Deep Work: How to escape the "Busy, But Got Nothing Done" Trap

In today's fast paced work environment there is a multitude of things competing for our attention: meetings, emails, group texts, the list goes on and on. Yet at the end of the day we are often left thinking "I got nothing done today".  The secret to solving this problem is gaining an understanding of and awareness over when we are engaging in "Shallow Work" vs. "Deep Work".

What is Shallow Work?:

The concept of Shallow work originated with Georgetown professor Cal Newport, he defines it as: 

"Non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create new value in the world and are easy to replicate.” 

Shallow work is the endless wave of admin tasks, firefighting, and busywork. These tasks are usually urgent, but they don't actually move the needle or grow the business in the long term.

What it looks like:

• • Constantly checking Slack, Teams, or group chats to answer quick employee questions.
  • Replying to routine customer service emails that a staff member could handle.
  • Organizing folders on Google Drive or re-arranging desktop icons.
  • Putting out small, daily fires that happen because systems aren't set up to divert those tasks to other staff.
  Why it happens: It feels productive because you are constantly "doing stuff" and checking things off a list. But at the end of the day, you realize you spent 8 hours reacting to other people instead of building your company.

So is shallow work inherently bad? No of course not, nor is it entirely avoidable. The truth is you need to find a way that works for you, your work style and your schedule that can incorporate both shallow work and deep work effectively.


What is Deep Work?

Newport, defines it as: 

"Professional activity 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 you are focusing on important tasks with your phone on silent, browser tabs closed and you are giving a project 100% of your brainpower and attention.

What it looks like:

• Writing a full marketing plan for a brand-new product or service.

• Sitting down to map out the budget and financial projections for the next year.

• Designing a brand-new automated email sales funnel from scratch.

• Planning out a major partnership or interviewing key candidates for a leadership role.

Why it's tough: It requires hours of uninterrupted silence, which is almost impossible when employees or customers need things right now. But without it, the business stays stuck at the same level. Unfortunately despite our intentions most of our day is often filled with  "shallow work".

                                                   Image From: Todoist.com

The Bottom Line: 
Both deep and shallow work are always going to be a part of your work routine. Shallow work is needed to run the day-to-day operations and keep everything afloat, while deep work is crucial to the overall growth and fulfillment of your business. Once you have discovered how to balance and prioritize each work type into your daily routine, it is much easier to maintain control of your time and feel satisfied in your efforts at work. If a business owner falls into the trap of only doing shallow work, their company stops growing because they are too busy treading water. The most successful managers consistently set aside a few hours every day for deep work—closing their doors, turning off notifications, and working on their business instead of just in it. 


For a deeper dive into this topic check out these resources:
The Complete Guide to Deep Work - Todoist.com
Deep Work: Meaning benefits, and 7 ways to focus today - Asana.com