I remember a time, not so long ago, when I could easily get lost in a good book for hours. The world would fade away, and I’d be completely immersed in the story, turning page after page without a single thought of checking my phone or glancing at an incoming notification. Fast forward to today, and that kind of sustained focus feels like a rare luxury. It’s not just me; I hear it from so many people. We pick up a book, open a document, or start a project, and within minutes, our minds are already drifting, pulled by the siren song of our inboxes, social media feeds, or the endless stream of information that bombards us daily. It’s like our attention spans have been collectively shrinking, making it harder than ever to truly concentrate on what matters.
This struggle with focus isn’t just a minor annoyance; it’s a significant barrier to getting important work done. We often hear advice like “just focus” or “block out distractions,” but if it were that simple, we’d all be productivity gurus. The truth is, unlocking true focus, what we call “deep work,” requires more than just willpower. It’s about understanding the underlying mechanics of attention and intentionally cultivating a skill that, for many of us, has atrophied in our always-on world.
Focus is a Muscle, Not a Switch
Think about it like this: you wouldn’t expect to run a marathon without training, right? You’d start with short jogs, gradually increasing your distance and endurance over time. The same principle applies to your ability to focus. It’s a muscle that needs consistent exercise to grow stronger. When I was younger, I was definitely not a morning person. Those 7 AM classes in school were brutal, and I often struggled to pay attention. It wasn’t until much later that I learned to intentionally shift my habits and train myself to be more productive in the mornings. It didn’t happen overnight; it was a gradual process of building new routines and strengthening that “morning person” muscle.
Similarly, our modern world, with its constant influx of short-form content and instant gratification, has conditioned us to consume information in small, intense bursts. This makes it incredibly difficult to engage in activities that require sustained attention, like reading a complex book or tackling a challenging project. I used to read 20 books a year, no problem. Now, for many, reading even one book a quarter feels like a significant achievement. Our concentration span hasn’t disappeared, but the skill of sustained focus has certainly degraded over time.
How often do you find your attention pulled in a dozen directions at once?
The “Why” Behind Your Work: Intentionality is Key
Deep work isn’t just about being focused; it’s about being intentional with that focus. You can be intensely focused on a task that ultimately doesn’t move you forward. Deep work, as coined by Cal Newport, is about engaging in distraction-free concentration on activities that are truly important and create significant value. The opposite, “shallow work,” is often busy work that doesn’t necessarily add much value, like administrative tasks. While necessary, it doesn’t require the same level of cognitive effort or creativity.
To truly engage in deep work, you need to understand the “why” behind what you’re doing. I learned a powerful lesson about this when I first moved to the States and was learning to drive. My uncle told me, “It’s one thing to know the rules, but it’s another to understand the reasoning behind them.” For example, you’re not supposed to switch lanes in an intersection. You can memorize that rule, but once you understand why (it increases accident rates, blocks traffic), it makes perfect sense, and you’re far more likely to follow it.
The same applies to your work. If you have a sense of purpose behind a task, your intensity of focus will naturally be much higher. If you’re researching colleges for your child, it’s not just about checking off a box; it’s about setting them up for a successful future. When something meaningful is at stake, and you connect with that deeper purpose, focusing becomes significantly easier.
What’s the deeper purpose behind the tasks you’re tackling today?
Defensive Driving for Your Deep Work
Just as a defensive driver anticipates potential hazards on the road, you need to practice “defensive driving” for your deep work sessions. This means proactively identifying and addressing anything that could derail your focus. My co-host, Brooks, recently shared an example: he had a big, focus-intensive task to do, but also a webinar to give. He knew that after the webinar, his energy and focus would be drained. So, he made sure to tackle the deep work before the webinar. This kind of foresight is crucial.
Sometimes, the biggest roadblocks to deep work aren’t external distractions, but internal ones or a reluctance to have “hard conversations.” We might have a calendar packed with back-to-back meetings, leaving no room for focused work. While some meetings are unavoidable, we often have more control than we realize. It might mean politely declining an invitation, suggesting an alternative, or having a conversation with your manager about protecting your focus time. It takes a bit of courage and a willingness to be uncomfortable, but reclaiming that margin in your schedule is essential for deep work.
What potential roadblocks can you identify and proactively address in your schedule this week?
Training Your Focus Muscle: Practical Strategies
So, how do you actually train this focus muscle? It starts small. If you can currently focus for 20 minutes, try pushing it to 25. Once that feels consistent, aim for 30, then 45, and so on. Incremental improvements lead to massive gains over time. One of the most effective training tools is the Pomodoro Technique: set a timer for 25 minutes, commit to working on one task, and take a short break afterward. Doing this consistently builds your capacity for sustained attention.
Beyond techniques, developing a “focus ritual” can signal to your brain that it’s time to concentrate. For me, it’s making matcha, sipping it, and getting a little sunlight before I dive into work. Using productivity music, like Focus@Will, also helps set the stage. These small cues create a consistent environment for deep work.
When choosing tasks for your deep work blocks, aim for those that are both challenging and somewhat enjoyable. It’s hard to get into a flow state when you’re dreading the work. Brooks experienced this when learning new software: just watching videos wasn’t enough. The real learning and deep work happened when he actively applied what he learned, trying to do something on his own without following a recipe. This “learning by doing” approach is far more impactful than passive consumption.
What small, consistent step can you take this week to strengthen your focus muscle?
The Compounding Return of Deep Work
Imagine you get a tax refund. You could spend it on something fun, or you could invest it, allowing it to grow over time. The same principle applies to your time. When you free up time in your schedule, whether by automating tasks or strategically declining meetings, how do you use it? If you spend it on shallow work or distractions, you’re missing out on a significant opportunity. But if you invest that time into deep work, the returns compound.
Consider the difference between nine 10-minute focus blocks and one 90-minute block. While the total time is the same, the quality of work, the level of creativity, and the potential for innovation are vastly different in the longer, uninterrupted session. Sustained focus allows you to enter a “flow state” where ideas connect, problems are solved, and truly valuable work gets done. This is where your work goes from “B” or “B+” standard to “A” or “A+” grade.
Cultivating deep work is a journey, not a destination. It requires consistent effort, intentional choices, and a willingness to embrace challenges. But the rewards—increased productivity, higher quality output, and a greater sense of accomplishment—are well worth the investment.
