Deep Work_ Rules for focused success in a distracted world ( PDFDrive.com )
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“Sometime <strong>in</strong> the next week e-mail me everyth<strong>in</strong>g you remember about our<br />
discussion on the problem. Once I receive that message, I’ll start a shared directory<br />
<strong>for</strong> the project and add to it a document that summarizes what you sent me, <strong>com</strong>b<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
with my own memory of our past discussion. In the document, I’ll highlight the two or<br />
three most promis<strong>in</strong>g next steps.<br />
“We can then take a crack at those next steps <strong>for</strong> a few weeks and check back <strong>in</strong>. I<br />
suggest we schedule a phone call <strong>for</strong> a month from now <strong>for</strong> this purpose. Below I<br />
listed some dates and times when I’m available <strong>for</strong> a call. When you respond with<br />
your notes, <strong>in</strong>dicate the date and time <strong>com</strong>b<strong>in</strong>ation that works best <strong>for</strong> you and we’ll<br />
consider that reply confirmation <strong>for</strong> the call. I look <strong>for</strong>ward to digg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to this<br />
problem.”<br />
Process-Centric Response to E-mail #3: “Thanks <strong>for</strong> gett<strong>in</strong>g back to me. I’m go<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
read this draft of the article and send you back an edited version annotated with<br />
<strong>com</strong>ments on Friday (the 10th). In this version I send back, I’ll edit what I can do<br />
myself, and add <strong>com</strong>ments to draw your attention to places where I th<strong>in</strong>k you’re better<br />
suited to make the improvement. At that po<strong>in</strong>t, you should have what you need to<br />
polish and submit the f<strong>in</strong>al draft, so I’ll leave you to do that—no need to reply to this<br />
message or to follow up with me after I return the edits—unless, of course, there’s an<br />
issue.”<br />
In craft<strong>in</strong>g these sample responses, I started by identify<strong>in</strong>g the project implied by<br />
the message. Notice, the word “project” is used loosely here. It can cover th<strong>in</strong>gs that<br />
are large and obviously projects, such as mak<strong>in</strong>g progress on a research problem<br />
(Example #2), but it applies just as easily to small logistical challenges like sett<strong>in</strong>g up<br />
a coffee meet<strong>in</strong>g (Example #1). I then took a m<strong>in</strong>ute or two to th<strong>in</strong>k through a process<br />
that gets us from the current state to a desired out<strong>com</strong>e with a m<strong>in</strong>imum of messages<br />
required. The f<strong>in</strong>al step was to write a reply that clearly describes this process and<br />
where we stand. These examples centered on an e-mail reply, but it should be clear<br />
that a similar approach also works when writ<strong>in</strong>g an e-mail message from scratch.<br />
The process-centric approach to e-mail can significantly mitigate the impact of this<br />
technology on your time and attention. There are two reasons <strong>for</strong> this effect. First, it<br />
reduces the number of e-mails <strong>in</strong> your <strong>in</strong>box—sometimes significantly (someth<strong>in</strong>g as<br />
simple as schedul<strong>in</strong>g a coffee meet<strong>in</strong>g can easily spiral <strong>in</strong>to half a dozen or more<br />
messages over a period of many days, if you’re not careful about your replies). This,<br />
<strong>in</strong> turn, reduces the time you spend <strong>in</strong> your <strong>in</strong>box and reduces the bra<strong>in</strong>power you must<br />
expend when you do.<br />
Second, to steal term<strong>in</strong>ology from David Allen, a good process-centric message