Get Rid of Everything that Slows Us Down
Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distract World. Grand Central Publishing, 2016.
Summary
We face distractions today that ten years ago did not exist. According to Newport, being distracted is a trend to be resisted; it is a trend that it hinders us from functioning and creating at a high level and making a greater impact in the world. There are rewards for those who resist. One reward is high impact; the other is the ability to stand out in a rather shallow world. In fact, he posits that there is “massive economic and personal opportunity for the few who recognize the potential of resisting this trend…”1 What then is it that sets apart those who function and create at a high level—leaving a lasting impact on the world—from those who simply work? The differentiating factors are the contrasts between Deep Work and Shallow Work.
Newport defines Deep Work as those “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”2 In contrast, shallow work consists of “noncognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create much new value in the world and are easy to replicate.”3 It is in the focused times of deep concentration, away from distraction, in which the real breakthroughs come. Newport’s advice for getting there: work deeply, embrace boredom; quit social media; drain the shallows.
Briefly, those who work deeply, “add routines and rituals to [their] working life designed to minimize the amount of [their] limited willpower necessary to transition into and maintain a state of unbroken concentration.”4 Routine and ritual are the keys to working deeply. Those who embrace boredom make a decided effort to, “wean [their] mind from a dependence on distraction.”5 Being aware of the power of distraction is the key to embracing boredom. Those who quit social media do not entirely reject these essential tools; they realize that key is to “reject the state of distracted hyperconnectedness” for which these tools are so well known.6 Finally, those who drain the shallows are those who realize that “the shallow work that increasingly dominates the time and attention…is less vital than it often seems in the moment.”7 Consequently, the key to draining the shallows is to make a decided effort to identify and then lessen the amount of time spent on shallow work. With that, deep work requires practice, discipline, sacrifice, and dedication; words that can often be overlooked in a world filled with distractions.
Application
Two times a year I interview new missionary candidates. I have been doing this now for five years. In the last couple of years, I have noticed a trend where many missionary candidates want to text and/or stay on social media while we have the interview. It got to the point where I now designate the meeting room as a “social media free room.” Surprisingly, some candidates do not respond well to this; they have difficulty turning off their mobile devices, looking me in the eyes and having a conversation. Understand—this conversation is not about a great coffee shop or restaurant; these are conversations about their life and God’s plan for their life. These are conversations about impacting the world and making decisions that will affect their lives and their family members for generations to come, and still many cannot disconnect. Even after announcing that this is a “social media free room,” on more than one occasion, the person that I was interviewing attempted to hide the phone under the table and text while looking blankly into my eyes trying to prove that they could both do the interview and text at the same time. They couldn’t!
This is not to say that I am immune to the distractions. I noticed that even while I was typing this blog post that I was being distracted by email, texting, and Skype chats. At one point I began to move toward a distraction, but I caught myself. It’s not easy! Newport makes a very valid point: Deep work is hard work, and the distractions are real.
Newport’s book may resinate more clearly with those of us who, for the cause of Christ, wish to make a positive impact in the world. While Christ was in the wilderness Satan attempted to distract him. Also, the book of Hebrews encourages that “…we must get rid of everything that slows us down.” (Hebrews 21). This sounds very much like Newport’s thesis. It takes a deep work of the Holy Spirit in our life and “deep work” on our part to make an impact in a world that is clearly distracted.
- Cal Newport. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central Publishing, 2016, 8.
- Ibid., 2.
- Ibid., 6.
- Ibid., 100.
- Ibid., 157.
- Ibid., 184.
- Ibid., 218.
About the Author
Jim Sabella
8 responses to “Get Rid of Everything that Slows Us Down”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
The story of your interviews with young people hits close to home!– hiring and supervising college students, I watch carefully how they focus on me (or their phone) during interviews, and how they turn away from their phones to assist patrons (or not).
That being said, I find myself easily distracted, too. I discover I write more (and more creatively) when I’m flying, because I have no internet access (though that, too, is now changing, much to my disappointment). I suppose a trip across the globe is in order soon.
I get distracted all the time, not so much by the technology but by the work load itself, like fifty plates spinning on a stick. Even after all these years, I still get sick on a plane if I try to write or read. The trip to Africa is going to be a loooong flight.
Those cell phones!!! They seem to be almost like an extra appendage now. Newport used the term addiction in several places. Some people really seem unable to live without them. I don’t know the answer, but my husband and I tried out one idea.
We explained to our guests when they came over that we turned off our phone so that we could enjoy their company completely without distractions. If someone came in the room and interrupted our conversation we should see that as rude shouldn’t we? So we promised that we would not be rude by looking away from our company to get the phone if it rang. This seems to have worked pretty well.
Your interviewees could maybe look at it that way too.
Your post is so humble and thoughtful; let’s all get our essays done on the plane to Cape Town in the fall!!!!
Jim I enjoyed reading your application. As I read it, I shook my head. It is amazing to me how our devices have become so integrated into our lives that people wouldn’t even think twice about using it during an interview. I like your “social media free room” idea.
Thanks Jim for your honest and insightful post. I so related to you as I was typing my post too. I kept getting distracted by anything and everything. I also find a fly can interrupt me if I don’t enjoy what I’m doing. If I love what I’m doing, I can hyperfocus and I’m less apt to be distracted.
So true too that we have far more distractions today than even 20 years ago. I also wonder what all these distractions today are doing to our brains, spirits, and relationships? I am concerned for our next generation who gets less connection, attention, and eye contact from distracted parents. Enjoyable read Jim!
I like the Hebrews reference Jim and the thought of getting rid of everything that hinders us and prevents us running well. The concept of intentional and deep focus on what really matters is central to Newport’s work and reminds me of Paul’s admonition to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy… A focused beam of water can cut through steel!
Really valuable insight, Jim! Your story about candidates not being able to drag themselves from their phones during an interview shocked me. I am as guilty as most about having my phone constantly with me and remaining “plugged in” to those distractions, but it says something big if we can’t set it all aside for a life-altering conversation. This made me think. I turn off most of these distractions when I work, but maybe I need to consider turning them off when I play or socialize as well! Thank you.
Jim, thanks for the post…. I think it highlights an important element of balance that we need to understand – there is a time and a place for the connection that comes from social media, but then there also is a time and a place for the elimination of those distracting connections.