3. Ruthlessly Eliminate Shallow Work

Newport found knowledge workers spend 60% of their time on shallow tasks that don’t create real value.

Corporate Examples:

• Amazon’s “Two Pizza Rule:” If a team can’t be fed with two pizzas, it’s too big and invites distraction
• Asana’s No-Meeting Wednesdays: The productivity software company protects midweek for deep work
• Twitter’s “Focus Time” Feature: Employees can automatically decline meeting invites during protected hours

4. Make Distraction Difficult

The easier distraction is, the more we’ll succumb to it. Create intentional friction.

Effective Strategies:

• Phone Jail: Keep your phone in another room during deep work sessions
• Website Blockers: Use tools like Freedom or Cold Turkey to block distracting sites
• Accountability Partners: Like writing groups that check on daily progress

Putting Deep Work Focus Into Practice

1. Start Small: Begin with just 30-minute deep work sessions and gradually increase
2. Track Progress: Use a simple spreadsheet to log your deep work hours
3. Reward Yourself: Positive reinforcement helps build the habit

Pro Tip: Newport suggests scheduling your deep work for when your energy is highest. For most people, this is morning hours.

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