How many times do you get distracted each day? Once you have a rough estimate in mind, take that number and multiply by 25. The figure that you arrive at is roughly the amount of time that you lose each day as you are not concentrating.&nbsp;



Stunned? Multiple research studies have confirmed that it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to fully recover focus following a distraction. This means that about 25 minutes are lost every time we are distracted.



Considering the fact that we get distracted multiple times each day, we lose plenty of hours and it takes a long time to get back to where we left off. This article looks at how to improve your focus and be more productive in your workplace despite the myriad distractions that one is confronted with on an everyday basis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ability-to-focus">Ability to focus</h2>



You might have realized now why you have been unable to get the most of yourself even after spending long hours to get a task finished. The ability to do work, focus on work, and work effectively is clearly not only dependent on the hours spent on the task, but also on how well you maintain focus, overcome distractions and manage your time effectively.



There are certain techniques that enhance your ability to focus and perform better at any given time. Keep at it, practise hard and these strategies are bound to help you in the long run.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="deep-work-method">Deep work method</h2>



The importance of cognitive work cannot be stressed enough. This is the kind of work where you are consciously involved in the intellectual activity that actually defines your work.



Incorporating cognitive work and deep work in your daily schedule is a sure shot way of increasing productivity everyday. If you are new to deep work and wondering &#8220;<a href="https://www.gyfted.me/blog/candidates/demystifying-the-concept-of-deep-work">what is deep work?</a>&#8220;, you might be interested in our post that demystifies the concept.



The deep work method can be employed by each and every individual irrespective of their chosen stream of work. The beauty of deep work lies in the fact that it can not only be employed by anyone and everyone, but also that there are no known limits to what can be achieved using deep work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="distractions-affect-productivity">Distractions affect productivity</h2>



It is no rocket science that distractions affect productivity for everyone. A growing body of research, however, is attempting to answer how exactly distractions affect productivity.



While employers expect their employees to take 43 minutes of break per day and employees estimate their breaks to be 42 minutes per day, the reality is far from this. A 2021 research by <a href="https://solitaired.com/employee-productivity-statistics" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Solitaired </a>revealed that American workers take 2.7 hours of break everyday.



In a 40 hour work week, 2.7 hours of break per day amounts to 13.5 hours of break every week. This means that more than one third of working hours are lost to breaks.



Distractions are everywhere. Broadly classified as external and internal distractions, they all affect the way we work. Irrespective of the source of the distraction, be it internal or external, they have a detrimental effect.&nbsp;



In the introduction to this article, we looked at how distractions affect the brain. The 23 minutes and 15 seconds that we lose for each distraction can be vividly visualized with this example. We are essentially playing tennis with our cognitive capabilities, trying to change directions of our focus in a moment&#8217;s notice. While a tennis ball can achieve this and can change directions without much effort as it is volleyed back and forth, our brain isn&#8217;t wired that way. It takes considerable time and effort to actually switch from one task to another.



The effects of distractions at work can be termed as nothing short of disastrous. Distractions in the workplace can lead to employees committing twice as many errors as usual. Office distractions and interruptions also lead to anxiety in the workplace, thereby affecting the mental health of the workers.



Distractions and disturbances, however, aren&#8217;t restricted to working from office spaces alone. Remote work or working from home come with their own set of distractions which will have to be conquered in order to work efficiently. If you maintain a work from home discipline, then you will be able to gain from it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="types-of-distractions">Types of distractions</h2>



Distractions come in all shapes and sizes, from the small beep of a notification to the presence of a noisy coworker. Like we mentioned earlier, external and internal are the two broad types of distractions. Even though it is impossible to draw out an exhaustive list of distractions, here is a typical set of distraction examples that occur in a workplace.



A noisy coworker or a colleague who often stops by for conversations is an example of an external distraction that one can easily identify with. Attending meetings where one&#8217;s presence is not required is also another popular example. What you see could well be a distraction as well as visual distractions are another type of externally driven distractions.



