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I don't know why i am saying this here. Any hint on how i can stay focused on problem/study at hand, like always.
2. Exercise
3. Eat healthy
All 3 above feed into each other, and will make the biggest difference in your deep work
I'm ADHD so Deep Work is one of the only two modes I have. I'm always in it when I'm doing what I want. When I'm not in it I'm usually being required by someone else to perform a task, in which case the mode I'm in is generally disinterested, uncooperative, aloof and constantly thinking about when can I get back to doing what I want to do? My brain is only ever comfortable in Deep Work mode.
I'm the same, although I add a third: lots of caffeine + adderall is interesting to say the least.
Being able to dedicate whole days is a luxury. But in reality most days I get a lot done I will eventually run out of steam with great feelings from accomplishment.
Then I am often motivated to do the simpler tasks I normally avoid.
Here's a trick that works for me that's totally impractical, but is a hint/roadmap to finding a repeatable system: I've been doing a lot of travel to Europe lately, and the return flight has become my greatest deep work experience ever. I enjoy it so much that I actually look forward to it now and wish I could do it more than ~4 times a year. I fly either Zurich or Frankfurt to SFO on United and get an economy bulkhe…
> Obviously as I said it's not practical to fly around the world to get work done A friend of mine finished her novel through repeated long-haul flights from JFK. The on-going expense alone is motivating.
I think the question already starts off in the wrong direction. There are no tricks which solve the problems completely. It would be like asking for a trick to gain muscles or a trick to learn Spanish. The trick for both is: do the work. I'd argue that it is the same for focus. For example, Einstein was able to work through the sound of his crying baby [1]. Ignoring the questionable fatherhood practices, it shows that Einstein did not need a trick to get into the flow.
Doing the work implies that you optimize for doing the work. For one, that means reducing the number of possible distractions. Two great examples are Donald Knuth and Linus Torvalds. Knuth, doesn't read his emails or letters for extended periods of time and Linus' workplace is a desk staring straight to a white wall. Both people have clearly optimized for avoiding distractions and they seem to have come quite far with their lifes. If you want to hear a similar message about cutting distractions from an ex-Navy SEAL, then see Jocko [2].
Note that my examples do assume an, lets say, average Hacker News individual. Of course, if you have ADD or live under the poverty line then hearing that you "should just focus" is as unhelpful as telling a depressed person to be happy.
[1]: Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson [2]: https://youtu.be/WAiZqtxbvYQ
One weird trick I use is to listen to a particular kind of music. The genre isn't important. Neither is the content. What's important is that I've listened to that same music while experiencing a flow state in the past. Just as music attached to a time and place can make us remember how we felt back then, music attached to memories of deep work can make us feel more focused. I don't have any sources to back this up.…
One weird trick I use is to listen to a particular kind of music. The genre isn't important. Neither is the content. What's important is that I've listened to that same music while experiencing a flow state in the past. Just as music attached to a time and place can make us remember how we felt back then, music attached to memories of deep work can make us feel more focused. I don't have any sources to back this up.…
I’ve tried many things (sticking to a routine, creating a plan, creating an accountability system) but at the end of the day: 1. Getting into flow state on a conscious level implies that you are already there on a subconscious one. 2. Practically speaking to get into flow you need two components: Passion (you have to be driven by whatever it is you’re going to; “because I have to” won’t cut it. It won’t click.) and d…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Obviously as I said it's not practical to fly around the world to get work done A friend of mine finished her novel through repeated long-haul flights from JFK. The on-going expense alone is motivating.
I hope, for maximum irony, the novel features climate change as a plot point.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Obviously as I said it's not practical to fly around the world to get work done A friend of mine finished her novel through repeated long-haul flights from JFK. The on-going expense alone is motivating.
Thanks for sharing. This and the parent are interesting anecdotes. It reveals the “cost” of the environment for “deep work”, and therein the price / value of deep work to these individuals. This is an expensive and impactful price to pay to achieve a higher state of mind. How can the environment be recreated on demand (just like a long haul flight schedule) with less cost and environmental impact?
One weird trick I use is to listen to a particular kind of music. The genre isn't important. Neither is the content. What's important is that I've listened to that same music while experiencing a flow state in the past. Just as music attached to a time and place can make us remember how we felt back then, music attached to memories of deep work can make us feel more focused. I don't have any sources to back this up.…
The last two songs were:
Danger zone
We will rock you
Chosen for their relative lengths!
You know when danger zone is on there is one song left, it gives about 4 minutes for everyone to kinda get ready, finish coffees etc.
Then we will rock you is short so once everyone is kinda ready it’s not long before the lesson starts.