Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport (Summary)

thegeneralistlens

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3 min read

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Jul 7, 2020

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My collection of nuggets:

1. Author’s key hypothesis: the ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. As a consequence, those who cultivate this skill will thrive.
2. The two core abilities that rely on deep work are 1. Quickly learn hard things (learning) and 2. produce at an elite level (producing)
3. Unlike in industrial work / Taylorism, it is difficult to measure the value of modern knowledge work in a straightforward manner. Busyness has become a proxy for productivity in the absence of clear indicators of what it means to be productive and valuable in knowledge work. Knowledge workers are thus tending words increasing visible busyness, because they lack a better way to demonstrate their value.
4. According to research, we are at our best when immersed deeply in something challenging. Ironically, jobs are easier to enjoy than free time because like flow activities, they have built in goals, feedback rules and challenges that encourage us to concentrate at work. On the other hand, free time is unstructured and requires much more effort to be shaped into something that can be enjoyed.
5. We have finite willpower…