Distractions created by our innate nature contribute to the bulk of internal distractions. Our never ending urge to keep fidgeting with our phones or scrolling through our smartphones are typical examples of internal distractions while at work. Technology has made many things easy for us, but it has also introduced a horde of new distractions at work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="facts-about-distractions">Facts about distractions</h2>



The unprecedented growth in technology and the boom in social media has increased the wide variety of ways in which we can be distracted. Distraction statistics provides numbers and facts about distractions and the time that an average individual spends on each of these various distractions.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="social-media-distraction-statistics"> Social media distraction statistics</h3>



If we are to glance through social media distraction statistics, then we will be confronted with some glaring numbers. In 2012, people were spending 1 hour each day on social media. Fast forward 10 years and you have people spending an <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/433871/daily-social-media-usage-worldwide/">average of 2 hours and 25 minutes every day on social media</a>. Apart from the fact that it is nearly a two and a half time jump on the time spent on social media, it also implies that individuals are spending more and more of their waking hours socializing online.



While Facebook still remains the undisputed champion as people spend nearly 40 minutes each day on the social media platform, the average time spent on Instagram isn&#8217;t far behind at nearly 30 minutes a day.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="technology-distraction-statistics">Technology distraction statistics</h3>



If you look at the technology distraction statistics, then you will note that it includes the average time spent on mobile phones, the average time spent playing video games and even the average time spent watching TV as well. While video games and TV have been around for a considerable amount of time, the average time spent on YouTube now towers over all of these. With over <a href="https://www.digitalmarketing.org/blog/how-much-time-does-the-average-person-spend-on-social-media">2 billion monthly active users spending an average of over 11 minutes each day</a>, they together watch over five billion videos daily amounting to 1 billion hours of video everyday. That&#8217;s a lot of time lost collectively each day.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="homework"> Homework</h3>



Working from home brings with it its own set of external distractions. Interruptions from family members, outside noises, visitors, and the need to take care of children and pets all contribute to time lost while working from home. Add to it the time spent on household chores during work hours, and the average time spent by an individual doing work for the home becomes significantly higher.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="dealing-with-distractions">Dealing with distractions</h2>



By this point, you must have realized that in order to improve focus at work, one must start dealing with distractions in a better way in order to regain lost time and spend it more efficiently. If you were looking at strategies on how you could increase concentration at work, then you should start by dealing with distractions &#8211; either remove them completely or avoid at least the unnecessary ones.



Even though it might be impossible to cut down all distractions overnight, you have to start somewhere. With routine practice and consistency you will be able to master these techniques and tips, and apply them to suit your needs.



For telecommuters, it is important to build your own workspace at home and set out specific work hours. In addition to this it is also necessary to inform all the household members and ask for their cooperation during your working hours.



In our <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/blog/candidates/demystifying-the-concept-of-deep-work">introductory article to deep work</a>, we had mentioned a number of steps to help you improve your concentration and employ deep work techniques. These include priming your environment so that it is always ready for you to focus and work, choosing the deep work philosophy that best matches your requirements, building a ritual around your deep work routine so that you can effortlessly enhance your focus and concentration, and even performing a grand gesture if necessary. All these methods are effective ways to minimize distractions and work better in your available time and space.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="digital-minimalism">Digital Minimalism</h3>



American author Cal Newport first coined the concept of deep work in 2012 in a blog post. An associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, he further researched on the subject and expanded on the idea in his best selling book <a href="https://www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/">Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World</a> that was first published in 2016.



Following the success of this book, Newport further explored the idea and identified the role that distractions play as an enemy to deep work. By reading extensively on the subject and assimilating a wealth of information from studies and research, Newport culled out data for his next book. This book, titled <a href="https://www.calnewport.com/books/digital-minimalism/">Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World</a>, was first published in 2019 and turned out to be another bestseller.



The &#8220;noisy world&#8221; that Newport refers to in his title obviously corresponds to the unlimited distractions that human beings are confronted with in a variety of ways in every environment. This might be music to your ears as studying the contents of this book end to end and implementing it will allow you to master the distractions that affect your work day.



In Digital Minimalism, Newport not only identifies that we as individuals are caught in the crosshairs of the internet giants ruling today&#8217;s world, but also highlights the growing risks of being exposed to increased screen time. Apart from providing tips and hacks to reduce social media usage, the book also highlights the importance of solitude and the lack of the same since the advent of social media.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="use-apps-don-t-let-them-use-you">Use apps, don&#8217;t let them use you</h3>



Be it our handheld smartphone devices or the desktop and laptops we work on, notifications are the primary reason we start to lose focus. These beeps and popups break into our solitude and enhanced state of concentration, making us divert our attention often towards trivialities.&nbsp;



It must be remembered that any application that provides notifications will also be equipped with settings to control the same. By making use of these settings, it is possible to minimize notifications to a bare minimum. Having notifications for only what is absolutely necessary is a good first step to steer clear of distractions.



