In Deep Work I Believe
I often get asked what makes a great product manager. Which skills are the most important? Personally, I put Deep Work on top of my list of most wanted skills. Yet, less than 1% of knowledge...
I often get asked what makes a great product manager. Which skills are the most important? Personally, I put Deep Work on top of my list of most wanted skills. Yet, less than 1% of knowledge workers practice Deep Work.
Deep Work is a concept introduced by Cal Newport, a Computer Science professor at Georgetown University. It is built on the premise that the true value brought by knowledge workers comes from their ability to perform cognitively demanding tasks for sustained periods of time.
Nonetheless, in our current work environment it is harder than ever to spend time thinking. Our day are filled with countless meetings, hundreds of emails, tasks to update a spreadsheet or create a report, constant disruptions coming through your mobile phone and messaging apps. For the majority of knowledge workers, today's fast pace work environment makes it nearly impossible to be a great producer.
In this article, we will explore why Deep Work matters, what it is according to Cal Newport, how you acquire this skill, where you stand on the Deep Work scale, and walk through my personal journey of becoming a Deep Worker.
Meet the knowledge worker
We discussed in this article the many ways to become a PM (Product Manager); the job requires a diverse set of soft skills and does not follow a standard training like engineering.
Quite a few PMs come from technical background and used to monetize their hard skill (I am one of them). However, once in a PM job, those hard skills go away by lack of practice and all you are left with is your cognitive powers, i.e. your brain. Welcome to the world of knowledge workers!
Technological innovation in the workspace had a huge impact on work behaviors over the last 15 years. We move from email communications with discussion threads that last days to real-time collaboration via messaging apps and an "always-on attitude". I personally get a new message every few minutes. The expectation is also that you will engage within the day and usually within hours.
In those conditions, it is very easy to stay busy: regularly check new messages and engage; regularly check your emails and reply; attend all meetings you are invited to, because if they invited you it sure must be important.
My good friend John shared this anecdote with me when he joined our team from Cisco. One day he told me jokingly: "Cisco is an amazing company; it's so unique that they could layoff 90% of their workforce and still run fine with the remaining 10%". I do not know about Cisco personally but I found this joke illustrative of a phenomenon in the workplace: those who produce and those who show up.
PMs, like other knowledge workers, do not produce anything tangible. They drive a product vision, strategy, execution; they interact with R&D, Marketing, Sales, and Support functions; they meet with field specialists, customers and partners.
It's common knowledge in the industry that PMs are always busy. It begs the question: do PMs belong to the busy or productive category of employees?
Shallow vs Deep Work: Pick Your Camp
According to Cal Newport, there are two breeds of knowledge workers: Deep Workers and Shallow Workers. A Deep Worker constantly delivers at the highest level. A shallow worker is present but has a limited impact. We find both types in companies and at different degrees.
It is so easy to stay busy in this DNA age and deliver little to nothing. On the other side, it is extremely hard to apply critical thinking to hard problems and produce tangible deliverables on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Take meetings: how often do you prep in advance for meetings you are invited to? How often do you show up with an opinion and questions ready for the organizer? Most people with busy calendars follow the flow, from one meeting to the next, and end the day with the feeling of having worked a lot because they attended meetings non-stop throughout the day.
Showing up for meetings is not productive work that helps your team or company. Only when you take a decision is it beneficial to your company. For most knowledge workers, I am afraid that meetings often rhyme with shallow work.
I can hear our readers saying loud: "True but I am different. I am very productive". Let's do a small experiment. Take the last four working weeks and count how many times you produced something new (an analysis, a proposal, a decision) that required at least one hour of work behind closed doors. If you cannot get to four (one production a week) then chances are that you belong to the Shallow workers tribe!
Why does this matter? Because shallow workers are not essential to their employer, therefore easily replaceable; more important, Deep Workers possess a unique craft that let them think deeply, practice critical thinking, be innovative and decisive for their employer; this is why knowledge workers get hired in the first place.
Unfortunately, we have been trained to constantly switch context, multi-task, do more with less, stay connected 24/7. As a result, it is challenging for many individuals to take a step back, and take the time to think about problems or challenges they face at work. And to do so at a level of depth that allow them to reach a point where they can contribute in unique ways.
A productive knowledge worker needs to practice his craft; in my opinion, this means adopting Deep Work practices.
Deep Work by Cal Newport
I love reading books. It is fascinating how much you can learn on your own. Anyone can use books to educate himself and go deep (pun intended) on a topic. Books are also cheap. When I read Deep Work from Cal Newport, little did I know that it would have a tremendous impact on my entire approach to work and lifestyle.
In his book, Cal Newport argues that deep work, the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitive demanding task, is one of the most valuable skills of the new economy and rare to find.
The concept of Deep Work is articulated around the following principles:
People confuse busyness with productivity
Ability to perform Deep Work is becoming rare thus increasingly valuable
People who develop Deep Work skills will thrive in the new economy
Deep Work means mastering hard concepts quickly and producing at elite level (quality and speed)
Deep Work requires scheduling and repetition
Downtimes to recharge are critical; Deep Workers embrace laziness and boredom
Quit social media; monitor your Internet habits and use this medium purposefully
Organize your day for productivity: fewer and better tools, schedule every minute of your day
Learn to value your own time; protect it if necessary
The book is packed with practical tips on how to embrace Deep Work in your life. That really sets it apart for me. Too often, authors do a great job at covering important concepts, give examples, but provide little guidance on how to practice what they preach.
After reading Cal Newport’s book, I became a Deep Work practitioner (see next section). After a few years, I have enough return on experience to say I am a proponent of Cal's Deep Work framework. I always recommend the book to my reports and to PMs I coach.
