Author: Miriam Waititu-Buff | Editor: Laure Pauly, Anja Leist
In this post, we’ll unpack the science behind deep work, explore how it relates to peak performance and “flow” states, and provide actionable tips to help you harness its benefits in your daily life.
What is deep work?
Deep work refers to professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration and that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limit. This type of effort produces breakthrough ideas, deep learning and high-value results. By contrast, shallow work includes low-focus tasks such as responding to emails or filling out reports, necessary, perhaps, but not where innovation occurs1. At its core, deep work is about doing hard things well, and doing them without interruption2.
The Science Behind It: Flow, Focus, and Your Brain’s Rhythms
Deep work isn’t just a productivity hack, it has a history of psychological and biological research.
1. Flow: The State of Effortless Focus
Have you ever been so absorbed in a task, writing, painting, coding, solving a problem, that you looked up and hours had flown by? Maybe you felt a deep sense of satisfaction, like everything just clicked. You were probably in a state of “flow”. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi introduced the concept of “flow”: a mental state where you are fully immersed in a task, lose track of time, and forget yourself in the process.
To enter flow, a task must strike the right balance, it needs to be challenging, but not so hard it creates anxiety. Too easy? You’ll get bored. Too hard? You’ll quit. Just right? You’ll hit flow.2,3
2. Ultradian Rhythms: Your Body’s Natural Productivity Waves
Ever notice you’re sharper at certain times of day? That’s due to your biological rhythms, the ultradian rhythms – natural cycles of short durations (e.g. hours) but also the circadian rhythm that has a period of about one day. Studies show that most people experience peak alertness in the late morning (around 9–11 am, or 1 to 4 hours after waking) and again in the early evening (after 5 pm) with a common performance dip mid-afternoon. But everyone’s rhythm is unique. Some are early birds (larks), others night owls. The key is to identify your personal peak performance windows and guard them for your most demanding tasks4.
How to build deep work into your day: 6 simple tips
Here’s how to turn the science of deep work into a daily habit:
1. Know When You’re at Your Best
Spend a week tracking your energy, focus, and mood across the day for a week. Are you sharpest at 10 am? Or most creative after dinner? That’s your deep work window. Tip: Once you discover your peak periods, block off 90-minute windows during these times for deep work. Don’t schedule meetings, calls, or errands here—protect them fiercely.
Note: The 90-minute deep work window is a helpful starting point, inspired by research on ultradian rhythms, natural cycles of alertness and recovery. However, this duration isn’t fixed. Some people may find 60 minutes ideal, while others can stay focused for longer. The key is to observe your own rhythm and adapt your deep work sessions to what works best for you. If 60-90 minutes feel too long, you can also start with shorter periods and work your way up to 90 minutes over time.
2. Identify What Deserves Deep Work
Not all tasks warrant deep focus. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix or the ABC Method to prioritize what needs deep attention. Aim to reserve your deep work time for: Avoid shallow tasks like answering email, admin, or multitasking during this time.
- Writing and creative work
- Strategic thinking or planning
- Learning new skills
- Solving complex problems
Avoid shallow tasks like answering email, admin, or multitasking during this time.
3. Go Off the Grid (Temporarily)
Interruptions are the enemy of focus. When it’s time to do deep work:
- Turn off notifications
- Use full-screen modes
- Put your phone in another room
- Hang a “do not disturb” sign
Tip: set a 90-minute timer, work deeply, then take a short break.
4. Create a Focus Ritual
Establish a simple routine that signals your brain it’s time to concentrate. It might look like:
- Starting at the same time daily
- Putting on noise-canceling headphones
- Sipping a specific tea
- Writing your goal for the session on a sticky note
Over time, this ritual will train your brain to switch into deep work mode more quickly.
5. Respect the Rebound
Deep work is intense. After 60–90 minutes, take a proper break: move, eat, stretch, or go outside. Don’t jump straight into another task. Your brain needs time to recover. Avoid switching to shallow tasks right away (like checking social media), as this can disrupt lingering creative thoughts from your deep session. Rest is not a reward- it’s part of the process.
Final Thought: Deep Work Is a Learnable Superpower
Deep work is not about doing more. It’s about doing the right things with deep focus and intention. In a world full of noise, the ability to concentrate without distraction is a competitive advantage and a path to personal growth and satisfaction. Start small. Choose one 90-minute block this week to try deep work. Protect it, go offline, and dive in. With consistency, you’ll train your mind to work deeper, smarter, and more creatively. Forget the typical soft skills on your CV, add “deep work” to your toolkit! So go ahead, “go with the flow” of your brain’s natural rhythm, and unlock your full cognitive potential.
For better readability of the text, the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, an AI language model based on the GPT-4 architecture, secured with UL enterprise data protection, has been used.
- Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world. Hachette UK.
- Ferreira, J. B. (2022). Exhausted and not doing enough? The productivity paradox of contemporary academia. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 8(2), 181-191.
- Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.
- Facer-Childs ER, Boiling S, Balanos GM. The effects of time of day and chronotype on cognitive and physical performance in healthy volunteers. Sports Med Open. 2018 Oct 24;4(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s40798-018-0162-z. PMID: 30357501; PMCID: PMC6200828.
