Deep work, how to focus for longer

Your phone buzzes face down on the desk. You don't pick it up, but your focus has already slipped. In a lab study, a notification alone threw people off a task that needed their attention, about as much as using the phone did [1].

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on demanding tasks, a phrase from Cal Newport's 2016 book [2]. To do more of it, block out time, keep your phone out of sight, stick to one task and take short breaks. We found no trial of the method as a whole, so each step below says what research found, where it exists.

What is deep work?

The book's publisher describes deep work as "the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks". The book sets out four rules, which are work deeply, embrace boredom, quit social media and drain the shallows [2].

In practice, it means giving your hardest task a protected block of time, with nothing else competing for your attention.

Why is it so hard to focus?

Three common things get in the way.

Notifications. A buzz or ring can set your mind wandering, even if you don't look. In the lab study above, that alone hurt performance on an attention task [1].

A phone in view. A review of 22 studies found phones nearby or in use had a small effect on thinking overall Mixed. The clearest effect was on memory, while the effect on attention wasn't significant [3].

Switching between tasks. People are slower and make more mistakes just after switching from one task to another. Getting ready for the switch shrinks this cost but doesn't remove it [4].

So each switch costs a little, and a day full of pings and quick replies adds those costs up.

How to do deep work

Start with one block a day. Add the next step when the first feels easy.

1. Book the time. Put a block in your calendar for your hardest task, and treat it like a meeting you can't move.
2. Silence the phone and move it. Turn notifications off and put the phone in another room or a bag [1][3].
3. Pick one task. Close email and chat for the block, so you aren't paying the cost of switching back and forth [4].
4. Take short breaks. Across 22 groups in break studies, breaks of up to 10 minutes raised energy and eased tiredness. They didn't clearly improve work overall, though longer breaks did more for performance [5].
5. Stop on purpose. Note where you stopped and the next step, so tomorrow's block starts fast. Our guide on how to switch off from work covers the end of the day.

Pick the step you find hardest and try it in tomorrow's block.

If you like a timer, the Pomodoro technique works in 25-minute blocks with short breaks between them. Our Pomodoro guide shows how to use it.

How long can you do deep work?

We found no study that tested how long a deep work block should last. So start with a length you can keep up, such as one block before lunch, and build from there.

Notice when your focus tends to be sharpest, whether that's first thing or mid-afternoon, and put your block there. Keep that slot for the same kind of task each day, so starting becomes a habit.

When focus fades, take a proper break rather than switching to email. In the break studies, longer breaks gave a bigger lift to performance [5].

How to stay focused while studying

The same steps work for revision. Leave your phone in another room, since phones nearby had their clearest effect on memory [3]. Work on one subject per block, and test yourself at the end of it. Our guide to memory techniques shows how.

Sleep matters too. If focus is hard every day, our brain fog guide covers the common causes.

Frequently asked questions

What is deep work?

It's the ability to focus without distraction on demanding tasks, as described in Cal Newport's 2016 book Deep Work [2].

What are the 4 rules of deep work?

The book's four rules are work deeply, embrace boredom, quit social media and drain the shallows [2].

Do phone notifications affect focus?

Yes, in a lab study. A notification alone hurt performance on an attention task, even when people didn't touch their phone [1].

Does having your phone nearby make it harder to focus?

A little, on average. Across 22 studies, phones nearby or in use had a small effect on thinking, clearest for memory [3].

Is multitasking bad for focus?

Switching between tasks has a cost. People are slower and make more errors just after a switch, even when they've had time to prepare [4].

Do breaks help you focus?

Short breaks of up to 10 minutes raised energy and eased tiredness in studies, but they didn't clearly improve work overall [5].

Read more about starting hard tasks in our guide on how to get motivated.

References

Every source here is listed so you can read it yourself. This guide is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your GP. We check it again at least every six months.

1. Stothart C, Mitchum A, Yehnert C (2015). The attentional cost of receiving a cell phone notification. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 41(4): 893-897. PMID 26121498
2. Newport C (2016). Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central Publishing. Publisher's description. Accessed 31 October 2026. hachettebookgroup.com
3. Böttger T, Poschik M, Zierer K (2023). Does the Brain Drain Effect Really Exist? A Meta-Analysis. Behavioral Sciences 13(9): 751. PMID 37754029
4. Monsell S (2003). Task switching. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 7(3): 134-140. PMID 12639695
5. Albulescu P, Macsinga I, Rusu A, Sulea C, Bodnaru A, Tulbure BT (2022). "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLoS One 17(8): e0272460. PMID 36044424