A Week of Deep Work

At the beginning of this week, I was determined to be disciplined. I was weary of staying back late at work, sleeping with blazing eyes, and not being able to call family everyday, and not finding time to reflect on my life — a seriously untidy way of living.

I took a paper and pen, and started scribbling out a plan for my work week. After I finished several pages of what looked like a toddler’s doodles, I was ready with a schedule.

The Goal#1 was to leave office on time!

I don’t work in a high pressure environment, yet I’d been staying back late, thanks to the endless list of things that compete for my attention and ruin my concentration.

I decided to bring a change in me, for real this time. I had written up many schedules earlier, but they only lived on paper.

But now I chose to live the story.

The first change I made in my way of life is waking up early, at 7AM (may not be early for some; someday I wish I’d join the 5AM club)

I started the day off with a little exercise and water, and reached office by 9AM, finished half the work before lunch, and call it a wrap before 7PM.

I couldn’t avoid all the distractions, but I could control them.

I have a very funny yet useful browser extension StayFocused which limits the browsing of 15 minutes a day. That’s it, no more than 15 mins of distraction at work. And AppDetox on phone lets me create usage rule for the addicting apps.

And I text my friends only during breaks and/or in the night.

Also I have learned to control the feeling of finishing all the work today itself. There’s always tomorrow, and it doesn’t have any adverse effect as yet.

I took a walk back from office to home, and I call family or friends while on my way.

I’d have dinner by 9:30PM and take a walk and reflect on the day or I’d write a journal. Sadly I can’t help sleeping early as yet.

The result?

I could wake up without alarm from 4th day of the week.

I didn’t feel dozy in the day, despite the fact that I slept only 6 hours a day.

I could complete (or pause) the work on time.

I felt a sense of completion and contentment at the end of the day, unlike my hectic days.

And I hope the best is yet to come!

Inspiration:

I have started reading the pathbreaking self-help book Deep Work by Cal Newport, and I feel inspired to help myself to get better.

But in fact it’s not the book that changed my attitude, it’s the very idea!

The idea to work without distraction and with concentration to push our cognitive abilities to their limit!