Leaders are constantly pulled in multiple directions—Slack notifications, endless meetings, fire-fighting. Many end up in reactive mode, losing the ability to do deep work.
The irony is that if you never step back to think deeply, you make short-sighted decisions that create even more distractions.
Here are some key traps to watch for:
Mistaking motion for progress—leaders often mistake motion for progress. Responding to every message, attending every meeting, and constantly “being available” can feel productive, but it rarely leads to meaningful outcomes.
It creeps up on you. I have found myself in this situation many times and it’s difficult to extract yourself from, requiring as it does some notion of disappointing others.
This trap arises from a fear of missing out or the need to demonstrate value through visibility. But it’s worth asking where busyness and progress diverge, and if they’re in fact at odds?
Defragmenting Your Attention—with your addiction to busyness quelled, it’s time to reclaim your attention through these strategies:
When to be interruptible—not all interruptions are distractions. Leaders need to distinguish between moments that require accessibility and those that demand solitude. This balance involves:
The universal solution threading through each of these suggestions is building reflection into your workflows.
Everyone “knows” the above advice can help, yet so few put it into practice. Because it’s not easy at first! Focus is a muscle that has to be trained. But like bank interest, it compounds over time.
In the end, deep work isn’t about working harder—it’s having the courage to pause and reflect amidst the ever-louder demands to work harder, faster and longer.
—Dan
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