There are certain types of work where quality matters more and is harder to achieve. These tasks are cognitively demanding and hence require intense focus. Examples include writing a well-thought-out proposal for a change in system design, working on a thesis, learning a complicated concept, finding the most efficient solution on LeetCode, or producing higher-quality code.
In order to be able to solve for such problems we need to discover how to operate more effectively.
1- What is Deep Work
Deep work is a technique that creates an environment in which the brain performs at its best. It is an exhausting practice that is expected to be used when working on cognitively demanding tasks. At max, a seasoned practitioner can deep work for 4.5 hours. Attempting to practice for longer leads to fatigue that can spill over into subsequent days, ultimately defeating the purpose of performing better.
2- And what is Deep Work?
To oversimplify, deep work is about focusing solely on a single task without any distractions. Only after completing the task does the deep work practitioner move on to the next one.
Distractions in this context include checking email, responding to or reading text messages, chatting with coworkers, multitasking by working on another task simultaneously, checking the news, or using any scrolling app.
Deep work is about achieving complete focus so that the entirety of the mind is dedicated to processing the current task at hand.
3- Why ‘Deep Work’ works?
To better understand why deep work enables us to perform better or why it should be the preferred practice, we need a clearer understanding of how our brain works.
3.1- Brain does not multitask
The brain is a finite resource. It is designed to focus on only one thing at a time and do it well. When we attempt to do multiple things simultaneously, our brain doesn’t double its capacity. In reality, the brain doesn’t even process multiple tasks at once; instead, it switches between them. As a result, our attention isn’t multiplied but divided across the tasks, which degrades the quality of output for all of them.
There are many real-life examples that demonstrate this. Texting while driving significantly increases the chances of a car crash because the brain isn’t fully focused on the road. It also greatly slows down typing speed. Similarly, trying to study while loud music is playing outside often proves ineffective. When parking a car in a tight or unfamiliar space, we instinctively lower the music volume so the brain can concentrate better on the task at hand.
3.2- Context switching
Our brain has a temporary storage box where it keeps all relevant information needed to work on the current task. In computer science terms, this storage box is called “working memory.”
This temporary storage has limited capacity. When the brain switches to another task, it clears the storage box to make room for new information required for the new task. This process of clearing and updating the contents of the storage box is called a “context switch.”
Context switching is a resource-intensive operation for the brain. If done frequently, it creates additional overhead and reduces overall efficiency. This is because, apart from filling up the temporary storage, the brain also needs to engage in reasoning, learning, and decision-making from that information. Here is a visualisation of how frequent context switching affects speed.
3.3- Brain acceleration
When we focus on a single task continuously, our brain enters a state of heightened efficiency. Initially, the task might seem demanding as we gather information and establish a workflow, but with sustained attention, the brain begins to adapt. It identifies patterns, streamlines repetitive actions, and discovers shortcuts that help optimise the process. This consistency minimises the need for frequent decision-making, as actions become almost automatic. This fosters creativity and problem-solving as the brain has more cognitive resources to dedicate.
As soon as we are distracted (context switch), much of this optimisation is lost, and we experience that the brain takes time to recover its speed. This is when we notice that although our brain is capable of working at a higher speed, the acceleration to get back to that speed is quite slow. This means distractions not only take up their own time but also affect the speed and quality of the current task for a while afterward.
In MarioKart language, brain is high speed and low acceleration. In order to win make sure you do not hit into any distractions
4- How to Deep Work in office life
We cannot change the way our brain processes information. However, what we can do is structure the work to align with how the brain functions best.
This means organising our work to minimise context switches, avoid multitasking, and eliminate distractions. Lets explore few tactics that can be used.
4.1- Reduce possible distractions
It is impractical to expect that there will be no distractions. However, not all distractions are equal. Some can be ignored, while others require immediate attention. To foster deep work, we need to minimise distractions and create more hours of focused work.
a) Ignorable distractions:
These are distractions that do not impact our work. They do not have significant consequences if delayed until later in the day or even tomorrow. Examples include viewing or sending memes, the constant urge to check social media or news, and listening to or participating in office gossip. There should be a separate article on how cellphones have become our biggest distractions.
These distractions can be postponed till later in the day and may even feel rewarding after a productive and hardworking day.
b) Important distractions:
These are distractions that, if ignored for too long, can affect your work or personal life. Examples include checking company emails, responding to coworkers, or attending meetings. Neglecting such tasks can hamper your productivity and may lead to uncomfortable conversations with your manager. These distractions still need to be scheduled in the work day. Later in the article we explore how these can still be clubbed together for better efficiency.
