work in the least time and achieve maximum results. If you also want to improve yourself, I sincerely invite you to join the ranks of Deep Work! [](https://www.book s.com.tw/exep/assp.php/vista/products/0010758381?utm_source=vista&utm_medium=ap-books&utm_content=recommend&utm_campaign=ap-201707)

★ Photo Credit: Andrew Neel

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Further reading

• [“Focus on the 20% high-density work: Learn to “pick work to do” and get the maximum results in the least time” Recommended sequence: Say goodbye to perfectionism and become a high-density worker] (/blog/focus-on-the-20-high-density-work)
• Recommended Preface to “The Science of Seduction”: How to win the public’s attention in the era of fragmentation?
• “Why top executives use cross-page weekly calendars” Recommended Preface: Learn the work habits and thinking patterns of excellent executives

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