summary ofDeep WorkBook by Cal Newport

first KEY POINT

Deep work is becoming rarer by the day

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks. The deep work hypothesis states that this skill is becoming rare but increasingly valuable in our economy. Therefore, those who cultivate this skill will become irreplaceable.So, we know deep work is scarce, but why?Well, shallow work is much easier, and even large businesses encourage it. Facebook, for instance, wants to launch the most extensive open floor plan in the world. More than three thousand employees will work on movable furniture spread over a ten-acre office space.This design stimulates constant connectivity and fast response times, encouraging employees to choose the path of least resistance. It is a shallow work-induced environment where the employees work superficially.Most workers engage in visible "busyness" or "busyness as a proxy for productivity." Many do not know what it means and how to become valuable at work, so they indulge in several industrial productivity indicators — visibly doing things.

Deep work, on the other hand, entails single-tasking with no distractions during intense focus. As a result, you boost your performance and productivity.Studies have found that multitasking makes people less productive and that focusing on a single task maximizes effectual output. Although a lack of deep work allows the company to uncover significant potential advantages, it can also cause the company to miss a concrete way to optimize its production.If this trend continues, deep work will keep increasing in value; therefore, you can use the following advice to develop your ability to perform deep work and reap bountiful rewards.