Title: Deep Work
Author: Cal Newport
Pages: 296
Finished: July 9, 2019
First Sentence: (Coming shortly once I have the book in front of me)
Summary: Cal Newport argues that, in this age of internet, email, and smartphone distractions, it's the people who can disconnect from all of that and work with an intense focus that will get ahead.
Thoughts: Yes. I agree with I'd say 90% of this book. In fact, I'd been experimenting with many of the things the author discussed before I started reading, and have been working harder at implementing them.
The thing is, most of my life isn't the type of knowledge work the author talks about. At first I was like, "Well, if I'm not figuring out astrophysics or anything, is this necessary?" But then I remembered quiet time. After lunch, my preschooler spends an hour in her room reading or playing quietly. I take the time to either read, do some of my self-care, or work on a sewing project. I can get a lot done in that hour.
While reading this book, I also had an experience at work. I work in a library. Most of my time is spent "on desk" meaning I'm out in the department available to help patrons at any given moment. Because most of my time is spent on desk, I also have to be able to get my work done while in this state of distraction. Off desk isn't much better because we're in a fairly open office plan, and many of my coworkers are collaborative brainstorming people. There's a lot of chatter. One day, I had an hour off desk when no one else was back in the office. I got an entire month of story times, planned, pulled, and fully prepped. It was incredible. And since we have a new boss who as been asking us what she can do to make our jobs easier, I immediately emailed her to ask if it was at all possible to get me one hour of off desk time during those times when there's no one else around.
The strategies in this book are good. I think there are plenty I'll start toying with more. As a primarily stay at home mom, my deep work sessions are ones that have to be planned a little more carefully, but I've even started viewing my time with my kid as "deep work." Leave the phone in the other room and be present.
In general, the main issue I had with the book was the issue I have with many non-fiction books in the self-help and parenting sections. They always start with an argument for their thesis and then the do this to be better bit. While the argument is probably great for people who either don't know what the discussion is, or who aren't fully bought into it, it gets rather tedious if you do buy into the argument before reading. For example, I know that working without distraction is better. I love reading productivity books. Everyone talks about it. So I found myself skimming for main ideas in the first part of the book.
Read for my To Be Read Challenge.
The thing is, most of my life isn't the type of knowledge work the author talks about. At first I was like, "Well, if I'm not figuring out astrophysics or anything, is this necessary?" But then I remembered quiet time. After lunch, my preschooler spends an hour in her room reading or playing quietly. I take the time to either read, do some of my self-care, or work on a sewing project. I can get a lot done in that hour.
While reading this book, I also had an experience at work. I work in a library. Most of my time is spent "on desk" meaning I'm out in the department available to help patrons at any given moment. Because most of my time is spent on desk, I also have to be able to get my work done while in this state of distraction. Off desk isn't much better because we're in a fairly open office plan, and many of my coworkers are collaborative brainstorming people. There's a lot of chatter. One day, I had an hour off desk when no one else was back in the office. I got an entire month of story times, planned, pulled, and fully prepped. It was incredible. And since we have a new boss who as been asking us what she can do to make our jobs easier, I immediately emailed her to ask if it was at all possible to get me one hour of off desk time during those times when there's no one else around.
The strategies in this book are good. I think there are plenty I'll start toying with more. As a primarily stay at home mom, my deep work sessions are ones that have to be planned a little more carefully, but I've even started viewing my time with my kid as "deep work." Leave the phone in the other room and be present.
In general, the main issue I had with the book was the issue I have with many non-fiction books in the self-help and parenting sections. They always start with an argument for their thesis and then the do this to be better bit. While the argument is probably great for people who either don't know what the discussion is, or who aren't fully bought into it, it gets rather tedious if you do buy into the argument before reading. For example, I know that working without distraction is better. I love reading productivity books. Everyone talks about it. So I found myself skimming for main ideas in the first part of the book.
Read for my To Be Read Challenge.
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