Among the more interesting ideas in Newport&#8217;s book is the recommendation to stay away from all forms of communications and social media for a 30 day period. Newport suggests using this break to build a protocol on how to use the various apps and websites that dictate our lives. He also adds that it might be a good idea to learn a leisure activity that one might practice in the time that has been created by limiting usage of technology. As a result of this, one not only has a framework on how to use the required apps when returning to them, but also other analogue activities to perform in the freed up time.



Even though the 30 day break might sound a bit extreme for starters, it is bound to be beneficial if you learn how to do it properly. If it still seems a mountain too tall to surmount, you can begin with something small.



One of the easiest ways for getting started is probably switching off your mobile phone or placing it out of your immediate reach. If these tricks, however, do not do the job and you reach out for your smartphone or switch it on immediately, then you might want to lean on technology to solve a problem created by it in the first place.



There are plenty of apps that lock social media and that help you to stop using your phone when you are studying or working. Apart from native apps that both Apple and Google provide in their iOS and Android devices respectively, there are a slew of other apps that help achieve the same objective.&nbsp;



Here are some of the best apps out there that help you block out distractions and motivate you to put your phone down:



<ul><li><a href="https://freedom.to/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Freedom</a>,&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.getserene.app/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Serene</a>,&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.rescuetime.com/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">RescueTime</a>,&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.forestapp.cc/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Forest&nbsp;</a>,</li><li><a href="https://selfcontrolapp.com/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">SelfControl</a></li></ul>



 Additionally, you can look up options online by yourself to choose the app that might best suit your needs.



If these apps can be relied upon to do the job during your smartphone usage, then there are extensions that provide similar capabilities in browsers for your laptop and desktop usage. Extensions help manage social media usage in your browser and are also very helpful if you surf a lot while working on your system.



While RescueTime, the app we just mentioned, has a browser based extension as well, <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">StayFocusd</a> is a free browser extension on Google Chrome that controls the amount of time you can spend on each website everyday. You might also want to check out <a href="https://brave.com/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Brave browser</a>, which is built with speed, privacy and security in mind.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="understanding-yourself">Understanding yourself</h3>



The key to defuse these weapons of mass distractions is to understand yourself thoroughly. This means that you need to know your daily routine inside out, identify routine workplace tasks and block out distractions even before they arise.



A good way of getting to know yourself better is by taking <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/all-tests">self improvement tests</a>. The beauty of such assessments lie in the fact that they analyze every aspect of a person, regardless of whether that person is aware of it or not. Thus, they allow you to unearth both hidden gems or strengths and weed out weaknesses that have being pulling you down without you knowing about it. Effectively, they help you become the best version of yourself.



Understanding yourself will be the first key step on the path towards conquering distractions &#8211; deep work&#8217;s arch nemesis. Once you have got the better of distractions, focus, concentration and deep work will come naturally to you. And with deep work you will be able to do wonders, each and everyday.

How to overcome distractions and focus on deep work

We live in a world that is filled with distractions, where we default to switching between tasks or chores, rather than focusing on any one of them specifically for a consistent period of time. While the satisfaction you draw from many of these distractions could be termed as ephemeral at best, true satisfaction of delivering excellent results in our work can be achieved by staying focussed for extended durations.&nbsp;



This is where the deep work concept comes in as it highlights the importance of minimizing or ignoring distractions in order to stay focussed on important activities, manage time better and achieve the ambitious goals that you set out for yourself. What’s more, mastering deep work will not only help you at work, but can actually be put to use in our personal lives as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-is-deep-work">What is deep work?</h2>



An American author and associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, Cal Newport coined the concept of deep work in a blog post in 2012 and went on to expand on it further in his best-selling book Deep Work: Rules for Focussed Success in a Distracted World, first published in 2016. Newport defines deep work in the following manner:



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“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.”</blockquote>



One quick look at that definition is enough to convince most of us that deep work isn’t the form of work that you are naturally accustomed to at the workplace. It also intuitively feels right that <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/blog/candidates/how-to-overcome-distractions-and-focus-on-deep-work">overcoming distractions</a> and focusing on the task at hand will prove to be more productive.



