What would you do if you had to spend an hour every morning doing deep work (preferably offline and without screens)? I’ve always admired those who devote their lives to a singular, analog activity because it feels like a superpower. “Commitment gives you freedom because it hones your attention and focus, directing them toward what makes you most healthy and happy”, Mark Manson once wrote. Commitment isn’t the problem for many people, but identifying the activity they want to commit to is. We know the goal is mastery, but it’s hard to achieve that if you don’t know what to master.
How can we identify something to dedicate our lives to? On that note, entrepreneur Derek Sivers invites us to do the following: “Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it.” I’m a fan of lists. When I’m in desperate need of some clarity, I use lists. “Lists bring order to the chaotic universe. I love making lists. Whenever I need to figure out my life, I make a list. A list gets all of your ideas out of your head and clears the mental space so you’re actually able to do something about them” Austin Kleon once wrote. Since we’re on the topic of mastery, I’ve always loved this question by Carl Jung: “What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes?”
Once you know what to do, you need to figure out how to do it. There are numerous books on productivity, but when in doubt, favor analog tools over everything else. “All the best, happiest, and most creatively productive times in my life have something in common: being disconnected. No internet. No TV. No phone. Long uninterrupted solitude.” Derek Sivers wrote in Hell Yeah or No. In Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon echoed the sentiment by writing: “It wasn’t until I started bringing analog tools back into my process that making things became fun again and my work started to improve.”
As difficult as it sounds, solitude doesn’t have to be painful. We all need time away from other people and from the constant noise of the modern world. With practice, you’ll enjoy spending time on your own and away from the barrage of distractions we’ve gotten used to. Similarly, the tactile feeling of analog tools is fun and engaging and your work will improve as a consequence.
Most people think creative work requires chaos, but the opposite is true. Creative work is all about routine. Here’s Austin Kleon once again, “A little imprisonment – if it’s of your own making – can set you free. Rather than restricting your freedom, a routine gives you freedom by protecting you from the ups and downs of life and helping you take advantage of your limited time, energy, and talent. A routine establishes good habits that can lead to your best work”. So once you find the activity in question, use analog tools, spend time alone, and define a routine that works for you.