Deep Work
Also known as Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Cal Newport's 2016 book on long, focused, undistracted work on demanding tasks.
At a glance
Key ideas
Deep work, Away from the inbox, Social media is not career capital
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- Newport, a computer scientist at Georgetown University, uses "deep work" for studying or working in focused stretches of time on intellectually demanding tasks, free of distractions such as email and social media.
- The term had been used before in a psychological or religious sense.
- The book challenges the belief that being on social media is important for building a career.
Why it matters
- It is the book that made deep work Newport's best-known idea, and it leads into his later books on digital minimalism and email.
Key facts
- Author
- Cal Newport1
- Published
- 2016, Grand Central Publishing1
- Followed by
- Digital Minimalism (2019); A World Without Email (2021); Slow Productivity (2024)1
Key ideas
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Deep work1
Working in focused chunks of time on intellectually skilful tasks without distraction.
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Away from the inbox1
Email and social media are the distractions deep work shuts out.
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Social media is not career capital1
Newport challenges the belief that being on social media is important for a career.
Connections
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Links
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