2. Deep Work vs Shallow Work

Deep Work vs Shallow Work

Let’s start by clarifying exactly what deep work is… 

Deep Work is any professional activity or work that’s performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limit. 

When we immerse ourselves in deep work, we’re able to: 

• produce high-value work,
• improve our skills, and 
• create something that’s hard to replicate 

So, if you want to wring every last drop of value out of your current intellectual capacity, deep work is a necessity. 

• Deep work is when a writer’s ideas just flow and their writing is clear, creative, and crisp.
• Deep work is when an entrepreneur can make profitable business decisions and focus on long-term execution with ease and effectiveness.
• Deep work is when a consultant can analyze market conditions, develop long-term plans, and forecast future scenarios like a boss.
• Deep work is when a doctor can diagnose complex cases, research and find the right treatment options, and perform intricate procedures with precision.

Doing deep work on a regular basis gives you the ability to stretch your cognitive capabilities to their limit. 

It improves your skills. 

And it results in something valuable that’s hard to replicate.

The opposite of Deep Work is Shallow Work…

Shallow Work is non-cognitively demanding work that’s often performed while distracted. 

When we’re lost in shallow work, we don’t create much (if any) new value in the world, and what we do create is easy to replicate. 

Shallow work is when we replace deep work with its shallow cousin—constantly sending and receiving e-mails punctuated with frequent breaks for quick hits of distraction… No bueno. 

Take a look at the table below to get a better understanding of the differences between deep work vs shallow work – and what kinds of activities fall under each:

Actionable insights

The first step to embracing the deep life is to know how much time you spend doing Deep Work vs Shallow Work.

• Go to the Materials tab at the top of this page, then download + open the Deep Work vs Shallow Work worksheet.
• When you open the worksheet, you’ll find two columns: “Deep Work” and “Shallow Work”.
• Starting with the Deep Work column, list everything you do in a typical week that classifies as Deep Work. Then do the same thing for the Shallow Work column.
• Once you’re done, you should have a good idea of what your Deep Work vs Shallow Work ratio looks like (which will be useful later in this program).

Ultimately, your goal is to spend more time immersed in deep work and less time doing shallow work.

This doesn’t mean eliminating shallow work altogether—it just means limiting the amount of time you spend in the shallows so you can focus your efforts on producing real value.

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Ready to go deeper?

If you enjoyed this free sample lesson, then you’ll love the full version of the Deep Work course, which includes step-by-step audio lessons and downloadable worksheets to simplify your implementation of deep work as quickly as possible:

✓ Defeat distractions + get focused

✓ Identify the right deep work routine for your lifestyle

✓ Get fully focused on producing your most meaningful work

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