"Work hard" is bad advice (do this instead)

I burnt out last month.

Too many projects. Too many things to get done. Not enough time or energy to do them all.

I did a bunch of things poorly. So I changed the system.

I started going to bed at 10 pm so I could wake up at 6. That freed up two to four hours before my work day of coaching calls.

To do what?

I've been writing, recording, and editing for years. I also work with creators on a daily basis.

Aside from the nuanced struggles, I learned the hardest thing is just sitting down to do the work. Deep work.

Cal Newport defines deep work as "concentrated, high-quality cognitive activities demanding deep focus, creativity, and problem-solving."

Basically, hours of undistracted time where you only focus on one thing.

Every day, every week.

So I wanted to share my simple process for making deep work easy, clear, and fun. It helps me get more done in two hours than I used to do in two days.

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Step 1: Remove 🪓

Get rid of all distractions.

Phone off and in another room. Notifications silenced. No Apple watch.

I use the BlockSite extension to block all the things I crave. Email, Instagram, YouTube...For me the most important to block is chess.com because I play it every day.

Finally—I put on noise-canceling headphones, play music on brain.fm, and shut everything else out. I also don't work near friends or family so I don't get pulled into conversation.

Step 2: Define 🎯

Get crystal clear on what work needs to be done.

"Most people think they lack motivation when they really lack clarity."

— James Clear

When our work is unclear, it's easier to procrastinate. So I quickly answer 3 questions before diving into a blank page:

1. What do I want to get done in this work session?

2. What do I want the reader/viewer/user to get out of what I'm creating?

3. How many minutes do I commit to this?

Step 3: Do 🎬

We removed all distractions. We know exactly what we're working on. Now we get to work!

I set a timer (I use the Countdown Timer Plus widget on Mac) for the number of minutes I committed to in Step 2.

I start working when the timer starts.

This whole process takes me 2-5 minutes. And it gives me hours of extra productivity time every time I work.

Hope it's useful for someone.

Now get back to work.