To effectively engage in deep work, one must explicitly define their desired role and secure the necessary time to fulfill it, treating it as a second job. This requires communicating with superiors about time commitments and protecting that time from other obligations. It is vital to eliminate unscheduled interruptions, recognizing that while work can be optimized, it cannot be avoided. Distinguishing between the tasks of cranking (routine work) and creating (deep work) is essential, as the strategies to maximize efficiency in each differ significantly.
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