Doing deep work early in the day.

The concept of deep work comes from CS professor at Georgetown University Cal Newport. He says that deep work is any kind of analytical thinking that requires the most concentration, such as doing research, reading, writing, analyzing, or problem solving.

For me, doing deep work early didn't come naturally so it was a major lifestyle change. Before I started the habit, I used to be a night owl. I would schedule my work late in the evenings, usually around 10 p.m., and would frequently continue working into the night. There were many years when I'd be working past 2, sometimes even up to 4 a.m. But like with most things in life, you live and you learn. I realized that my brain couldn't focus or function clearly during the day. Coffee (much as though I love it) couldn't fix the problem in the long run, ether. I didn't know that by reducing the amount of sleep I was doing my brain a major disservice. So I decided to research this topic and as a result switched from being a night owl to being a morning person. This changed everything.

Here are a few things that helped me develop the habit of doing deep work early.

  • Setting aside 2-4 hours after waking up. I noticed this helps me take advantage of peak energy levels from getting a good night's rest, and helps me stay in the "flow." Scientists say that this is the brain's peak performance time. If, for example, you wake up at 6, your peak times are up to 10 a.m. Of course, you can extend this time to whenever you take a lunch break. The key is in dedicating the time to uninterrupted work.
  • Keeping a log of work done during peak times. I find that writing a short list of cognitive tasks that need to be completed each morning is helpful. For this, I use a bullet journal. Here are a few questions to think about: Are you focusing on your important mental tasks? Are you learning new material, solving complex problems, reading, or writing? For most people, this time is usually spent commuting to work, checking email, making phone calls, listening to the news, or attending meetings.
  • Re-organizing the peak brain performance time. If it's not in the deep work category, I postpone the task for later in the day whenever possible. For example, if you want to stay on top of the latest news, do this on your lunch break. If you want to check and respond to emails, choose 2–3 blocks of time to go over them — midday, mid-afternoon, and at the end of your workday.

What's your top productivity hack? Add a comment!

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