there are days when you sit down to work, open your laptop, and tell yourself:
okay. let's focus.
then you check one message.
open another tab.
look at your phone.
remember something else you need to do.
and somehow, an hour passes without you feeling like you really worked on anything.
I've had those days too.
that's one reason I became interested in deep work.
not because I wanted to work more.
but because I wanted to be more present with the work that actually mattered.
for me, deep work isn't about becoming a productivity machine.
it's about giving something your full attention for a little while.
and perhaps, in a world full of interruptions, that is already something worth protecting.
in this post
- what is deep work?
- deep work isn't about working harder
- mindfulness and deep work
- when starting is the hardest part
- how long should you focus?
- a small ritual can help you begin
- your environment matters too
- deep work doesn't mean working all day
- when the day is over, put it down
- a gentler way to focus
what is deep work?
in the simplest way I understand it, deep work means giving your full attention to a demanding task without constantly switching to something else.
it could be writing an important report, studying something difficult, designing a system, solving a complicated problem, or creating something from a blank page.
the opposite is shallow work: tasks that usually require less mental effort and can often be interrupted without losing much progress.
email.
routine administration.
simple updates.
checking notifications.
moving information from one place to another.
neither is necessarily bad. we need both.
the important thing is knowing which is which.
if you want to understand this difference more clearly, I've written about deep work vs shallow work and how these two kinds of work use your attention differently.
deep work isn't about working harder
this is something I want to make clear.
deep work doesn't mean you should spend your whole day concentrating.
it doesn't mean answering fewer messages makes you a better person.
and it doesn't mean you should feel guilty whenever your attention wanders.
we are human.
our minds wander. we get tired. life interrupts us. some days are simply harder than others.
for me, the value of deep work is much smaller and quieter:
when something matters, can I give it my attention for a while?
that's enough.
mindfulness and deep work
this is where mindfulness became important to me.
in the simplest sense, mindfulness is noticing what is happening right now without immediately being pulled away by it.
you notice that your mind has wandered.
you notice the urge to check your phone.
you notice that you are worrying about something else.
and instead of getting angry with yourself, you gently come back.
that sounds simple.
but it can change how we work.
deep work asks for sustained attention. mindfulness can help us notice when that attention has wandered.
if this idea speaks to you, I've written more about mindfulness and deep work, including how mindfulness has helped me through difficult moments in both work and life.
I'm also deeply grateful for the teachings of Thầy Thích Nhất Hạnh, whose work helped me understand mindfulness in a much more human and everyday way.
when starting is the hardest part
sometimes the problem isn't staying focused.
it's starting.
you know exactly what you should do, but you keep finding reasons to wait.
one more scroll.
one more small task.
one more thing before the real thing.
sometimes procrastination isn't simply laziness. it can be a way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings in the present.
and when a task feels too big, making the beginning smaller can help.
that's why I like the idea behind the 25-min “just begin” session.
you don't have to finish the task.
you don't have to promise yourself that you'll work all day.
you only need to begin.
one task.
25 mins.
then you can stop.
sometimes that's enough to get moving.
if you already know what you want to work on and would rather have a structured work-and-break rhythm, you can try one Pomodoro: 25-min focus + 5-min break.
how long should you focus?
there isn't one perfect duration for every task or every day.
different work needs different amounts of uninterrupted attention.
25 mins can be useful when the biggest obstacle is simply getting started.
25 + 5 mins gives you one complete Pomodoro: a clear period of focus followed by a proper break.
50 mins can give you more room for writing, research, analysis, and medium-complexity problem solving.
90 mins can provide a longer container for demanding work such as complex architecture, difficult study, or deep creative work.
none of these is a magic number.
the better question is:
what does this task need from you right now?
if you're not sure, I've put them together in 25 vs 50 vs 90 mins: which focus session is right?, where you can compare the different rhythms more easily.
and if you want to try them directly:
- 25-min “just begin” session: when starting is the hardest part
- one Pomodoro: 25-min focus + 5-min break: when you want a structured round
- 50-min focus session: when the work needs more room
- 90-min deep work session: when the thinking is demanding
there is no prize for choosing the longest session.
the best session is the one that helps you do the work without turning the work into another source of pressure.
a small ritual can help you begin
sometimes a timer isn't enough.
we also need a small signal that tells the mind:
I'm here now.
it could be making a cup of coffee.
putting your phone away.
closing unnecessary tabs.
putting on the same headphones.
taking one slow breath.
starting the same piece of ambient sound.
small things can become cues.
that's why I like simple rituals around deep work. I've written about a simple deep work ritual that can make starting feel a little easier without turning the beginning of work into another complicated productivity system.
your environment matters too
focus doesn't happen entirely inside our heads.
our surroundings can either invite attention or constantly ask for it.
a phone lighting up.
a notification.
people talking nearby.
a dozen browser tabs.
even silence can feel uncomfortable for some people.
sometimes a small, consistent sound can become part of the environment.
I've found the sound of a keyboard surprisingly satisfying during quiet work. it gives the session a little rhythm without demanding much attention.
you can read more about keyboard sound for deep work and how small environmental cues can make a working session feel more intentional.
this is also one reason I created 5fifi flow, a free keyboard sound app for those quiet moments when you simply want to make working feel a little nicer.
deep work doesn't mean working all day
this might be the most important part.
we don't need to turn every hour into a deep-work session.
we don't need to optimize every moment.
we don't need to feel guilty for resting.
sometimes you do the important work.
sometimes you answer emails.
sometimes you take a walk.
sometimes you stare out the window for five mins.
sometimes you do absolutely nothing.
all of these things can belong to a life.
deep work is simply one way of giving your attention to something that matters.
and when the work is done, it is okay to stop.
when the day is over, put it down
there is another kind of focus I think we don't talk about enough:
knowing when to stop focusing.
at night, your mind may still be carrying tomorrow's tasks, unfinished work, conversations, worries, and things you wish you had done differently.
you don't have to solve all of them before going to bed.
sometimes you just need somewhere to put them.
that's why I made 30-min night pages.
you can read a few pages.
write a few lines.
think about tomorrow.
write down one good thing from today.
or simply rest.
it isn't another productivity session.
it's a way of putting the day down.
because deep work should help you live your life.
it shouldn't take your whole life.
a gentler way to focus
maybe deep work doesn't have to look like discipline, pressure, and endless productivity.
maybe it can look quieter.
one task.
one small ritual.
25 mins when you can't start.
50 mins when you need more room.
90 mins when the work asks for deeper attention.
and then, when you're done:
close the laptop.
take a breath.
go live.
tomorrow, you can begin again.
you don't have to do everything.
just give what matters your attention.
it's fine. 🤎