4.2- Identify possible deep work opportunities
Before planning to start deep work, we need a clear understanding of today’s schedule and where opportunities for deep work exist. This enables us to plan more effectively. Complex tasks can be scheduled during the longest uninterrupted deep work sessions, while simpler tasks can be allocated to shorter deep work periods.
4.3- Reschedule
The next optimisation is to increase the duration of a deep work session. One session of continuous 2 hours is not equal to two sessions of 1 hour separated by distraction. This is because the acceleration of brain is slow and hence after the distraction the brain has to pick up speed again.
To have longer hours of deep work we need to revisit our daily schedule and look for items that can be rescheduled.
Ideally we would prefer to club all our distractions together for later in the day. By clubbing the distractions we are indirectly clubbing all the deep work sessions. Lets have a look at the daily schedule again
By clubbing the Meeting#1 with Standup and Lunch. We now have 3 hours of continuous deep work.
4.4- Optimising the environment
Increasing the quality of deep work relies heavily on eliminating distractions. These distractions may not always come from other tasks; they can also include minor disruptions like noise, visual clutter, cell phones, and interruptions from colleagues.
Reducing Noise: Human beings cannot close their ears, making noise one of the most challenging distractions to avoid. A noisy workspace can significantly impact your ability to concentrate. This could include colleagues chatting loudly, music playing, or other background sounds. In such cases, consider changing your seating arrangement—find a quieter area or book a meeting room for your deep work sessions. Investing in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones can also make a big difference. The quieter the environment, the greater your ability to focus.
Reducing Visual Clutter: Our brain subconsciously processes everything within our field of vision, even when we don’t want it to. For example, having 100 tabs open in your web browser taxes your brain, and an email app sitting in the corner of the screen keeps drawing attention as you subconsciously monitor it for new messages. To enhance focus, eliminate visible distractions. If you're working on Task 1, ensure that everything related to Task 2 is out of sight.
When working from home, a cluttered or untidy room can serve as a constant reminder of unfinished chores, pulling your attention away from your work. Keeping your workspace clean and organised can help mitigate this.
Reducing CellPhone usage: Cell phones are one of the most significant sources of distractions. Instant notifications from Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and other apps, the sudden urge to scroll through Twitter, or reacting to WhatsApp messages can all disrupt your focus. To foster deep work, it’s essential to change your cell phone usage habits.
If possible, set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode during deep work sessions. If that’s not an option, consider disabling notifications from non-urgent apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. For WhatsApp, prioritise only essential messages, such as those from family or important contacts, and ignore non-urgent messages until your deep work session is complete.
Communicating: Another common distraction from deep work is other people. They may interrupt and break your focus. Sometimes, these interruptions are important, such as a manager informing you to stop working on the current task. Other times, they can be postponed, like a coworker wanting to discuss a system design. And occasionally, they are entirely avoidable, like a colleague dropping by simply because they were bored.
The best solution is to communicate effectively. One subtle way to signal focus is by wearing headphones. You don’t even need to play music—just wearing them communicates that you’re deeply engaged in your work. Another approach is to set a status message on internal messaging tools (like Slack). A message such as “In focus mode until 3 PM” informs others that you should only be interrupted if it’s truly urgent.
5- Create alternative working memory
As we now understand, the brain has limited capacity. To allocate more brain resources to deep work, we must eliminate as many non-essential tasks as possible.
However, once only essential tasks remain, the next step becomes more challenging. We need to explore how to temporarily offload parts of these essential tasks from the brain so that more resources can be focused on thinking and problem-solving.
The brain treats working memory as a distinct function, separate from the processes of thinking and problem-solving.
To optimise for working memory, we need to understand how it functions. It does not act like a passive storage system that simply holds information until requested. Instead, it operates as an active process, continuously looping through all the information it holds. This looping can become resource-intensive as the amount of information increases. Additionally, the brain may loop on information that isn’t immediately relevant to the current task but still needs to be remembered, such as a reminder to complete a certain task by the end of the day.
The solution to this challenge is to offload working memory into a permanent storage medium like paper or a notepad app on a computer. By doing so, the brain is freed from the burden of remembering the information, allowing those resources to be redirected toward thinking and problem-solving.
A simple illustration of this is solving a math problem. Consider the question: 5412332 + 3423 = ? Even for a basic operation like addition, solving it on paper is much easier than doing it mentally. Once the information is written down, the brain is relieved of the pressure of holding and remembering the numbers. This allows us to break the problem into smaller parts and solve them step by step more efficiently.
Conclusion
Deep work is not just a choice, but a valuable skill that requires consistent practice to master. It also demands intentional changes to our lifestyle and work habits in order to be truly effective.
While it may not be suitable for every type of task, we know that when applied, it consistently produces high-quality results.