Before discussing the question of "how to enter a work and study state," let's first understand the nature of work in modern society. Broadly speaking, it consists of two main categories: mental work (knowledge work, skilled work) and physical work. However, 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 both mental and physical input.
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 age to the industrial age to the information age. Similarly, work positions have transitioned from manual labor to mechanization to digitization. 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 produce more controllable outputs. 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 work state.
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 work state 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 a crucial 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, such as going to the library, a quiet bookstore, or a café. When in a quiet environment, we will find it easier to concentrate.
- Being constantly interrupted after entering a state of focus.
Sometimes, what is more frustrating than not being able to enter a state of focus is being constantly interrupted by various tasks. It could be family members asking us to do things or colleagues giving us work that needs to be prioritized.
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 focusing 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 work state. So, some may ask, "Why can't I enter a work state even in a quiet environment?" This is due to personal factors, which are the most important factor because 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 work state 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 for work or learning, it will be difficult for us to enter a work and study state. 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, the reason we struggle to enter a work state is that we do not enjoy the work. This lack of enjoyment can be due to two possibilities: not liking the specific job position or not yet discovering the reasons to enjoy the work.
If we simply do not like the job position, we can explore and expose ourselves to other positions. After obtaining basic information, if we are still interested in the position, we can try it out. Through continuous exposure and experimentation, we will discover what we truly enjoy, both in work and learning.
If we have not yet discovered the reasons to enjoy a particular job position, we can learn from industry professionals and understand how they have dedicated themselves to the position and achieved success. We can learn valuable lessons from these outstanding predecessors.
- Creating motivation mechanisms.
Sometimes, the issue is not that we dislike a job position, but rather that we struggle to convince ourselves to start working. We may procrastinate and waste time. This situation can be resolved 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., on a weekly basis) and avoid setting rewards that involve excessive consumption.
Attention#
Sometimes, even when we are working or studying in a quiet environment, we may find at the end of the day that our output is low. 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 inherently fixed. It requires continuous training. 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 a specific time to focus on one task.
For long-term tasks, we can set a specific amount of time each day to work on them. It is best to establish a fixed time period for work each day. When the designated time comes, we can start working. By doing this consistently, we will develop the ability to focus on the task at hand.
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 of time.
- 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. The process of 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 in it. To avoid this inefficiency, we should 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 the present task to train our attention, we also need to be aware 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 capture our attention. Short videos, live streaming, social media apps, and numerous other applications aim to occupy our attention. Once we direct our attention to a particular app, they will use it to generate more revenue. As a result, we gradually lose control over our attention and the ability to exercise restraint and patience. This is dangerous. For the companies providing these apps, we are merely a source of data. But for ourselves, this is our actual life. To prevent the situation from worsening, I suggest the following:
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Set a fixed time each day for using online applications (not to avoid using them, but to control ourselves). Allocate the remaining time to work and personal life. It's also nice to meet up with long-lost friends!
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Set goals for ourselves and execute them daily. Through consistent execution, we can develop habits, and our level of attention will gradually increase.
Life Habits#
Why do we find it difficult to enter a work and study state and prefer to do other things to pass the time? It is because engaging in work and learning requires the use of our brains, which consumes a significant amount of energy. Although we live in the 21st century, the genes that control our behavior are no different from those of humans thousands of years ago. They try to minimize energy consumption to ensure survival, and one of the measures 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 future goals 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 in 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. For example, we may find it difficult to study vocabulary every day, but if we think about studying abroad in Europe in the future, our brains will be more motivated.
As management guru 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 Winning the Future"
Movies:
"The Godfather"
"Whiplash"
"Life is Beautiful"
"Planet Earth - Seasons 1 and 2"
"The King's Speech"
Documentaries:
"The River Runner"
"Dear Earth"