Cal Newport’s concept of Deep Work focuses the work day, but it doesn’t help me extend it.

Before reading Cal Newport’s amazing book, Deep Work, I just tried to work as much as possible. As a freelancer, that had many downsides: I didn’t get much done, and work would bleed into my off time. I felt like I was working 24/7 without any real understanding of efficiency.

Deep Work made me confront how I actually used my time. In it, Newport suggests that most of our “working” isn’t really focused. Instead we’re multitasking, and according to the neuroscience, multitasking well is largely a myth. We tend to badly switch back and forth between important tasks that need concentration and small distractions. And in today’s smartphone-filled world, the constant social media beeps and buzzes exacerbate the problem.

His solution is to learn how to formally focus. He advises turning off cell phones and blocking distracting websites. He even advocates short spurts and writing down what you’ll do TO THE MINUTE. The result is serious, efficient concentration. 

I applied Newport’s theories by creating a deep work ritual. I used Pomodoros, blocked Facebook and Reddit, played non-distracting music, and wrote my times to the minute. And he is right - I’m laser focused, and I get more done.

The problem is that after about an hour and a half I’m exhausted.

[SKIP TO THE END FOR THE SHORT VERSION]

CREATING A SYSTEM

Newport suggests (deep) working up to 4 hours a day. There are days I’ll dig deep and extend it to 3 hours - but those are standouts. A good system works on its worst days. Was there a way to automatically lengthen out Deep Work?

To start, I noticed there were times where it just naturally happened.

The standard Pomodoro protocol on the app I use (Tomighty) is four sets of 25 minutes, separated by 5 minute mini breaks, followed by a larger 20 minute break. However, when I wrote 50,000 words in 5 days for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) I quickly found that 13 minutes was more optimal - it was the average time my concentration for free writing broke (as opposed to this awesome research on optimal sets using an analysis of 5.5 million users). Later, when I lowered my normal work load to 10 minute sets, I felt (and still feel) my focus is stronger. But I’m also able to automatically do more repetitions.

As with my sleep study, which forced me to create a better sleep index, there were just too many variables. So I came up with a general metric for good work. It combined 4 elements:

1. Time to start

2. Focus in session

3. The number of Deep Work sets

4. Overall energy/torpor

TIME TO START

The biggest issue was wasting time actually getting started. I tried to solve this by tying the habit of writing to starting the Pomodoro timer rather than the act of writing itself. This hones in on the specific if-then protocol – and often that’s just a matter of starting as quickly as possible. And the science suggests that this “jumping in” method helps bypass procrastination (check out this article on the neuroscience of the 5 Second Rule).

I also attempted an implementation intention for starting work every day (both of the day and the night before) – but that required first forming a planning habit where I broke tasks down into small parts. I tried starting with a a throwaway set – an easy task to ease into writing. I also tried a task priming exercise - usually reading an author pep talk from NaNoWriMo. A lot of tiny actions - like the task priming Smiley Face Game I wrote about before - seemed to somehow smooth the transition between a break and getting back to work. 

The key to all this wasn’t just what I did to get started, but what I did in between sets of work. So I started experimenting with small and large breaks.

OPTIMIZING BREAKS

I began meditating between writing sprints in order to introduce an emotional pattern break to prevent quickly getting worn out (mood changes have been shown to restore self-regulation). In my article on mIcrodosing on meditation, I discuss some of the one minute meditations I do - but I’ve also included other emotional changes, like looking at pics of cute kittens or green landscapes, both shown to boost productivity.

The Pomodoro Technique also includes larger breaks - but what do you do during them? Previously I’d just wander off and be pretty lax about coming back.

Forest bathing and walking have both been shown to recharge the mind, but are a bit time consuming. While I do try to incorporate walks, I want to try rebounding - bouncing on a mini trampoline. As weird as it sounds (and the iffiness of the studies - some believe it “recharges” all the cells in the body), I think it might introduce an energizing emotional change. Any sort of acceleration has a thrilling, charging effect on me – think rollercoasters and go karting.

But the biggest change to my schedule was taking breaks BEFORE I felt tired. I started mandating a break after 40 minutes instead of just going with the flow or going until I felt tired. Seems obvious, but it significantly extended my number of Deep Work sets.

A part from individual sessions, I discovered that what I did across time also had an effect on work.

DOWNSHIFTING

I recently wrote about tasks that are actually optimized during periods of low willpower. One study found that people are more creative when they’re tired. So any tasks that require decision making or discernment (like editing) are best placed at the beginning of my work day. Creative endeavors like brainstorming ideas, automatic tasks, or writing that benefit from less willpower (like first drafts) are placed later in the day. A well developed planning habit that maps this all out significantly helps, or you end up getting pretty bogged down.

