Summary: Deep Work By Cal Newport: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Make a schedule that displays the hours you want to work on a task. Split the hours into blocks of time no less than thirty minutes, draw these blocks around the time you're dividing, and select the activity you want to designate to a specific block. If you want to use three hours to article writing, for example, box those three hours on your schedule and label them. Include blocks dedicated for lunch breaks and leisure on your schedule, so you won't feel too stressed checking them off throughout the day. In order to work seamlessly, prepare blocks of similar things together in a single, large block. For example, rather than creating a block for answering particular emails only, create a larger one for answering all your received emails.

outlining an activity isn't working out, try outlining your whole day down to the minute.

The final rule: do not resort to shallow work. You will be more productive when you eliminate those endless, unimportant tasks that consume so much of your little time.

Enumerate your specific goals for your life and career, and then select two or three activities to complete for each goal.

Try to set challenging goals for both your professional career and personal life. These goals shouldn't necessarily be specific. Develop general goals to be achieved in the long term, like becoming a successful university professor or being a better spouse and parent for your children.

The third rule states that you must learn to defy society's constant need to be connected rather than quit the cyberspace in its entirety.

Conversely, it is more beneficial to do the exact opposite. Take a breather from your deep work and give time to indulge yourself with distractions.

Many people believe that you need to a break away from all distractions in order to concentrate on deep work.

The second rule of deep work: welcome boredom with open arms. Exercise your brain to not search for distractions during downtimes.

In other words, deep work is about resolve and commitment: more being than doing.