Building a Deep Focus Habit: My System for Staying on Track

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A couple of years ago, I read Deep Work by Cal Newport. I remember really enjoying it, but like a lot of books I’ve read, I didn’t actually put much of it into practice. Recently, though, that’s changed. Now that I’m studying again to switch careers and re-skill myself, I’ve been actively trying to implement more of these ideas into my daily routine.


On top of that, I watched Ali Abdaal’s YouTube video, 6 Habits to Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet, where he talks about timing focused work sessions and tracking them. Between these two influences, I’ve built a new system to keep myself accountable, stay motivated, and—because I’m training to become a data analyst—have fun looking back on the data I collect. It’s been both eye-opening and humbling to see exactly how much—or how little—I’ve actually been working.

Why I Call It Deep Focus

Cal Newport calls it Deep Work, but I’ve decided to refer to it as Deep Focus. The reason for this is that I don’t just track work-related activities. I want to include other activities that benefit from distraction-free time, like working out, learning languages, and even hobbies like knitting. Just because something isn’t considered "work" doesn’t mean it’s not a valuable use of time. Being more intentional with my time—whether it’s for career growth or personal enrichment—helps me avoid wasting it on mindless distractions.


How I Approach Deep Focus Time

When I set aside time for deep focus, I do a few key things to make sure I actually stay in the zone:


  • No distractions. My phone is out of reach, notifications are off, and I clear my workspace so there’s nothing tempting me away from the task at hand.

  • Timers, not clocks. Instead of constantly checking how much longer I have left, I set a timer and commit to working until it goes off. It removes the mental load of wondering when to stop and helps me fully immerse myself.

  • Minimising context switches. Jumping between tasks is a productivity killer. I try to avoid unnecessary switches and stay focused on one thing at a time.


Breaks That Actually Feel Like Breaks

I usually take a 10-minute break every hour, but I’ve learned that how I take breaks makes a big difference in how well I can get back into deep focus afterward. I try to:


  • Listen to what my body needs—whether that’s food, water, or a quick stretch.

  • Give my eyes a break by looking outside at distant objects instead of staying glued to a screen.

  • Avoid mentally demanding activities—scrolling social media or reading articles can make it harder to jump back into focus mode later. Instead, I try to have a simple refresh like putting on some music and making a cup tea.


Logging My Deep Focus Time

Because I'm interested in data, I’ve been tracking my deep focus sessions in a spreadsheet. I’ve made a list of activities I want to track, including:


  • Studying data analytics

  • Working out and running

  • Learning new languages

  • Knitting

  • Writing this blog

  • And a few other personal projects


Each session gets logged, and over time, I can see patterns—how many hours I focus each day, how my habits change week to week, and (eventually) how much deep focus time I’ll have accumulated by the end of the year.


But more than just collecting numbers, I’m really curious to reflect on whether that time has been well spent. Will I feel like I’ve made real progress? Will certain activities stand out as the most valuable? I guess I’ll find out—but for now, I’m enjoying the process of tracking, improving, and being more mindful of where my time goes.

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