Before discussing the question of "how to enter a state of work and study," let's first understand the nature of work in modern society. Broadly speaking, it consists of two main categories: mental work (knowledge work, skill work) and physical work. Of course, the distinction between physical and mental work is only based on the proportion of each in the work outcome, and does not mean that they are mutually exclusive. All work requires a dual investment of mental and physical effort.
With the development of society, a framework of "human-machine-information" has been formed. In the long term, the social attributes have transitioned from the agricultural era to the industrial era to the information era. Similarly, work positions have transitioned from manual labor to mechanization to digitalization. More and more fields will achieve informatization with the development of technology. Operational mental work and physical work will gradually be replaced by machines that are more cost-effective and have more controllable output. As an ordinary person, future development increasingly relies on mental work. Mental work cannot be measured by working hours, but rather by our level of investment and the results we produce. Therefore, we will mainly discuss how mental workers can enter a state of work.
Deep Work/Learning#
First, let's understand the concept of deep work, which refers to a state in which we can fully immerse ourselves in the exploration and execution of work and produce results.
Since entering a state of deep work can lead to good work output, why do many of us struggle to achieve this state? It may be necessary to explore what is hindering us. I will mainly analyze the reasons for hindering us from entering a state of work from three aspects: external environment, personal factors, and life habits. I will also provide relevant solutions (for reference).
Environment#
We live in an environment, which refers to the combination of nature and society. Therefore, our ideas and behaviors are influenced by the environment. A major reason why we struggle to focus on work and learning is often due to the environment.
- The environment is too noisy to enter a state of focus.
For mental work, the environment is an important factor. If the external environment is always noisy, we will not be able to concentrate on our work. What we can do is find a quiet environment. If it's noisy at home, we can go to the library, find a quiet bookstore, or a café, etc. When in a quiet environment, we will find it easier to concentrate.
- Being constantly interrupted after entering a state of focus.
Sometimes, it is more frustrating to be constantly interrupted by various things while in a state of work and learning than not being able to enter that state at all. It could be family members asking us to do things or colleagues at work giving us tasks to prioritize...
In such situations, what we can do is establish barriers to prevent interruptions before starting work. Set a specific time period for focused work and handle other tasks during other times. For example, during work hours, inform colleagues that you will be focused on a specific task during a certain time period, and they can contact you later for other matters (except for emergencies).
Personal Factors#
As mentioned earlier, the environment affects our ability to enter a state of work. So, some may ask, "Why can't I enter a state of work even in a quiet environment?" This is due to personal factors, which are the most important factor since we are the initiators and responsible parties for our own actions.
In my opinion, there are two main reasons why we struggle to enter a state of work at the personal level:
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Lack of strong motivation.
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Lack of attention.
Motivation#
If we do not have a strong desire to work or study, it will be difficult for us to enter a state of work and learning. Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate our desire for work and learning. I believe we can explore this through the following two methods.
- Exposure and experimentation.
In many cases, our inability to enter a state of work may be because we do not like the particular job. This dislike can be due to two possibilities: not liking the job position or not yet discovering the reasons to like the job.
If we simply do not like the job position, we can explore and expose ourselves to other positions. If, after gaining basic information, we are still interested in the position, we can try it out. Through continuous exposure and experimentation, we will eventually find a job that we like, and the same goes for learning.
If we have not discovered the reasons to like a particular job, we can learn from industry professionals and understand how they have invested and achieved success in that position. We can learn valuable lessons from outstanding predecessors.
- Creating motivation mechanisms.
Sometimes, it is not that we dislike a job, but rather we struggle to convince ourselves to start working. We procrastinate and waste time. This situation can be solved by establishing a motivation mechanism for ourselves. We can reward ourselves after completing a task. This way, we can build confidence and desire for work during the process. It is important to set a reasonable reward cycle (e.g., weekly) and avoid setting rewards as consumptive behaviors.
Attention#
Sometimes, even when we are working in a quiet environment, we may find that our productivity is low at the end of the day. This is often due to a lack of attention during work. Let's explore the situation of attention.