The beauty of the deep work concept lies in the fact that it can be applied across different fields. If you are a programmer, then deep work programming helps you to constantly learn new things and crack complex problems. For data scientists, deep work enables analyzing data and making the correct interpretations. Deep work helps writers and designers to ideate better and churn out content that is inherently of greater quality. The boundaries of what can be achieved with deep work is literally non-existent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="minimize-shallow-work">Minimize shallow work</h2>



Despite the fact that deep work is invaluable, it is to be noted that it can’t be done for hours on end. Newport, in fact, suggests that the upper limit is four hours of deep work per day for even those who have mastered it and have been practising it for a long time.&nbsp;



Newport therefore emphasises the importance of cognitive work where you are consciously involved in the intellectual activity that defines your work. If you are thinking about how to increase productivity at work, then incorporating deep work and cognitive work in your daily schedule might be your solution. If, however, you avoid being intentional about how you spend time on your activities, then plenty of hours might actually be spent on what Newport categorises as “shallow work”:



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“Non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create new value in the world and are easy to replicate.”</blockquote>



It is impossible to purge all shallow work as each of us have to spend a certain amount of time performing some amount of it – be it to answer emails, perform administrative work or logistical tasks. What you can do is to minimize the time spent on each of these and bunch them together, so that they can be completed as a single chunk.&nbsp;



The following books are the best books to increase focus and reduce shallow work as they provide you with strategies that can be employed on an everyday basis:



<ul><li>Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World</li><li>Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World</li><li>The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World</li><li>Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="deep-work-s-intrinsic-value">Deep work’s intrinsic value</h2>



While deep work is obviously a great way to be productive, it doesn’t start and end there. This is because deep work often lets you experience the flow state of mind. The concept of flow was recognized and named by Hungarian-American psychologist <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/">Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi</a>, who defined it as a highly focused mental state that is conducive to productivity. Thus, deep work can help you be in a cognitive state that makes you feel good, is rewarding, and often exposes you to the right balance between skills and challenge.&nbsp;



Even though the benefits of deep work are well established, Newport argues that “the ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. As a consequence, the few who cultivate this skill, and then make it the core of their working life, will thrive.” This means that it is not only enough to know deep work’s meaning, but also implement it as best as you can.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="concentration-and-focus">Concentration and focus</h2>



Now that you are aware about the basics of deep work, it is time to understand how to improve focus and concentration and practice deep work in order to get the most out of your potential. Both concentration and focus aren’t a given and are acquired skills that can be developed by practicing consistently over time.&nbsp;



There are different strategies to focus at work, and not everything might apply to you. It is important to recognize what will help you overcome your personal difficulties and concentrate on work.&nbsp;



In his 2018 best-seller <a href="https://admiredleadership.com/resource/atomic-habits/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results</a>, American author James Clear talks about priming your environment to make future actions easier. He says that the “central idea is to create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible” and also to “make bad behaviors difficult”.



Clear clearly explains the idea by taking the example of Oswald Nuckols, an IT developer from Natchez, Mississippi. Nuckols employs a strategy he refers to as “<a href="https://www.garethkthomas.com/resetting-the-room/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">resetting the room</a>”, the purpose of which is not just to “clean up after the last action, but to prepare for the next action”.



Something as simple as setting out your desk before you leave your workplace means that it is ready for you to get started and focus directly on work the next day, as you eliminate the need to do it first thing when you are fresh. Hacks like these help you in time management, allowing you to utilize your more productive hours in creating quality work.



Swedish psychologist <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02396/full" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">K. Anders Ericsson</a> is a leading researcher on expert performers who has pointed out that the major difference between elite performers and others is their ability to sustain intense focus and concentration over long periods of time. Newport mentions the following in his book Deep Work:



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“Ericsson notes that for a novice, somewhere around an hour a day of intense concentration seems to be a limit, while for experts this number can expand to as many as four hours — but rarely more.”&nbsp;</blockquote>



Even though experts aren’t born with the ability of intense concentration, they recognize its importance early and put effort towards enhancing this specific ability. It is possible to start small, say even 15 minutes a day, and work upwards towards that four hour limit. The basic idea, therefore, is that anyone can thrive in an environment that is free from distractions as our brains are not wired to focus on a single problem when we are constantly switching between various tasks.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="those-dreaded-distractions">Those dreaded distractions</h2>



By now, you must have realised that <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/blog/candidates/how-to-overcome-distractions-and-focus-on-deep-work">distractions at work</a> are the enemy of deep work. In their 2016 book <a aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" href="https://www.learningandthebrain.com/blog/the-distracted-mind-ancient-brains-in-a-high-tech-world-by-adam-gazzaley-and-larry-d-rosen/" target="_blank">The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World</a>, authors Adam Gazzaley and Larry Rosen highlight the fact that while human beings are very good at goal setting, they are also very susceptible to distractions that interrupt these very goals.



