The Importance of Deep Work for Online Classes
We live in a world where distractions are the norm, and our attention is grasped for at every corner. We can enable settings on our devices that artificially limit our time spent on applications because we have become accustomed to spending unlimited time using them. Our smartphones send updates every week informing us that we’ve spent X number of hours in front of our devices; often, that number is laughably high.
At a foundational level, these changes in our habits and technology are concerning. Both Christians and non-Christians see technology's growing and inhibited use as something to be cautioned against.
As our technology use and dependence increases, our ability to complete seemingly simple tasks like reading a book, writing a paper, or analyzing a text of Scripture is made frustratingly difficult.
This problem is magnified when attempting to handle God’s word with care or struggling to read through a dense chapter of a concept that is brand new to you. And yet the warnings about technology use alone will not retool human beings to live lives that glorify God with their time and energy.
Since our brains are wired to rely upon technology and screens for our attention, a significant attempt must be made to combat this problem.
As seminary students, pastors, or hopeful academics, our brain’s ability to focus is an essential skill that must be trained. A violin player must practice mastering their violin just as an athlete must practice mastering their sport. The human brain needs the same type of practice to comprehend theological concepts or Greek paradigms.
For seminary students to thrive in their studies, the following formula from Cal Newport’s Deep Work is useful for completing work well:
High-Quality Work Produced = (Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus)
While Newport’s formula and work are geared toward the greater business world, the same core concept remains true for theological education: Since we are limited creatures, our amount of quality work time is necessarily restricted. Our focus and concentration must be trained properly to engage mentally stimulating content.
Below are two ways to create opportunities and an environment friendly for an enriching time of Deep Work.
Most smartphones feature some sort of ‘Do Not Disturb’ function that can help prevent unwanted notification distractions. These features usually come with an advanced setting to control the length of time and location for the ‘Do Not Disturb’ setting. Other options include batching application notifications to have them arrive at designated times. Utilize these features to help create an environment where healthy notification habits will not disrupt a regular reading or study time.
Find a place where you can study most intensely with the least distractions. This may be a quiet spot at your local library, church, or home office. If Newport’s formula is to be believed, the sheer amount of time that someone studies does not create high-quality work; high-quality work is completed by the intensity with which someone studies over time.
The key to Deep Work is finding a habit that works well for you and sticking with it. Some like to wake up at 4:30 am to work in solitude for a few hours before the distractions of their job creep in; others can work in a bustling coffee shop in the evening with ease. Be encouraged that finding a habit that works for you takes time; no one figures out their routine for healthy Deep Work right away.
Distractions are an unfortunate part of studying, but attempting to find a place where distractions are lessened to help increase one’s intensity is an essential part of Deep Work.
