Summary of 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport. (2 Summaries in 1: In-Depth Summary and Bonus 2-Page PDF.)

To solve this problem, schedule your entire day like this: On lined paper, mark every other line with the hour of day. Schedule all your planned activities for the day (work tasks, lunch breaks, meetings, etc.) on the paper. For larger tasks (over 30 minutes), put each task in its own block. For smaller tasks, create a generic "task block"

Newport proposes a more rigorous approach called the craftsman approach to tool selection, which involves a careful evaluation of a tool's pros and cons as it relates to your most important goals and activities.

Recall the definition of shallow work: "Noncognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend not to create much new value in the world and are easy to replicate."

executives, are unique. The value of a CEO lies in the person's experience, judgment, vision and instinct to guide the countless decisions that a company must make every day. Spending hours thinking deeply about a single problem is a waste of that value. It would be better to hire smart people to think deeply about the problem and present possible

Deep work: "Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit.

There are two different types of metrics, and one matters more than the other: Lag measures are metrics of the final result. Lead measures are metrics that track behaviors and inputs that lead to the final result. In other words, lag measures are the output. Lead measures are the input.

The consistency of a rhythmic approach creates a daily deep work habit, which over time becomes stronger and requires less willpower. The rhythmic approach is also great for making progress on big projects that require weeks or months to finish. A lengthy project can be demotivating and lead to procrastination, especially if the project does not ha

Professorial approach to emails The last approach is based on the behavior of many professors; they simply do not respond to emails unless the sender convinces them that a reply is worth the time and effort. The professorial approach calls for ignoring the email for a few reasons: The message is unclear or difficult to respond to The subject is uni

K. Anders Ericsson, a professor at Florida State University, found that outstanding performance isn't a result of natural talent. Rather, it is a result of hard work in the form of deliberate practice.