As the day progresses and I get more willpower-depleted, the strategies I use to perk back up change as well. Not only are some tasks optimized for low willpower, but exercises that involve exemplar priming seem to work better when you’re depleted to fuel focus.

Progression through the day in regards to energy levels was also important.

ENERGY PROGRESSION

In an excellent article, the Harvard Business Review describes how managing energy is even more important than managing time. The biggest energy slump happens after lunch. One counter is altering the meal itself. I tried just having a light meal. In addition, I tried making a concoction with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, which a few (admittedly small) studies show improves insulin sensitivity. I also use matcha in it, which offers a smooth background caffeine buzz that avoids the crashes of coffee. In fact, in one article, the author found that simply doing a quick 30 seconds of exercise as a break offered an even better energy boost than coffee.

Getting adequate light, beauty and even the color of your work space also seem to boost productivity in a general way like getting a good night of sleep.

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There’s a default tendency to view all of this as a matter character. In reality, there are a slew of contributing variables. Testing and retesting combinations automatically resulted in different outcomes. And it was often what I changed well before a bout of laziness that led to more optimal and sustained productivity. The system parameters herded and supported a better work day – no digging deep required.

At the end of all of this my average deep work sessions almost tripled.

And I haven’t even started bouncing yet…

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MY IDEAL WORK DAY

1. Cultivate your work space. Make it beautiful and filled with light. Paint it a high saturated color - ideally blue for productivity (or just use a computer background).

2. Get a good night’s sleep. For me, that means getting to bed earlier, not drinking too much, avoiding caffeine at night, eating well, and rigorously paying attention to light. I have blue light blockers on my computer (F.lux) and phone, and try to get light at the beginning of the day (there’s a study that shows it helps with sleep - in my sleep test, it significantly correlated with helping me drift off faster).

3. Wake up and plan out the work day. I try to do this in sunlight with a cup of coffee (black to avoid a sugar crash). I like using the bullet journaling method because it’s easy and simple. I break down tasks into categories - ones that are urgent, ones that require more self control (like editing) and ones that require less (creative or automatic tasks).

4. Immediately start my Pomodoro timer. I use Tomighty, and set 4, 10 minute intervals with 1 minute breaks. I make sure to have the ticking going in the background because it’s an added reminder of the passage of time.

5. Set up a Deep Work session. I set my phone to airplane mode, use an app (SelfControl) to block Facebook and Reddit, and start a Spotify playlist that helps block out distractions yet isn’t too distracting in itself - I usually use the one aptly called “Deep Focus”.

6. Lubricate starting work. Do a quick throwaway work set (like a morning page) or read an exemplar prime (like a NaNoWriMo pep talk).

7. Take small breaks. For my short, one minute breaks, I cycle through a series of micro meditations during my one minute breaks - mindfulness, compassion, tantric visualizations - types that will shift my emotions in some way. Sometimes I also look at cute animal pics or videos (www.reddit.com/r/aww), affirmations, list of accomplishments I’m proud of, or gratitude statements. I sometimes watch short motivational videos or look at pictures of forests.

8. Take longer breaks. After 4 sets I’ll take a longer break. I try to get out into the sun and incorporate some minimum amount of movement. If you have time, walk around the block. If you can, walk in a forested area.

9. Harness movement and momentum. There’s a weird focus boosting effect I get when switching locations. Sometimes I’ll work at my gym before or after working out. Sometimes I’ll go to a coffee shop or a library.

10. Mind the afternoon slump. Pay attention to your blood sugar. Eat a light lunch or one that affects your blood sugar the least. Drink a concoction of matcha and apple cider vinegar. Stop drinking coffee in the afternoon. Incorporate short, 30 second workout sessions.

11. Shift into low willpower strategies. In the afternoon (or when you feel more depleted, whichever comes first) start easing back into work after longer breaks by playing the ego associative smiley face games (here’s a similar phone app called Upbeat Mind), or reading an exemplar prime, or pretend you’re Batman. Shift into automatic and creative tasks. And boost creativity by switching your screen background to highly saturated yellow.

12. Turn off. When you’re done, be completely done. Cal Newport advocates a shut down ritual which includes reviewing completed tasks, reviewing his future plans, and uttering a phrase to set his mind to the off mode.

Some things I have not tested (but are on my list): Essential oils/aromatherapy, the effect of different types of music or binaural beats, cold showers, rebounding, and nootropics.