Harness the Power of Deep Work

This semester, we have discussed productivity at great length. Productivity is a necessary skill that allows us to work well, stewarding our time, energy, and responsibilities to the best of our ability. In the final installment of “How to Get Things Done in College,” Matt Perman is discussing how Cal Newport’s idea of “deep work” can help us become productive humans.

Have you heard of the productivity equation? Here it is:

Productivity = Time Spent x Degree of Focus

The productivity equation shows us that there is a relationship between how focused we are in our tasks and how long they take.

What we see is this: If we work with a high degree of focus, then the tasks will take less time. On the other hand, if we have a low degree of focus, then we will have to work longer in order to accomplish the same level of productivity.

What gets in the way of doing our tasks with a high degree of concentration? Distractions. It takes time for your mind to warm up and get in the zone. If you are pulled away from your task every few minutes, whether by text messages, social media, or your roommate, your concentration level will suffer.

On the other hand, if you clear away any potential for distractions and focus entirely on the task at hand, your mind will become fully engaged in the task and you will be able to do it with higher focus–and therefore get it done in less time. (And, likely, with higher quality.)

This is called “deep work,” and it is the new super power of the knowledge economy. Cal Newport, one of the pioneers in expounding the concept of deep work, defines deep work as the practice of performing activities “in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capacities to the limit.”

Deep work is the perfect skill to apply to your studies. It can be fun to be doing lots of things at once, such as hanging out with your roommate or checking social media as you study. I wouldn’t say you should never do that.

But in general, if you plan your studies in such a way that you can do them with complete focus for an extended period of time, your grades and learning will go up. And, when you get into the workforce, learning how to harness the power of deep work can set you apart.

(For more on deep work, check out Cal Newport’s excellent book