Distractions can broadly be defined as both internal and external events that interrupt us from working towards one of our goals. The urge to keep checking social media feeds, fidgeting with our smartphones or even repeatedly checking our email inboxes all fall under distractions that are internally driven. A co-worker stopping by for a chat when you are deep in concentration and the need to attend a meeting where your presence isn’t required are all examples of external types of distractions.&nbsp;



It is important that you steer clear of distractions and prime your environment in such a manner that it fosters focus and concentration. In The Distracted Mind, the authors outline four proven methods that help people ignore distractions, thereby allowing individuals to better manage their time. These include:



<ul><li>decreasing anxiety, </li><li>decreasing boredom, </li><li>reducing digital distractions and accessibility to information, </li><li>and increasing our meta-cognition about the harms of distractions.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="deep-work-techniques">Deep work techniques</h2>



While some of us have never learnt how to do deep work in the first place, others might have forgotten how to concentrate deeply on a single task. Learning how to do deep work is a skill that you can keep getting better at by putting in the necessary effort. Practicing deep work puts the focus on being intentional at every possible instant and concentrating on high-impact tasks. From choosing the right approach to executing a grand gesture, there are a number of deep work techniques that enable all of us to get better at it and employ it as and when possible.&nbsp;



Time management in your daily schedule is an integral part of how you execute deep work on an everyday basis. Based on your schedule and work preferences, it is necessary that you pick a plan that best fits your needs. Newport has outlined four different approaches or philosophies in his book that will help you decide how to schedule your deep work.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="choose-your-approach">Choose your approach</h2>



It is instrumental that you recognize that each of these techniques have their pros and cons and they have to be evaluated carefully from a personal standpoint. Naturally, some techniques might work better than others based on an individual’s lifestyle. Consider each of these in depth and start off with that which you feel would work best for your needs:



<ul><li>Monastic philosophy of deep work scheduling: This is the most dedicated form of deep work that completely eliminates shallow work and involves spending all your working hours on a high-level task that requires all your focus. Even though it corresponds to the lowest level of context switching and highest potential for reward, this technique might be unrealistic for those required to perform a variety of work.</li><li>Bimodal philosophy of deep work scheduling: This technique involves dividing your time between long stretches set aside for deep work and the rest set aside for any other work that you deem appropriate. While this philosophy is a more flexible version of the monastic philosophy, it still requires you to arrange your year, months, or weeks into larger chunks of deep work.</li><li>Rhythmic philosophy of deep work scheduling: If you know what is going to come in each day’s work and your schedule is fairly static, then the rhythmic philosophy might be ideal for you. Knowing how each day pans out allows you to establish a regular habit where you can block out 1-4 hour chunks to concentrate at the same time every day. This allows you to get into a daily rhythm, while using the rest of the time to perform necessary shallow work.</li><li>Journalistic philosophy of deep work scheduling: Nearly the opposite of rhythmic philosophy, journalistic philosophy is for those constantly on the move, with little to no regularity to their days. This technique is the most flexible as it allows you to fit in blocks of deep work whenever your schedule permits it. It is, however, the most demanding as well as you need to be constantly vigilant about how your time ebbs and flows, making room for some deep work, even if only 15 minutes. As this method requires you to switch into deep work mode at will, it requires you to be experienced at it, making it unsuitable for beginners.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="build-a-ritual">Build a ritual</h2>



We had earlier mentioned priming your environment to enhance focus and concentration. Expanding on that idea, you can build a deep work routine or create certain rituals that allows you to get into the mental framework necessary for the task.



There is a growing body of research that suggests that our brain remembers certain associations, learning and even expecting the same combination in the future. Thus, the idea of creating a ritual is to trigger our concentration at will by indicating to the brain that it is time to focus.&nbsp;



When creating a deep work ritual, it is mandatory that you keep in mind the location, duration, structure and requirements for executing the routine. Choosing a space that is distraction free and setting it out so that it is ready whenever you need to use it provides for a conducive work environment. Deciding on when to work and how long allows you to be on top of your deep work routine. The structure guides your concentration and includes the rules that you put down for your deep work sessions and the parameters by which you judge your success. The requirements, meanwhile, are the materials that you might need to support your deep work routine, be it a specific type of music, food, or beverage.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="perform-a-grand-gesture">Perform a grand gesture</h2>



There might be times when you feel that your day-to-day attempts at deep work are inadequate for achieving your goal. For such scenarios, Newport suggests enacting a grand gesture, which he defines in the following way:



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“By leveraging a radical change to your normal environment, coupled perhaps with a significant investment of effort or money, all dedicated toward supporting a deep work task, you increase the perceived importance of the task.”</blockquote>



A classic example of this method is Bill Gates’ famous “think weeks”. Gates retreats to a cabin in the woods for two weeks, twice a year, doing nothing but reading and thinking big thoughts on the future of Microsoft, his Foundation, tech and medicine, among other things. The method enables him to prioritize deep work and has provided for a number of innovations.&nbsp;



While most of us might not have the luxury to do what Gates does, you can still perform a grand gesture that is grand by your own means. This could be as simple as working from a different setting for a week or so if your workplace or home doesn’t motivate you enough, or spending an entire day on one task instead of executing it over days or even weeks. Any radical change in your schedule can thus be seen as a grand gesture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-is-your-work-style">What is your work style?</h2>



We’ve seen what deep work is, we’ve listed techniques on how to do deep work to increase your focus and concentration, and we’ve also spoken about avoiding distractions and minimizing shallow work. One idea that is often repeated is the fact that it comes down to you as each individual’s method and ability to perform deep work differs from one another.



<a href="https://www.gyfted.me/quiz-landing/workplace-mindset">What type of work environment do you prefer</a>? What are the traits that are relevant to your workplace? What is your mindset in the office? Answers to these questions and more enable you to discover your work style.&nbsp;



Once you determine your work style, it is much easier for you to tailor your daily schedule such that the focus is always on deep work. And once the emphasis is on deep work on a daily basis, you will be able to harness the most of your own potential and succeed in all your endeavours.&nbsp;

Demystifying the concept of deep work

The pandemic seems to get closer to its end and we see restrictions continue to loosen up. This change has started many discussions about working from home vs office. The closure of offices around the globe is no longer necessary and many managers want to require employees to return to the office. On the other hand, many employers continue to support a 100% remote or hybrid work model.&nbsp;



We are witnessing great changes in the workforce, where many companies will lose and many will win precisely due to their work from home/remote vs hybrid vs office stance and the mindsets of executives and middle management.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="the-pandemic-changed-our-workplaces-and-work-culture">The pandemic changed our workplaces and work culture</h2>



Let’s face it &#8211; the pandemic just becomes more complex, the closer we think we are to figuring it out; it’s a paradox. And it doesn&#8217;t make sense, it has proven to be beneficial for the labor market. It’s given light to movements like the Great Resignation and the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/12/08/how-to-innovate-in-the-great-reshuffle/" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Reshuffle,</a> empowering flexibility, productivity, and virtually anything the average job seeker is searching for. At the same time, you might have even taken a <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/quiz-landing/workplace-mindset" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener">workplace personality assessment,</a> or two, to figure out how this time of uncertainty could function with your career and work style.



To help prepare you in case your employer asks you where you’d like to work from, this article will provide you an overview of working from home vs office, the hybrid work model, and 4 ways you can find your fit among all the possible workplace personality types.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="working-from-home-vs-office-what-are-the-differences">Working from Home vs. Office &#8211; What are the differences?</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="costs">Costs&nbsp;</h3>



The typical first argument that comes up when deciding between working from home vs office is commuting, and the expenses that come with it. In the US, more than 14 million people spend at least an hour traveling to the office everyday. We all know the saying “time is money”, and we’re sure you can imagine how much money you’d save if you didn’t have to pay the metro fees or tolls for a year.&nbsp;



Aside from the cost of your commute, working from home means you&#8217;re probably able to avoid the hefty costs of eating out for lunch or happy hour drinks with colleagues. This, of course, may not apply to you if you are lucky enough to work for a company which provides perks such as free breakfast and lunch, transportation stipends, and plenty of after-hours sponsored events.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="flexibility">Flexibility&nbsp;</h3>



Now here’s an obvious answer to the question of “what are the benefits of working at home?” &#8211; flexibility! 9 times out of 10, working from the office means having to follow the standard 9-5 structure. You typically arrive in the office a bit before 9am, get your first cup of coffee in, and get to work until you pause for lunch at noon, before continuing until 5pm.&nbsp;



See, with remote work your routine is pretty much entirely up to you as long as you finish your deliverables on time and don’t miss the important Zoom meetings you prescheduled. And even if you follow a hybrid work model where you really must begin working at 9, you can still calmly wake up at 8:45 without worrying about commuting and potentially being late.



Aside from choosing your hours, you can also choose your location. Working 100% remote means you can earn a New York City salary while living in a lower-cost city. Now, you can enjoy a higher standard of life by moving to the suburbs, or going abroad to a remote-work paradise like Mexico City or Lisbon.



At the same time, flexibility still plays a part in the disadvantages of work from home. Depending on your workplace personality, you may be one of those employees that can’t switch off your work mindset, due to the lack of distinction between your room and office. Soon enough this may begin to harm your work-life balance.&nbsp;



Maybe it will work the opposite way for you, though. There are numerous reports showing the positive correlation between flexible work and work life balance, but it’s dependent on you being able to full-stop when needed. Therefore, you can get an idea of what flexible work and work life balance can mean to you by taking a quick, <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/quiz-landing/remote-mindset">workplace personality assessment</a> to see if you possess more of a remote mindset.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="communication">Communication</h3>



To provide you some advantages of office work, let’s discuss communication, and especially <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/blog/candidates/networking-tips-for-introverts">networking</a>. For starters, most people prefer to engage with their coworkers via face-to-face communication. From experience, we can confidently say that brainstorming sessions are much more powerful when everyone’s in the same room. And when questions arise you may feel like you’re annoying your coworker with dozens of Slack messages or emails which come off unclear.



That all is tied to the type of relationships you form with your teammates. Seeing them in an office everyday makes you feel more connected to them and often produces more collaboration. Additionally, one of the other disadvantages of work from home is that you miss out on networking with many stakeholders, unless you’ve somehow managed to master the concept of virtual coffee chats.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-are-the-benefits-of-working-from-home">What are the benefits of working from home?</h2>



If you’re still not sure about the benefits of remote work, here is a quick list of some more reasons to work from home.



<ul><li>Improved productivity &#8211; A study conducted by UC Irvine showed that a typical office worker is interrupted every 11 minutes, and it takes them 25 minutes to regain that focus. Imagine just how much more you could get done if you had more control over your work conditions.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Opportunity for inclusivity &#8211; Companies with a remote work culture are able to leverage a diverse pool of talent which means you get to work with incredible people from all different sorts of backgrounds and locations.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Higher financial savings &#8211; With an absolute level of flexibility you are able to reduce nearly all of your daily expenses, and can choose to work from a location that has a low cost of living. We are positive your budgeting efforts will actually work this time!</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-are-the-advantages-of-office-work">What are the advantages of office work?</h2>



On the other hand, let’s clarify a few more advantages of office work.



<ul><li>Decreased fatigue &#8211; Zoom-ing all day definitely hits harder than a day full of in-person meetings does.</li></ul>



<ul><li>More clarity with management &#8211; We are actively experiencing the first years of&nbsp; managing a remote workforce. Unless your company’s leaders use the ideal tools and are extremely trusting, they may quickly question “what are the benefits of working at home?”</li></ul>



<ul><li>Networking is made simpler &#8211; There is no denying the power of relationship-building in your company and industry. Meeting others and building lasting connections with them is much more do-able when you are actually able to invite them out to a coffee or chat with them during an in-person event.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-is-the-hybrid-model-of-work">What is the hybrid model of work?</h2>



We know there is no such thing as just having something be black or white. There has been plenty of reimagination when it comes to the subject of the post pandemic workforce. With that, the notion of the hybrid work model has been ideated.&nbsp;



You might be thinking “what is the hybrid model?” Spoiler alert &#8211; the name says it all! Firstly, rhe hybrid work model aims to combine the advantages of office work and work from home. It consists of an environment where some employees are on premise, while others work from home during different hours of the week. Therefore, you may find yourself coming into the office on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but working from home during the following days.



However, it does eliminate one of the major reasons to work from home: no location-dependency. In a hybrid work model, you still need to remain in the city where your office is located since you’re required to turn up to the office during some days. This ultimately means you’re going to have about ½ the flexibility and costs that a fully remote work model brings you.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="examples-of-companies-turning-to-hybrid-work">Examples of companies turning to hybrid work</h2>



In 2021 and 2022, most major companies are going hybrid, but here are some top players who were first to implement a hybrid work model.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="spotify">Spotify&nbsp;</h3>



The music giant’s My Work Mode Program allows all employees to work fulltime in-office, from home, or in a hybrid work model. The exact specifications of the hybrid arrangement depend on what the specific employee and their manager deems appropriate.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="adobe">Adobe</h3>



Adobe has announced four key principles in response to the future of work.



