To achieve deep work efficiently, treat it as a second job by scheduling dedicated hours and protecting that time. Seek permission from superiors to prioritize this commitment seriously. Recognize the distinction between cranking out tasks and engaging in creative work; optimizing for each requires different approaches. Managing multiple projects is fundamentally different from making technical contributions to a single one, emphasizing the need for clarity and sustainability in work roles. For those in dual roles, such as professors, maintain separate productivity systems and schedules for each role to enhance focus and effectiveness in achieving goals.
One of the more viral suggestions from Cal’s recent book, SLOW PRODUCTIVITY, was to occasionally skip out of work to see a movie. In this episode, Cal dives deep into criticisms of this advice and decodes what this tells us about where knowledge work is faltering and how we can make things better. He then answers questions from listeners and reacts to some productivity advice given from a well-known CEO.
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo