Deep Work

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

By: Cal Newport

Narrated by: Jeff Bottoms

Millions of copies sold!

The bestselling modern classic that sparked a worldwide conversation about the value of concentration—and the true costs of fractured attention.

“I’m handing you the answer to the overwhelm you feel, and his name is Dr. Cal Newport.” —Mel Robbins, The Mel Robbins Podcast, author of New York Times bestsellingThe Let Them Theory

Deep Work— the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks—is one of the most important abilities you can cultivate in our current moment. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce quality results in less time.

And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep—spending their days in a frantic blur of emails, online meetings, social media, and AI slop, not realizing there’s a better way.

In Deep Work, bestselling author and professor Cal Newport makes the case for reclaiming focus as a critical skill in our digital world, providing step-by step instructions for achieving this goal, including four rules for transforming your daily habits:

1. Work Deeply
2. Embrace Boredom
3. Quit Social Media
4. Drain the Shallows

A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work offers a vitally important message: in our age of constant distraction, focus is a superpower. With inspiring examples and clear rules, Deep Work will teach you to introduce this ability in your own life.

“As a presence on the page, Newport is exceptional in the realm of self-help authors … Six ­pages in, I powered down my laptop. Twenty pages in, I left the house to buy an alarm clock so that I wouldn’t have an excuse to sleep next to my phone.”—Molly Young, The New York Times

“One of the few books I would call life-changing.” —Tim Maurer, Forbes

“I’ve read lots of books about productivity and lots of books about distraction. For me, Deep Work is among the best, on both counts.” —Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker

“[Deep Work] has changed how I live my life. Particularly, it’s led me to stop scheduling morning meetings, and to preserve that time for more sustained, creative work.” —Ezra Klein, The Ezra Klein Show

Critic reviews

"As a presence on the page, Newport is exceptional in the realm of self-help authors."—New York Times Book Review

"DEEP WORK accomplishes two considerable tasks: One is putting out a wealth of concrete practices for the ambitious, without relying on gauzy clichés. The second is that Mr. Newport resists the corporate groupthink of constant connectivity without seeming like a curmudgeon."—Wall Street Journal

"As automation and outsourcing reshape the workplace, what new skill do we need? The ability to do deep work. Cal Newport's exciting new book is an introduction and guide to the kind of intense concentration in a distraction-free environment that results in fast, powerful learning and performance. Think of it as calisthenics for your mind-and start your exercise program today."—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and When

"DEEP WORK makes a compelling case for cultivating intense focus, and offers immediately actionable steps for infusing more of it into our lives."—Adam M. Grant, author of Originals and Think Again

"Cal Newport is a clear voice in a sea of noise, bringing science and passion in equal measure. We don't need more clicks, more cats, and more emojis. We need brave work, work that happens when we refuse to avert our eyes."—Seth Godin, author of This is Marketing and The Practice

"Cal Newport offers the most well-informed and astute collection of practical advice I have seen for reclaiming one's mental powers."—Matthew B. Crawford, author of The World Beyond Your Head and Why We Drive

"Just when you think you already know this stuff, DEEP WORK hits you with surprisingly unique and useful insights. Rule #3 alone, with its discussion of the 'Any-Benefit' mind-set, is worth the price of this book."—Derek Sivers, founder, Sivers.org

"Here lies a playbook for professionals of all stripes to achieve true differentiation in a crowded talent marketplace. Cal Newport's latest shows why he is one of the most provocative thinkers on the future of work."—Ben Casnocha, co-author of The Start-Up Of You

"Deep work is the killer app of the knowledge economy: it is only by concentrating intensely that you can master a difficult discipline or solve a demanding problem."—The Economist

"This is a deep, not shallow, book which can enrich your life."—The Globe and Mail

I quit Facebook after reading... And I love it!

Cal Newport writes a wonderful argument for doing the things that really matter in your life. He wrestles with those that disagree in a way that is very compelling. I am making life changes because of this book. Hopefully it will make me wealthier, healthier, and happier. Perhaps more important: more fulfilled, which I see as different from happiness. Enjoy the book.

Reality and Cost of Social Flow,

The reality that shallow work pressures distract us from deep work has a significant impact on many people and organizations. Coming from the technology world where Agile development, open office, social collaboration is the trend, we need to be conscious of the impact this shallow work has on the deep work required to build strong foundations. The key to success will be finding the right balance.

Satisfyingly informational.

Too many people listen to self help books and expect to hear some revolutionary method to instantly become a billionaire. Cal Newport did a fantastic job in this book to provide truly actionable options to improve your productivity. I'm glad to have listened to this book.

Great

Great foundations for a more focused, disciplined, and meaningfully-contributing life. I listened on 1.5x speed.

An essential resource for career success.

this is an amazing resource for charting a path that leads to long term sustainable career success. The author author does an excellent job of giving you the reasons why and the steps to take to make that path a little bit easier.

Extreme steps

This advice would be difficult for most people in business to follow. Turn off cellphone.

great book!

This book will change the way you view your time... and what got ar capable of in your lifetime.

Insightful and practical

I took away practical steps to improve my working habits and minimize my addiction to distraction. Definitely recommend!

Carefully crafted set of tools

It was eye opener for me and my work.
It helped me to understand the things that matters at work, and provided me with tools to build my own thing from the big picture.
Starts explaining the reasoning and the advantages behind the idea of deep work, then it goes through different approaches and well known cases, and finally tells you how to find your own thing.
I couldn't hear another book until I finished it.
A well spent credit.

Great read and really insightful!

Cal Newport is a really good writer, and I picked this book after reading so good they can't ignore you. This was a really useful and insightful book and I'm glad I read it. It took me a while to read it because I started using suggestions from the book lol. It works! Definitely worth reading!