1. Being digital-first will be critical&nbsp;



2. Flexibility will be the default



3. We’ll gather for the moments that matter.



4. Remote work will expand.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="apple">Apple</h3>



Our favorite FAANG has mandated that all employees return to office buildings three days a week, with the option to work remotely twice per week. This is clearly the most common combination which other brands such as L’Oreal, UBS, and DoorDash have also adopted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="uber">Uber</h2>



Aside from asking employees to spend at least 50% of their time in-office, Uber is still aiming to add the benefit of geographic flexibility through allowing employees to reselect their preferred office locations. Currently, they’ve compiled a list of dedicated team hubs which employees can choose from instead of remaining at the office they worked at pre-pandemic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-kind-of-worker-am-i">What kind of worker am I?&nbsp;</h2>



In conclusion, we’ve already summarized most of the key differences between working from home vs office for you.&nbsp;



Like we’ve mentioned, some of these differences are actually super dependent on the type of person you are. For instance, flexible work and work life balance might witness a positive correlation for your career as long as you are independent and capable of successfully getting your work done on time in the specific amount of time you allocate for it. But, this is not the case for everyone.



You’re likely thinking “what kind of worker am I?” Your personality says so much about what type of worker you are and what style of work would be best for you. Being aware of your workplace personality will allow you to select a career and work style that fits you both personally and professionally. With the options of working from vs office vs hybrid work model, you should carefully choose the match that will bring you the most success and happiness.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Luckily, here at <a href="https://www.gyfted.me">Gyfted,</a> we have spent quite some time and resources to help you answer the question of “what kind of worker am I?” There are many workplace personality types, so to figure out yours, here are 4 ways you can find your fit.



<ol><li>Survey your past and current colleagues</li></ol>



Take some time to connect with around 10 of your colleagues which you interact with most. Explain your objective behind surveying them and ask them to be fully transparent.&nbsp;



Some questions you may want answers to can include



<ul><li>How would you describe my personality in the workplace?</li><li>When did I shine most at work? Which of my tasks, deliverables, or contributions stood out to you, and why?</li><li>What do you think my ideal office culture would be? Why?</li></ul>



Finally, reflect on the answers they gave and try to pick out the most consistent themes.



<ol start="2"><li>Consider what your perfect workday would be like</li></ol>



Each person has their own definition of success, and with that, each person certainly has their own definition of a perfect work day. Take approximately an hour to reflect on the following characteristics:



<ul><li>Do you prefer working from home or office?</li><li>How many hours per day and which hours would you like to work? Do you want to stick to the traditional 9-5, or would you prefer to begin later and work into the evening?</li><li>What does your dream office setup look like?</li><li>What is the team hierarchy like?</li><li>Do you prefer working more independently or collaborating heavily on each activity?</li></ul>



<ol start="3"><li>Write down your expectations</li></ol>



After you’ve done step 2, it is also essential to take your responses and formulate them into a short doc that encompasses all of your employer expectations. We’ve sure you’ve seen thousands of job listings by now. Well, now it is the time to sort of create your own.&nbsp;



Listing your expectations for your perfect work setup and also the ideal company culture will get you one step closer to finding your fit. This is because you’ll be able to cut through all the noise of job listings, to find your optimal one.



<ol start="4"><li>Complete a quick workplace personality assessment</li></ol>



Finally, the last and probably most crucial step is to take some short personality quizzes.<a href="https://www.gyfted.me/all-tests"> </a>Think of it as a Buzzfeed quiz, but one that has been designed by expert psychologists and cognitive scientists, giving you an overview of the traits that are most relevant to your environment.



The top two ones we suggest for you to take today, completely for free, are a <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/quiz-landing/workplace-mindset">workplace personality test </a>and a <a href="https://www.gyfted.me/quiz-landing/remote-mindset" target="_blank" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" rel="noreferrer noopener">remote work mindset test.</a> Both tests will take you max. 20 mins to complete, consisting of choosing amongst a few statements that reflect your ideals. It’s an extremely simple way to discover more about yourself, be able to personalize your job search, and eventually, land a job that fits you like a glove.&nbsp;



By following these 4 steps to find your fit, you’ll surely be able to pick your side in the debate of working from home vs office, and be able to determine what kind of worker you are.

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