Ask HN: How did you improve your ability to do deep work? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How did you improve your ability to do deep work?

16 pointsdarpyu16 comments

I'm a HN lurker, twitter addict, insta reel addict etc. etc. (On a new account because my old one is connected to my IRL identity)

I used to do many hours of work a day, and I am not able to do that anymore. I can do max an hour when before I used to do four or five without any issues. This has happened in the last two years when due to lifestyle changes (more commute time, old job where I had a lot of free time to see my phone) that I have spent a lot of time. Now with a new job, I have noticed that I'm always reaching for my phone after facing any roadblocks, and just not able to maintain concentration for a long time like I used to.

People who were in this situation what have you done? I have quit twitter/X, deleted instagram from my phone and blocked both using cold turkey on my laptop. Are there any other ways?

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It might sound strange but for me the most efficient days are when I wake up early, have a quick breakfast and commute to work, when I am in the car I mentally plan what I will do today and start programming in my head so when I reach the office (around 06:30) I connect my laptop, take a coffee and start working I typically manage to work un-interrupted up-to 10:00 and I typically manage to finish all my planned tasks, only then I check my phone/email and start interacting with other colleagues.

What I think is the most importante thing is the planning I do while commuting to the office (30 minutes), no phone, no radio, just thinking and planning the day.

The same thing happens when I do long trips for work 3-5 hours by car, it might seem as lost time but they really help me organise my thoughts that when I sit in front of the PC I dump everything.

One thing for me that works really well is Pomodoro timer, I do 15 minutes work 5 minutes rest. During work sessions I put my phone in the other room so it’s not distracting me with notifications. After a few flow cycles I just get zoned in and the flow state hits.

If you’re on Mac I really like this app: https://www.flow.app/

I wrote about it. It’s an article that I regularly update. It needs an update: I stopped using Reddit entirely.

https://nicolasbouliane.com/blog/silence

To answer your question more specifically, I also keep an eye on my vitals. It’s hard to do good work while tired, hungry or worried. A good nap is sometimes the most productive use of your time.

I also make sure to take real breaks. Finishing the day hungry and behind on your chores is not a good idea. Work needs to blend in with your other obligations. Deep work also requires breaks.

Reducing overhead is another big one. You need to get rid of all the obligations that are holding you back: pointless meetings, pointless commuting, excessive maintenance overhead, etc.

The environment itself also needs a bit of attention. Good monitor, good chair, sunlight, whatever makes you happy to sit at your post.

My checklist for getting focused work done:

* decide what I'm going to do (I usually write a list).

* prepare everything I need to get it done (ie, getting all my resources in one spot).

* prepare everything I need to keep me going (eg, water, coffee, full batteries).

* physically Isolate myself[1]. For me right now, this typically means going to a cafe, but it could just be another room, a spot on the lawn, anywhere.

When I do this, I can happily work upwards of 4 hours on a single thing.

Some other pointers:

* I have music that I listen to when working (eg, ambient, house) that helps me focus and is distinct to the music I listen to recreationally (which I find it way too distracting).

* I have an old sony xperia that I thrifted in Tokyo. It gives me everything I need (maps, banking, a translator) while being too sluggish to distract me. Note, I typically leave it at home if I'm going for a work sesh.

[1] I travel a lot with work and have adapted to working exclusively from a laptop.

> Now with a new job, I have noticed that I'm always reaching for my phone after facing any roadblocks

When I hit those blocks of working for 5+ hours of flow, it’s because the difficulty of the work is at the right level. It’s mentally engaging enough that I’m not bored, but the problems are solvable (or at least I can feel like I’m making progress toward a solution) without feeling stuck.

If it’s a new job, there are probably more things leaving you stuck than when you left your past job. If you can identify what those areas are and spend some time getting better at them, I’m thinking it would help.

For me, new tools and trip me up. When we get new tools at work I spend time playing around with them and learning them, so I can use them effectively and they don’t become that thing that gives me a reason to take breaks every 5 minutes.

Thank you for the reply! But to elaborate more, I feel like even for stuff I definitely would have not looked at my phone for before. So I'm afraid my brain has been "rewired" into not sticking with something for long

We tend to over estimate how long it takes to form good habits and under estimate how quickly bad habits form.

Try exercise breaks (quick set of reps/stretch) or a game session (get back to work when you realize how much fun you’re having yet BEFORE you are tired of playing.)

I keep things simple by setting aside blocks of time to focus on just one task, and I avoid checking emails or messages during that period. Another big help has been reducing context switching ie switching between different apps/screen - I found it not effective for deep work at all A tool like https://saner.ai/ can help extract information faster without having to switch around many apps which increasing context switching

In my case it was very helpful to read (!). I mean books, not tutorials or articles.

technical books (e.g. a New programming language) were easy to follow but well structured, although sometimes a bit outdated. I started building New skills every friday afternoon, turning off the phone and the Internet to minimize distractions while doing practical tasks.

Another helpful tool was a paper journal, where i wrote down notes about the books i've read, instead of writing it in a digital journal.

Taking short breaks might help you stay more focused.

Do you have any alternatives, things to do to take a short break without your phone? I would advise something that includes moving, like take a short walk (even to the coffee machine or the restroom).

It helps me to decide upfront how to spend my breaks.

The pomodoro technique (mentioned below) might help too.

Identify all the elements that sap your attention and either have a way to prepare beforehand or a strategy to avoid them.

Example: I make sure to choose music beforehand so I don't have to choose something adhoc, and put my phone away to minimise social media distractions.

My version of that is to turn off my internet connection, by unplugging the modem. (After I plug it back in, it takes about 5 minutes for the internet to come back up.)

5 mins!? Why would it take so long? This is 10 years ago but my DSL (telephone) and then cable internet connection would not take more than 60 seconds. Now it's less than 30 seconds.

I don't know. The duration varies, but averages about 5 min.

- 0 social media (just reddit and HN)

- figuring out I have ADHD and getting medicated

- Getting exercise out of the way in the morning so I don’t feel guilty working

- standing desk half the day

- reading books more

For me, deep work means projects interesting enough to put down and pick up hours, days, weeks, months, and even years later. Deep works come with chores and deep working starts with rolling up sleeves, spitting on my hands, and picking up the ax. Deep work is chopping wood and feels like work. It's hard and being hard makes it engaging.

Shallow work feels like progress and is shallow because I know where it is going. Being surprised is how I recognize I am deep.

The problem is not X and Meta. The problem is they are more interesting than the work by which you are defining your creativity. Focus on more interesting work. It's why you have a day job. Good luck.

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