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The Killer App of the Knowledge Economy

A Deep Diversion

Newport_DeepWork_HC_webI wanted to share some brief updates about how my new book, Deep Work, is faring since its release a couple weeks ago. It seems to have hit a nerve. This excites me — not just because it’s good news for my book, but because I think it points to a bigger shift in our cultural conversation. People seem increasingly ready to move past self-deprecating humor about how they check their phone too much, and instead seek concrete changes that will improve their cognitive life.

Anyway, here are some highlights from the book launch:

  • The book debuted as a Wall Street Journal bestseller and was selected as one of Amazon’s best business & leadership books for the month of January.
  • The New York Times wrote: “As a presence on the page, Newport is exceptional in the realm of self-help authors…”
  • The Wall Street Journal called the book: “engaging and substantive…”
  • The Economist wrote: “deep work is the killer app of the knowledge economy…”
  • The Globe and Mail wrote: “This is a deep, not shallow, book, which can enrich your life…”
  • 800-CEO-READ named Deep Work the best business book of the week and wrote:  “[Newport presents] a wonderfully entangled, intertwined, and erudite series of strategies, philosophies, disciplines, and techniques to sharpen your focus and dive deep into your work.”

If you want to learn more, read my original post about the book launch. In addition, my publisher has posted two long excerpts. The first is about how deep work helps make you massively more productive and the second tackles the inanity of open offices.

I am, of course, most grateful for your support here over the years as I developed these ideas. I can’t thank you enough.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

16 thoughts on “The Killer App of the Knowledge Economy”

  1. I’m a college student right now and I am reading you boon on deep work. I’ve read your how to win at college book and usually use the 50 minute study /10 minute break.

    Can that 50/10 ratio in 2 or 3 consecutive blocks be considered deep work? Should I change the ratio to get deeper and more meaningful studying?

    Reply
    • I’ve been experimenting with 50 minutes of deep work followed by 20 minutes of rest and then another 50 minutes of deep work. I got this from Ed Gandia keynote at a conference. During the rest I usually go lay down on a sofa or a bed and close my eyes. You can get pretty good insights during this 20 minutes period, too.

      Reply
      • @PSPI thank you for the advice. I try to walk around during my break time because everytime I try to study than take a nap or lie on the bed I fall asleep! I do envy your ability to be able to rest and take of productive things than get back to deep work.

        Reply
  2. I thought it was as great book (slightly better than “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”) so the praise is well-deserved. I look forward to reading your sixth (!) book in a few years.

    Reply
  3. Great Cal. Ultimately there’s great profundity to deep work that’s largely unexplored by most but leads to endless possibilities. This excites me!
    I’m curious where this trail leads your writing years from now.

    You’ve also influenced the articles I’ve written on my website.

    Reply
  4. The glimpses of greatness that I saw in one of your earlier books—How to Win at College—I now see writ large, and in full splendor, in your latest book, Deep Work. Well done on writing such a thoroughly engaging and immensely helpful book! It gives even more credence to my having selected you for the top spot in the Top Thought Leaders to Follow essay last year 🙂

    Reply
  5. I have recommended this book to many, many colleagues. I’m a divorce lawyer and my day is often reduced to an endless game of whack-a-mole, dealing with calls and email. I feel compelled to be highly available to my clients but this comes at great expense of completing tasks that require great concentration drafting. I’ve began implementing a lot of the ideas you’ve articulated and it is tremendous the work that can be accomplished when I dedicate small blocks of time to phone and email as opposed to having my day be entirely dictated by it. Still a struggle but holds tremendous promise for changing my practice.

    Reply
  6. This book has been tremendous – to the point where I have a partner that keeps me accountable to the lessons inside.

    This book needed to be written, so thank you.

    Reply

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