Book Rec: Deep Work by Cal Newport

I recently finished Deep Work by Cal Newport and I highly recommend it.
The worst kept secret is how many of us are chronically distracted and, as a result, less productive. This is especially true when it comes to LSAT prep. The concepts are quite abstract and demand our focus.

I have to confess, when I first began studying for the exam, I'd go to a noisy coffee shop or play music in my earbuds -- choices not exactly conducive to effective study, or Deep Work. After trial and error, I soon realized that proper LSAT study demanded concentration in a quiet environment, conducive to focus. I wish I had read this book back then. Here are some of my key takeaways:

Be purposeful with your work - a little bit of time planning your work will prevent you from going off on tangents to less effective tasks. 

Target your investment of time to areas that will be most effective. Sure, there's almost always some benefit to any type of work, but that's at the expense of time and limited mental energy for the most effective uses of your time. At a minimum, prioritize the most effective actions you can take.

Limit social media and web surfing - even if you're going to Google something specific, how many times do you end up getting "caught in the web," and then can't remember what you were searching for in the first place?

Batch shallow tasks like email for specific times to prevent the distraction of busy-ness that can easily be confused with work that brings you closer to your goals.

Schedule your time to “force yourself” to be ruthlessly efficient with your work. Sometimes the simple act of setting a timer in front of me can help me stay on task.

Check out the book!