Cheatsheet: Deep Work: Build Focus in a World Full of Distractions
A lookup card for the whole course. Skim the tables, run the experiments, keep the journal.
1.1 Sustained Attention and Attention Residue
Sustained attention: the capacity to hold focus on one task, and to return to it after a slip, for a chosen length of time. It is a trainable skill, not a fixed trait.
Attention residue: the leftover mental load of Task A that slows and degrades your performance on Task B. Residue grows when you switch before a task reaches a clean stopping point.
| Concept | What it means | What reduces it |
|---|---|---|
| Task switch | Moving from Task A to Task B | Batch the switch, finish a small unit first |
| Attention residue | Task A still "running in the background" | Clean stopping point + written next step |
| Context switch cost | Time to reload Task B's mental state | Fewer switches per day, time blocks |
| Open loop | Unfinished task nagging your attention | Capture it in a list, then return |
Switch-cost decision table:
| Situation | Switch now? | Better move |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-task, idea or message arrives | No | Capture it, finish the unit |
| Task is stalled and you are stuck | Yes, brief | Write the blocker, take a 2 min reset |
| Task is nearly done (one clear unit left) | No | Finish the unit first |
| Urgent real emergency | Yes | Log where you stopped, resume in a block |
Tip: The cheapest residue killer is a clean stopping point: one sentence of "where I am, what's next" before you walk away.
Practice:
- Identify your top 3 switch triggers this week (apps, people, thoughts).
- Count switches in one 90 minute window. Note the time and trigger of each.
1.2 Designing a Distraction-Resistant Environment
Reduce switches before willpower is needed. Design the setup, not the mood.
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