As this new school year began I committed to spending 2-3 90-min sessions a week on “deep work”. This was inspired by the book of the same name “Deep Work” by Cal Newport. View the book HERE.
Deep work is devoted time to diving deep into our analytical, problem-solving, and creative capacities away from the numerous distractions of modern life. It is devoted time for getting deep into projects that will bring forth valuable insights and truly move us forward toward achieving our BIG goals, often professional but it could be for any life goal.
Some key elements of successful deep work is that it occurs with consistency and routine, is typically about a 90-minute chunk of time before taking a break, and it is away from the distractions of the internet and social media. The benefits Newport laid out are enticing. This type of devoted work begins to really move the needle forward in pursuit of our big goals. If you think of any of the thought masters or prolific researchers and writers, everyone of them has had a routine of deep work.
Well, let me tell you how my effort to move my needle forward better on my big goals through the consistent use of deep work is going…
Not so great…yet another challenge of motherhood!
In 3 weeks since my girls returned to school I have put in as many deep work sessions. I had hoped to have upwards of 8-10 by now. Each one I did get in, has been so amazing and I can see how even those couple of hours has significantly moved my needle forward. Unfortunately, the challenges of arriving in a place for deep work are as abundant as the amazon rainforest!!
In reflecting on my efforts here is what I have learned so far…
→Despite not being the ideal time of day, night time, when all is dark and quiet in my home, may just be the best time for deep work, although not recommended by Newport.
→Day to day engagements like appointments, emails, notifications, meetings, phone calls, etc are never-ending and massive disruptors to finding deep work time and also a reason to shift to nighttime deep work. I must say, I do believe this is an additional challenge for mothers of young children!
→Deep work requires you to say no to other things. I have turned down projects and delayed delivery of projects in order to gain back enough time to fit in my 3 deep work sessions. In the long run I think prioritizing deep work will keep me more focused on my highest value goals, which is ultimately a more productive use of my time.
→To actually get into deep work I need 15 min prep time and 15 min wrap up time. I am going to shift to including this in my 90-min chunk because 2 hours just feels overwhelming and therefore probably won’t happen.
→Deep work can move mountains! In the 3 sessions I have done, I have gained more clarity and executed more than I have in 3 months of no deep work sessions. This technique works!
The essence of deep work is intentionally minimizing distractions so you can dive into deep thought about a topic, subject or project that is of high interest and importance to you. Every mom would benefit from dedicated deep work time each week, even if the work you’re doing is not professional in nature. This type of work will allow you to access a depth of thought that is simply impossible without intention.
If you feel like you can barely even think and let alone dive deep into a project… setting aside a 30-90 minute chunk of time once a week could really begin to move mountains!
I’m no master of this but I’m dabbling myself and already see the benefit. If you would like to join me in an accountability type format, please reach out to me here Hilary@hv-holistichealth.com
In Health,
Hilary
