Another Way To Breathe

DEEP WORK was brought to me by a peer recommending it, and I feel it’s gone around the industry.

For those unaware, it’s a work self-help which argues in that your real career (or the quality of the work you do) is actually based on the amount of Deep Work you do. This is work which requires long, extended non-distracted focus. It is also unsustainable. It argues that no more than four hours is achievable in a day, so spends its time on tactics to achieve that (or even stuff approaching that).

The first half of the book is the science and life studies of it, the second half the guidelines. By the time I’d hit the second half, I was pretty sure it would just be TURN OFF THE FUCKING INTERNET repeated until he hit the word count.

Frankly, a lot of it is. But that’s okay, as I suspect that’s actually a good idea.

That said, I have brought a bunch of things over. It’s a book I feel is actually primarily aimed at coders, so you have to translate to what is useful for what I do, but it’s been interesting. I’ve been timetabling days on a day-to-day basis. I’ve been trying to use less ambient internet stuff. I’m considering massively downgrading my Internet presence - maybe going broadcast only on twitter. 

I think the main thing is forcing myself to being more aware of my choices. Like, exactly how does my procrastination work, and how it hurts my work? The analysis of procrastination as a brain short-circuit when something is actually hard. You hit a problem, and my brain looks for something less hard. Like, say, making a shitty pun on the Internet.

I actually already did a bunch - my days are relatively structured - but I’ve expressly tried to reclaim my evenings. I even did the KIERON GILLEN BOT TURNING OFF routine.

(I probably need to have another look at how it suggests turning brain off. I have a tendency to wake up at 5am and lie there for an hour trying to solve narrative problems.)

There’s some things I’d take issue with - there’s some tactics I simply can’t imagine doing (”Just not responding to an e-mail if there is no negative consequence to it”. Every British part of body screams against it.) but mixed in that is actual useful stuff (An analysis of my tendency to answer e-mails, but doing them quickly (so to get them out my inbox) rather than well (so they don’t immediately lead to an e-mail that re-fills my inbox) has impacted me.)

The “Don’t respond” says a lot about the book. There is a lot of implicit privilege going on it. There’s fields of work it will offer nothing to… which is a whole other issue.

I also found myself reading it in one sitting with no distractions, solely as a fuck you to the book. I can totally concentrate! I really can.

LeGuin? It’s an odd one. As a fantasy writer, she’s one of those early, founding influences. I think if you remove THE TOMBS OF ATUAN from my pre-teen years, you end up with a significantly different Kieron Gillen. But I’d never actually hit up her Science Fiction, which is bizarre, and prompted me hitting up two of those classics nearly back to back when I was on a beach. LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS is one of those progressive sci-fi novels who progress has left slightly dated in places, but if you accept its limitations and blinkers, there’s some absolutely wonderful stuff in there. LATHE OF HEAVEN is both petrifying and beautiful. 

And on a shallow level, fuck me, LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS and LATHE OF HEAVEN are wonderful titles.