3-Steps to Deep Work
Image by Patrick Gendry from Unsplash
There are scores of productivity strategies from which we may choose, but few lay out easy-to-implement steps for making DEEP WORK periods part of our ongoing schedule. A key to an elevated personal and professional life six months from now is making recurring Deep Work part of the way you operate.
The road to becoming a musician provided me the formative experience of pursuing ONE SKILL SET multiple times a week for hours at a time regardless of mood or circumstance. The pursuit of a level of mastery in the realm of classical music solidified my penchant for action, and for scheduling, prioritizing, protecting, and looking forward to DELIBERATE PRACTICE.
The truth is, 25-minute Pomodoro sessions function for some, but top-of-field leaders across industries often practice their craft in LARGER TIME BLOCKS of 90-minutes and more. They also schedule & prioritize physical fitness, rest, rejuvenation, their family, and personal projects not related to their work. Longer work blocks may function well for you too. What to do?
1. ASK what one task you'd take care of before going off-grid for a month. This is a great go-to for prioritizing projects and getting to them.
2. MAKE Monday afternoons and all day Tuesday your 90+minute work time. Once you have 2 to 3 priority projects identified, schedule and protect time with yourself on Monday afternoons (1-5?) and for a full work day on Tuesdays to place yourself in a distraction-free space to practice what you do.
3. INVEST IN and BET ON YOURSELF. Constant distraction and always being mentally elsewhere is not best for us cognitively, socially, emotionally, professionally, or personally. It leads to frayed relationships and Burnout. Showing up fresh when it's time is part of your job as the Executive and leader of yourself. Don't leave your wellness or credibility to anyone else -- Prioritize sleep, fitness, family, friends, fulfillment, and being of high service to others.
This three-step methodology has served me well and it has served my clients well. If you're looking for a fresh start or a new way forward, consider the steps above.