Attention is limited and needs training.#
Like any other skill, attention is not naturally fixed. It needs to be trained continuously. We can use certain tools and methods to train our attention. With enhanced attention, we can achieve better results in other tasks. Here are some methods I use to train my attention:
- Set time to focus on one task for a certain period.
If we have a long-term task, we can set a specific amount of time to work on it each day. It is best to set a fixed time period for work each day. When that time comes, we can start working. By doing this consistently, we develop the ability to focus on the task.
For longer tasks, such as writing three articles in a day, we can break it down into time intervals. For example, work for 30 minutes and take a 5-minute break. This way, we can allow our attention to recover during the breaks. This method helps maintain sustained attention over a long period.
- Focus on one task at a time and avoid frequent switching.
Starting a task and focusing on it requires overcoming difficulties and consuming a lot of energy. Switching from one task to another consumes a significant amount of energy to shift our attention. Although we may have started the next task, our attention may not be fully engaged yet. To avoid this inefficiency, we can focus on one task at a time and move on to the next task only after completing the current one. For example, we can fully immerse ourselves in reading a book before moving on to the next one.
Online applications deprive us of attention.#
In addition to focusing on current work and learning to train our attention, we also need to be cautious of the damage caused by modern "online life" to our attention.
Our attention is already limited, but various online devices and applications, under the guise of being "free," try to occupy our attention. Short videos, live streaming, social media apps... these applications are constantly competing for our attention in the name of free services. Once we direct our attention to one of them, they will use it to earn more money. Meanwhile, we lose control over our attention and gradually lose control over ourselves.
One major characteristic of online applications is that they present us with the most eye-catching content. In this fast-paced environment, what are we gradually losing?
The ability to think deeply.
The ability to appreciate beauty.
The ability to explore and discover.
The ability to wait...
We will lose control over our attention. We will no longer understand the power of restraint and patience. This is dangerous. For those who provide these applications, we are just a source of data. But for ourselves, this is our real life. To prevent the situation from worsening, here is what I do:
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Set a fixed time for using online applications each day (not to avoid using them, but to control ourselves). Allocate the remaining time to work and life. It's also nice to meet up with long-lost friends!
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Set goals for ourselves and execute them every day. Through continuous execution, we develop habits, and our level of attention gradually increases.
Life Habits#
Why do we find it difficult to enter a state of work and learning and prefer to do other things to pass the time? It's because engaging in work and learning requires the use of our brains, which consume a lot of energy. Although we live in the 21st century, the genes that control all our behaviors are no different from those of humans thousands of years ago. They try to minimize energy consumption to ensure survival, and one major measure is to prevent us from using our brains.
Once we understand this principle, we have already solved half of our problem. The remaining question is what measures we can take to make our brains willing to consume energy. I believe timely motivation and envisioning the future are great methods.
- Timely motivation
Establishing a mechanism for timely motivation has been mentioned earlier and will not be repeated here.
- Envisioning the future
We often work hard for the present and worry about the future. Before starting a task, if we imagine the results we will achieve after completing it, our brains will be more willing to work and invest themselves. Just like how we may find it difficult to memorize vocabulary every day, but if we think about studying abroad in Europe in the future, our brains will be more willing to cooperate.
As management expert Peter Drucker said in "The Effective Executive," self-management is a topic that knowledge workers need to address. Entering a state of work and learning is the beginning of self-management.
Reading List
Books:
"Corn People"
"The Effective To-Do List Method"
"Creating Time"
"The Art of Thinking"
"The Logic of Work"
"User Thinking+"
"Impromptu Speaking"
"Full Brain Speaking"
"You Sound Great"
"Captivating Audience Attention"
"Speaking with Facts"
"Revelation"
"White Paper on the Development of Blockchain Technology and Applications in the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology"
"Deep Work"
"After the Google Era"
Courses:
"Xu Yuan Investment Course"
"Becoming a Self-Learning Master"
"Fandeng - 14-Day Leadership Training Camp (Enterprise Edition)"
"Chaos University - 15 Lectures on Leadership for Future Success"
Movies:
"The Godfather"
"Whiplash"
"Life is Beautiful"
"The River Runner"
"The King's Speech"
Documentaries:
"The River Runner"
"Love Letters of the Earth"