A 6-Step Deep Work Routine to Help You Thrive
Sep 25, 2024
Hey Coach,
Happy Easter!
To thrive in the coaching profession year after year, you must be able to do two things:
- Quickly learn complicated things (teenagers are complicated)
- Efficiently produce high-quality output
One of the books that I read every year is Cal Newport’s best-selling book Deep Work.
One key quote that I underline every time I read it is:
"To produce at your peak level, you need to work for extended periods with full concentration on a single task free from distraction. Put another way, the type of work that optimizes your performance is deep work."
Coach, do you ever feel you actually get into deep work or are you surrounded by too many distractions?
I don’t know about you, but it seems that our ability to perform deep work is becoming less and less because there is so much to do and so many distractions.
As Newport wrote, “These important tasks you need to do to succeed require deep work. If you don't cultivate this ability, you're likely to fall behind as technology advances."
To help you perform deep work on a daily basis, let’s go over a 6-step routine that makes it easy to focus and get things done.
#1: Block Time For Deep Work
I know you need a good chunk of your day to be flexible so you can be there for your athletes.
But Coach, you need to set aside specific blocks of time in your calendar for deep work - and protect these times from distractions as much as you can.
Block the time when you are at your best.
This is the time when your focus, concentration, mental clarity, and problem-solving are the best.
For most people, the morning hours are the most optimal time in the day to perform deep work.
Try to block at least 90 minutes for deep work when you are at your best and watch your productivity skyrocket.
#2: Set A Clear Goal
You need to have a clear goal for each of your deep work sessions.
If you lack a specific objective, your brain will automatically gravitate toward distractions or to randomly checking your email.
Examples of specific deep work goals are:
- Plan out our month’s social media posts,
- Finish the communication plan for the 2025 class for the month,
- Spend 90 minutes planning our team’s practices.
The more specific the goal for your deep work session, the better.
#3: Remove All Possible Distractions
Distractions are the enemy of deep work.
To fully enter a state of deep work, you have to eliminate as many distractions as possible before you start working.
Proactively eliminate distractions, especially digital ones, before diving into deep work.
Turn off notifications, use website blockers, and keep your phone out of sight to create an environment conducive to intense concentration.
What are your distractions?
Sometimes I work from a different location.
If I was in the office, I used to have a quick staff meeting to get all questions answered, would tell everyone how much time I needed to get what I was working on done, and then would shut my door.
Unlocking Recruiting Systems
Before we continue with today's email, I quickly wanted to let you know that you can get access to the Recruiting Made Simple Recruiting Masterclass that will be tomorrow. Join the call for $1 and get access to all of my previous RMS masterclasses for 2 weeks.
The topic is going to be how to create a recruiting mission statement that increases productivity and keeps you focusing on the critical actions you need to keep doing to finish out the class you are recruiting in a timely manner.
#4: Take Regular Breaks
Just like you do for your athletes while at practice, we work hard, recover. Work hard. Recover.
Working in a state of deep concentration is an energy-intensive task for the brain, so you need to take regular breaks to recharge your focus and optimize cognitive performance.
I like working in 60-90-minute deep work cycles followed by a 20-30 minute break in which I get water, do a quick workout, sit in my massage chair, or take the dogs outside.
#5: Pick A Deep Work Location
By dedicating a certain spot towards deep work, you’ll create a mental association between that location and the state of deep focus, making it easier to enter that state when you are there.
Whether it's a quiet corner in your office or a coffee shop, choose a location that enhances your ability to enter the flow state effortlessly.
#6: Use Focus Boosters
Focus boosters provide you with a mental edge so you can reach the deepest levels of flow and operate at peak mental performance.
What do you need to do or have that will tell your brain it’s time to work?
Three of my most effective focus boosters are:
- A clock (deadline)
- Focus music
- Caffeine (hot chocolate/coffee)
It’s a simple way to get an extra mental ‘edge’ and increase productivity.
Deep Work Is A Skill
Deep work is not merely a task; it is a skill that demands deliberate practice and commitment.
As Newport aptly puts it, "The ability to concentrate is a skill that must be trained." Embrace the challenge of mastering deep work, and with persistence, it will become an integral part of your daily routine, propelling you toward unparalleled productivity.
Try it. It will challenging the first few times you try it.
But just like everything you do and preach to your athletes, the more you practice, the easier it will be. Eventually, it will become a natural part of your day.
To your success,
Mandy Green
