Deep Work : Work Deeply

Notes from Deep Work, Rules section on Work Deeply
work in progress

tl;dr:

• Working deeply needs concentration
• Concentration is affected by distraction and desires
• Will power can force concentration by fighting distraction and desires
• However Will power is finite and should be imagined as a muscle that tires
• There are broad strategies that can be taken to reduce the will power needed to move to deep work state

Prerequisite

Deep work patterns can be of different types. Based on your situation, your needs and abilities one of the following should be adopted.

1. Monastic
   State where deep work is prioritised.
   Isolated from other distractions; and where that can be afforded.
   Communication from outside is often seen as a distraction and is avoided.
   Narrow paths and opportunities of distraction are offered.
2. Bi Modal
   State where there are two states - one of deep focus and another of collaboration and distraction.
   This is available to certain work types.
   There is a min threshold that is required for value to be had. - often a day.
   Bimodal can be run for different time ranges - can be done weekly (where days are selected) monthly where weeks are selected etc.
3. Rhythmic This state focuses on being ritualistic (one of the strategies to be discussed later)
   Think of this as bimodal in a day, but doing it every day at the same hour, the same way - causing lesser will power to be needed over time.
   The idea is to reduce the friction that is there to go into a state of deep work.
4. Journalistic This is for the truly savant deep worker.
   Deep work happens as and when the user chooses.
   there is a fair amount of self control and training that enable to worker to move to state on demand.
   This is similar to a journalist having to write on demand, as opposed to a novelist who does not necessarily have a deadline.