Focusing on important work for extended blocks of time is very difficult. Doing the important work is difficult for most of us, even if it’s a difficult task that doesn’t take up most of our day.
It’s easy to do the surface stuff. Check email, tweet a few times, make a tiktok video, go live on Instagram, check email again, run papers to John’s office down the hallway, and so on. This surface work fills in our need for “getting stuff done” and feeling somewhat accomplished about our day of work.
However, if all of your time is spent doing this surface work, it’s probably primarily because you don’t have a clear idea of what you really need to do and why it is the most important work. It could also mean you are simply not organized and never get started because all of the important work is too big to do in “five minutes” (like sending out a tweet, etc…)
The whole world is trending toward this shallow surface work. Where there opens a vacuum, there opens a valuable position–if you can occupy it. Practice doing deep and important work. Practice doing it for hours each day. Don’t prioritize the shallow email, information, and social media work before the important things. You will literally waste years of your life and potential for doing work that matters.
As more people are used to surface work, your ability to work deeply and intently on important things will set you miles ahead of those around you.