The ability to focus deeply on challenging tasks (aka “deep work) is becoming both increasingly rare and increasingly valuable. This guide will show you how to use Any.do to cultivate a deep work practice, allowing you to produce at your peak level and create work that’s hard to replicate.

Let’s face it: constantly checking your email, attending pointless meetings, and responding to endless chat notifications is not the path to success in the modern information economy. These activities may make you feel busy, but they don’t help you achieve your most ambitious goals.

Enter “deep work,” a concept coined by Cal Newport, author of “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.” Newport defines deep work as:

“Professional activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”

This guide will show you how to use Any.do to implement Newport’s strategies, helping you to:

  1. Learn how to practice deep work
  2. Enhance your ability to do deep work
  3. Eliminate digital distractions
  4. Purge shallow work from your life
  5. Start and maintain your deep work practice

Using Any.do to Practice Deep Work

Choose Your Deep Work Strategy

Any.do can help you implement any of the four deep work strategies Newport describes:

  1. Monastic: Dedicate long periods to deep work with minimal shallow obligations.
    • Use Any.do to block out entire days or weeks for deep work.
    • Create a separate list for deep work projects.
  2. Bimodal: Divide your time into clearly defined deep work periods and shallow work periods.
    • Use Any.do’s calendar integration to alternate between deep and shallow work periods.
    • Create recurring tasks for your deep work sessions.
  3. Rhythmic: Make deep work a regular habit.
    • Set up daily recurring event in your Any.do Calendar for your deep work sessions.
    • Use the Any.do Focus feature to block distractions during these sessions.
  4. Journalistic: Fit deep work into your schedule whenever you can.
    • Use Any.do’s mobile app to quickly add deep work tasks as opportunities arise.
    • Utilize the “My Day” feature to prioritize deep work tasks.

Build a Deep Work Routine

Use Any.do to create a consistent deep work routine:

  1. Location: Create a list in Any.do for your ideal deep work environments.
  2. Duration: Use Any.do’s timer feature to track your deep work sessions.
  3. Structure: Create a checklist in Any.do for your deep work rules (e.g., no phone, no internet).
  4. Requirements: Make a list of items you need for successful deep work sessions.

Execute a Grand Gesture

Use Any.do to plan and execute “grand gestures” that signal the importance of your deep work:

  • Create a project in Any.do for planning a week-long deep work retreat.
  • Set reminders for booking a quiet workspace or arranging time off.

Work Collaboratively

Any.do’s sharing features can help you balance solo deep work with collaborative efforts:

  • Create shared lists for collaborative projects.
  • Use the comments feature to discuss ideas without interrupting deep work.

Operate Like a Billion Dollar Company

Implement the 4 Disciplines of Execution using Any.do:

  1. Focus on the Wildly Important: Create a separate list for your most crucial goals.
  2. Act on Lead Measures: Track hours spent in deep work using Any.do’s notes feature.
  3. Keep a Compelling Scoreboard: Use Any.do’s progress tracking to visualize your deep work hours.
  4. Create a Cadence of Accountability: Set up weekly review tasks in Any.do.

Prioritize Downtime

Use Any.do to ensure you’re getting enough rest:

  • Schedule downtime activities in your Any.do calendar.
  • Create a “shutdown ritual” checklist to signal the end of your workday.

Enhancing Your Ability to Do Deep Work with Any.do

Make Focus Your Default Mode

Use Any.do to structure your day around focused work:

  • Schedule specific times for checking email and social media.
  • Use the Any.do Focus feature during deep work sessions.

Add the Pressure of Time

Leverage Any.do’s timer feature to create artificial deadlines:

  • Set shorter-than-usual time limits for tasks to increase intensity.
  • Use the Pomodoro technique with Any.do’s timer for focused work sprints.

Make Space for Deep Thinking

Use Any.do to incorporate “productive meditation” into your routine:

  • Create tasks for specific problems to ponder during physical activities.
  • Use voice notes in the Any.do mobile app to capture insights on the go.

Practice Memory Games

Incorporate memory exercises into your Any.do routine:

  • Create recurring tasks for daily memory training.
  • Use Any.do’s notes feature to track your progress in memorization exercises.

Eliminating Digital Distractions with Any.do

Choose Your Digital Toolset Wisely

Use Any.do to audit your digital tools:

  1. Create lists for your most important work and life goals.
  2. List the key activities required to achieve each goal.
  3. Evaluate each digital tool against these activities.
  4. Create tasks to eliminate tools that don’t significantly support your goals.

Stop Using Social Media

Use Any.do to manage a 30-day social media detox:

  • Create a 30-day project for your social media ban.
  • Set daily reminders to avoid social media.
  • Schedule a task to evaluate the impact after 30 days.

Find Replacements for Internet Entertainment

Use Any.do to cultivate high-quality leisure activities:

  • Create a list of offline activities you enjoy.
  • Schedule these activities in your Any.do calendar.

Purging Shallow Work from Your Life with Any.do

Schedule Your Day Methodically

Use Any.do’s calendar integration for time-blocking:

  • Schedule every hour of your workday, including breaks.
  • Use different colors for deep work, shallow work, and breaks.
  • Create “overflow conditional” blocks for tasks that might run long.

Assign Shallow and Deep Grades to Your Work

Use Any.do’s color tagging feature to categorize your work:

  • Create “Deep” and “Shallow” tags for your tasks.
  • Review your task list regularly and ensure you’re prioritizing deep work.

Limit Your Workday

Use Any.do to implement fixed-schedule productivity:

  • Set work start and end times in your Any.do calendar.
  • Create a “No List” for activities that don’t align with your goals.

Make Yourself Inaccessible

Use Any.do to manage your communication more effectively:

  • Schedule specific times for checking and responding to emails.
  • Create email templates in Any.do’s notes for common responses.
  • List criteria for emails you won’t respond to.

Starting Your Deep Work Practice with Any.do

To kick off your deep work practice, create a new project in Any.do called “Deep Work Practice.” Add the following tasks:

  1. Choose my deep work philosophy
  2. Design my deep work routine
  3. Plan a grand gesture
  4. Set up my scoreboard in Any.do
  5. Create a shutdown ritual checklist
  6. Schedule daily deep work sessions
  7. Plan my 30-day social media detox
  8. List high-quality leisure activities
  9. Implement time-blocking in my Any.do calendar
  10. Tag all my current tasks as “Deep” or “Shallow”
  11. Schedule a meeting with my boss about deep work
  12. Set fixed work hours in my Any.do calendar

Remember, the key to mastering deep work is consistency and intentionality. Use Any.do to track your progress, celebrate your wins, and continuously refine your approach. With time and practice, you’ll develop the ability to focus deeply, producing work of unparalleled quality and positioning yourself for success in an increasingly competitive world.

How to guides