Visual book notes from "Deep Work" by Cal Newport!
1. The most fulfilling projects in life and business are only reserved for those who are willing to commit and go deep for a long period of time.
1. The most fulfilling projects in life and business are only reserved for those who are willing to commit and go deep for a long period of time.
2. Deep work vs. shallow work
Deep work is the key to unlocking your creative potential and enhancing your skills.
It's all about intense focus without distractions, pushing your cognitive boundaries to create unique value.
Deep work is the key to unlocking your creative potential and enhancing your skills.
It's all about intense focus without distractions, pushing your cognitive boundaries to create unique value.
On the flip side, shallow work involves low-demand tasks often done with distractions, offering little innovation and easy replication.
Unfortunately, in the business world, busyness is often mistaken for productivity.
Unfortunately, in the business world, busyness is often mistaken for productivity.
3. The unfair advantage.
The ability to do deep work is becoming rarer while also becoming more valuable.
If you can cultivate this skill, you’ll become unparalleled in your field.
The ability to do deep work is becoming rarer while also becoming more valuable.
If you can cultivate this skill, you’ll become unparalleled in your field.
4. Limit your non-essential phone use
Repeatedly checking your phone whenever you have a few minutes of peace will slowly condition your brain to be continually distracted.
Your brain is like a muscle, so don't train it to constantly crave that quick dopamine rush.
Repeatedly checking your phone whenever you have a few minutes of peace will slowly condition your brain to be continually distracted.
Your brain is like a muscle, so don't train it to constantly crave that quick dopamine rush.
If you don't make an effort to be more mindful you'll have a hard time sitting still with your own thoughts, which is a very important part of discovering your true self and coming up with life-changing ideas.
5. Learn to embrace boredom again
The best way to train yourself to tolerate boredom again is to intentionally schedule a couple of daily moments of peace.
Allow yourself to escape from the hecticness of day-to-day life whenever you have a few minutes to spare.
The best way to train yourself to tolerate boredom again is to intentionally schedule a couple of daily moments of peace.
Allow yourself to escape from the hecticness of day-to-day life whenever you have a few minutes to spare.
Find a quiet room if possible, put on a timer, and sit still with your thoughts. Aim to mentally solve a problem.
6. Block out time for deep work sessions
Put systems in place to minimize distractions and interruptions.
Schedule a few hours of deep work early in the morning or late at night, that way life will be less prone to get in the way as most people will be asleep.
Put systems in place to minimize distractions and interruptions.
Schedule a few hours of deep work early in the morning or late at night, that way life will be less prone to get in the way as most people will be asleep.
7. Tame your wild inbox
Clearly define your goals.
Then, reverse engineer them so you know what you should and shouldn’t be paying attention to.
That way you can confidently write out a list of the type of emails you’re interested in.
Clearly define your goals.
Then, reverse engineer them so you know what you should and shouldn’t be paying attention to.
That way you can confidently write out a list of the type of emails you’re interested in.
Then you can create filters or even hire a personal assistant to help you separate the wheat from the chaff.
8. Set productivity as your default state
Don’t schedule productivity, schedule distraction.
Don’t schedule productivity, schedule distraction.
9. Take long walks without any music or podcasts
A short focused walk in solitude without earpods on is perfect for solving a complex problem in your mind.
A short focused walk in solitude without earpods on is perfect for solving a complex problem in your mind.
10. Aim to solve difficult problems
Big obstacles make life worth living. We're here to live our own personal adventures, and to do so we have to aim higher.
Don't settle until you find something ambitious enough that it excites you when you think about it.
Big obstacles make life worth living. We're here to live our own personal adventures, and to do so we have to aim higher.
Don't settle until you find something ambitious enough that it excites you when you think about it.
11. Masters create masterpieces
Focus on producing quality work instead of shallow work. Quality work takes much longer to complete but if done correctly it can last a lifetime.
Focus on producing quality work instead of shallow work. Quality work takes much longer to complete but if done correctly it can last a lifetime.
12. Embrace the 80/20 Pareto principle
Eliminate, simplify, batch automate, or delegate.
Remove as much fluff as you can from your schedule and double down on those tasks that really move the needle forward.
Eliminate, simplify, batch automate, or delegate.
Remove as much fluff as you can from your schedule and double down on those tasks that really move the needle forward.
13. Create a balanced schedule
Instead of aiming to be focused on deep work all the time (unrealistic) try designing a balanced schedule where you get to do deep work every other day.
Instead of aiming to be focused on deep work all the time (unrealistic) try designing a balanced schedule where you get to do deep work every other day.
The rest of the days you can rest and catch up with shallow work. That way you’ll be able to sustain it for however long you want.
Thank you so, so much for reading!
If you've liked these visual book notes consider subscribing to my email list where I share my very best work twice a month!
visualgrowth.com
If you've liked these visual book notes consider subscribing to my email list where I share my very best work twice a month!
visualgrowth.com
Loading suggestions...