Deep Work for Software Developers

What is Deep Work?

Deep Work is the state of peak concentration and focus sustained for long periods to do hard things or high-quality work.

Importance of Deep Work

As Software Developers, we have to adapt to new technologies frequently. We also need to get better at our craft as we gain more and more experience. Learning to write Clean Code, understanding how complexity analysis in algorithms works, or building Distributed Systems requires immense focus. Someone who employs the philosophies of Deep Work can gain knowledge on these topics much more quicker. In the modern world with “Always-on” expectations and so many distractions, it’s becoming increasingly more challenging to perform Deep work.

Ways that I employ Deep Work in my life

Switch off app notifications

As Software developers, we have to use different apps daily, like Slack, Trello, ClickUp, Jira etc., to be in sync with other teammates. However, with their constant notifications, these tools can interrupt our train of thought whenever we are working on a problem/coding. I turn off all notifications in these apps so that my thought process is not disturbed.

I check on these apps whenever I need help with a problem or coding. If there is a P0 issue, the “On call” team will reach out via a call. There are a few exceptions where I turn on app notifications, like on weeks when I am “On call” and will have to monitor error notifications actively.

Waking up early

Try to switch to becoming a morning person. Early in the morning, the mind, after having some coffee, the reason is fresh and can quickly work long hours without any distractions. It is just a big difference in terms of productivity. I typically complete most of my coding/system design work in the day’s first half, and in the second half, I mainly spend on meetings and code reviews.

Exercise

Exercising every day, preferably early morning, gives you lots of energy to concentrate for long hours. It generally keeps your mind sharper and in a happier mood. The exercise need not be hard weight training in the gym; a good run for 20 to 30 minutes would also be great.

Social media platforms are big dopamine releasers. They mess with our minds and are very addictive. I often go on social media detox now and then, and I feel amazing getting off social media. The mind feels free and can concentrate much longer on a single task. Some of the platforms I avoid are Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp(I have never been on Snapchat much). I use LinkedIn and Twitter sparing for networking. YouTube can also lead to a rabbit hole of YouTube shorts. I suggest using YouTube only on your laptop with a Chrome extension called Unhook.

Most of my thought process around Deep Work is heavily inspired by the book “Deep Work” by Cal Newport. I recommend this book; it’s a great read.

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