Deep Work: Where Do You Stand?
Before walking you through my personal journey, I recommend you take the time to reflect on your own situation and conduct an honest self-assessment. I compiled a list of questions:
How many uninterrupted work periods of 60+ minutes (preferably 90+ min) did you have in the last week? month? quarter? [catching up on work late at night does not count]
How many times did you prepare in advance for meetings you were invited to (review material, critical thinking, develop a POV) in the last week/month/quarter? [being present <> contributing]
How many assets with new concepts/ideas did you produce in the last week/month/quarter?
How many in-depth analysis did you complete in the last week/month/quarter?
How often in a week do you extend your working day beyond 8 hours? [presence <> productivity]
How often in a week do you bring work at home (or start a 2nd day in the evening)?
How many hours of "Deep worK" do you block on your calendar? [0 will get you the Hat of Shame]
How often do you empty your inbox a week?
How often do you check your inbox a day? [I know, it's so tempting]
How often do you engage on your company's instant messenger app (Slack, Google Hangout, etc)? [messaging <> being productive]
How often does work sit between you and your wife when you go to bed? [make love, not
warwork]How often do you go for walks in a week?
How often do you practice sport, yoga, or another relaxing activity in a week?
How many hours of "doing nothing" do you clock a week? [yes there is such a thing as "doing nothing"]
Building awareness is the first step towards change and forming new habits. Those questions touch on important aspects of your work/lifestyle hygiene. What struck me personally is the amount of bad behaviors I had developed out of perceived expectations from my work and workers or self-inflicted productivity standards based on the simple premise "the more, the better".
If the concept of Deep Work interests you, I suggest you take your time. Reflect on those questions, envision how your work and lifestyle balance could be different for the better. Don't rush to conclusions.
The transformation to become a Deep Worker is a journey and change does not happens overnight. You better bet sure this is the right thing for you and stick to it once you start the journey. And please, do not make it a new year resolution, we all know those never last more than a month!
For those convinced to start the journey, I also recommend Atomic Habits from James Clear (his free weekly newsletter is a gem) and The Science of Making and Breaking Habits from Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist professor at Stanford School of Medicine.
Becoming A Deep Worker
Reading Deep Work was like an eye opener. It showed me how I could be a better individual, a leader and contributor to my company and my family. It was humbling. As a border line perfectionist, the practice of Deep Work was a no brainer. So I went all in.
I am sharing my journey with you as an example. It is by no mean something to apply blindly. It personally helps me to see real life examples. Hopefully sharing my personal journey inspires you and get you thinking in more concrete ways on behaviors and tactics available and whether they will work for you.
So, how did I become a Deep Worker?
First, I killed my worst habits. I followed Cal Newport's advice in his book Digital Minimalism and went for a 30 day Internet detox. We are talking about the hard core detox: no more Internet surfing, social media posting, etc.
To my surprise, I survived this period. Next, I removed all the sites, apps, and tools on my phone and computer unless they provided me an essential value. That day, I quit Facebook.
Next I bought this fancy planner and started the practice of planning my month with key priorities, goals, and map out my week on Sunday or first thing on Monday. As per Cal's advice, I included everything in my plans: personal, family, and professional life. It took me time to develop this habit. But being purposeful in how I spent my day has been a blessing.
This was pre-Covid and 2020 threw a wrench in my well oiled schedule and organization. The work from home and Covid crazy journey was a huge step back. I redeveloped bad habits. Luckily, I had enough awareness to recognize what happened and corrected courses. In the process, I gave up my fancy planner, adopted todoist task manager, and finally graduated to Evernote as my all-in-one work and life organizer.
At a personal level, I introduced daily walks in my routine; it was easy with Salesforce work from home policy. I have a stand up desk in my home office and walk on a treadmill a few hours a day but the benefits of daily walks in the nature are just incomparable. Walking outside helps recharge the brain and get you thinking about hard problems. Cal explains this subtle process of letting your brain work through tough issues by taking walks… and it truly works!
I used to jog twice a week. I realized there were few downsides to this routine. A run can easily take two hours of my day including prep, stretches, and shower. It is also hard to schedule such a large block of time. Moreover, through further research, I learned that highly productive people "turn on" their brain and body first thing in the morning. So I tweaked my routine to test that theory and it delivered amazing results.
After I grab a cup of coffee, I do fifteen to twenty minutes of HIIT cardio every morning. It was challenging at first but better than taking a cold shower! I strongly recommend the early morning exercise routine. The productivity boost is amazing.
After a while, it can become boring. It's easy to find new exercises on YouTube to keep it entertaining. Early morning runs outside are also terribly efficient at waking up your body.
Last and definitely not least, I changed my sleep pattern. I get up much earlier, around 5:30am and get on with my routine. In the evening, I relax, disconnect, and always read a book (no electronic device) before going to bed.
Key Take Aways
Deep Work, the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitive demanding task, is a critical skill that sets apart the intelligent productive worker from the busy ones. In the short run, anyone can be connected, respond to emails or messages at lightning speed, and attend meetings all day long. In the long run, those behaviors will do little to help you stand out, advance your career, and build a healthy personal/family/work life balance.
Cal Newport's Deep Work approach is about developing the best version of yourself with a combination of personal/work ethics, discipline, work and life balance, and self-awareness. PMs and knowledge workers who embrace Deep Work will be handsomely rewarded throughout their career.
The journey to become a Deep Worker is not straightforward. Do not underestimate the amount of efforts needed to change, especially in the early phase of habit forming. This is also why Deep Work practitioners are very few and therefore at a ridiculous competitive advantage against their peers.
Some of you may have developed their own variant of Deep Work. I would love to hear what you borrowed from Cal’s Deep Work framework and other techniques that work for you.