Please Let Me Think!
The desire for deep thinking
“Team, I’m excited to introduce our new initiative: Synergistic Productivity Optimization!” the chipper presenter announced. My eyes glazed over.
Another mandatory training session loomed, cramming us into a stuffy conference room. My stomach churned, not from hunger, but from the dread of another PowerPoint presentation filled with buzzwords and generic advice.
I’m not against learning. I genuinely want to grow and improve in my role. But the constant barrage of training sessions, workshops, and online courses has become overwhelming. It feels like every week, there’s a new “must-attend” event that promises to revolutionize my workflow and unlock my hidden potential.
The problem is, these training sessions often feel like a distraction, not a solution. They pull me away from my actual work, leaving me with a pile of unfinished tasks and a nagging sense of guilt. While I sit in a darkened room, listening to someone extolling the virtues of "mindfulness" or "agile methodologies," my emails pile up, deadlines loom, and my to-do list continues to grow.
What I really need, what would truly make a difference, is time for deep work. Time to focus, to think, to create. Time to delve into complex problems, to generate innovative solutions, and to produce high-quality work.
The Science of Deep Work
Deep work, as defined by Cal Newport in his book “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World,” is “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”
In other words, deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s the state of mind where we produce our best work, where we tap into our full potential, and where we achieve true flow.
Our brains are wired for deep work. When we focus intensely on a single task, our neural networks fire more efficiently, strengthening connections and enhancing our cognitive abilities. This focused attention allows us to process information more deeply, make connections more easily, and generate creative solutions more effectively.
Unfortunately, our modern work environment is the enemy of deep work. We’re bombarded with distractions — emails, instant messages, social media notifications, and the constant interruptions of open-plan offices. Distractions fragment our attention, scatter our focus, and severely compromise our ability to engage in deep work.
The Tyranny of Shallow Work
In contrast to deep work, shallow work consists of low-value tasks performed in a state of distraction. These tasks, such as checking email, attending meetings, and browsing social media, often feel productive but rarely contribute to meaningful outcomes.
Shallow work is the default mode for many of us. We flit from one task to another, our attention constantly diverted by the pings and notifications of our devices. We feel busy, but we’re not truly productive.
The problem with shallow work is that it’s addictive. Our brains crave the dopamine rush of completing a small task, even if that task is inconsequential. This constant need for instant gratification makes it difficult to resist the urge to check our phones or respond to an email, even when we’re trying to focus on something important.
The Cost of Constant Interruptions
Every interruption requires a significant amount of time for us to regain our focus. Studies have shown that it can take up to 23 minutes to fully recover from a distraction and return to our original task. This constant context switching is a major drain on our productivity and creativity.
Imagine trying to solve a complex puzzle while someone keeps interrupting you to ask questions or tell you stories. You’d never be able to focus, and you’d likely give up in frustration. The same thing happens when we’re constantly bombarded with distractions at work.
The Need for Deep Thinking
Deep work is not just about productivity; it’s also about creativity and innovation. When we allow ourselves to focus deeply on a problem, our brains can make connections and generate ideas that would never have emerged in a state of distraction.
Think of the great thinkers and innovators throughout history. They didn’t achieve their breakthroughs by multitasking or attending endless meetings. They carved out time for solitude and deep thought, allowing their minds to wander and explore new possibilities.
In today's world, it's easy to become engrossed in the flurry of activity and overlook the significance of deep thinking. But if we want to produce truly innovative work, we need to create space for contemplation and reflection.
A Plea for Focus
So, dear leader, I implore you: please, no more training sessions. No more workshops. No more online courses. What I need, what we all need, is time for deep work.
Give us the space to focus, to think, to create. Allow us to disconnect from the constant distractions and delve into the work that truly matters.
Let us close our email, silence our phones, and shut out the world for a few hours each day. Let us cultivate the habits of deep work, so we can tap into our full potential and produce our best work.
In the words of the great philosopher, Henry David Thoreau,
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
Let us live deliberately. Let us focus on the essential. Let us create space for deep work, and in doing so, discover the true depths of our potential.
References: Newport, C. (2016). “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.”
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