How I Boosted Deep Work to 60% and Achieved More in Less Time—Here’s My Playbook
10x your output as a software engineer.
You don’t feel satisfied at the end of the workday.
Back in 2022, I was no different. I was working at my third job as a software engineer, juggling meetings, fixing bugs, writing documentation, and reviewing code like a productivity machine. But something didn’t sit right.
Every evening, I’d close my laptop and stare at my to-do list, feeling like I’d run a marathon in place. I was busy—but I wasn’t making real progress. The big projects, the ones that excited me when I joined the company, were always on tomorrow’s to-do list.
And let’s be honest: I was burned out.
Days filled with Slack pings and back-to-back meetings left me with no energy for the work I actually cared about.
Then I stumbled on a concept that changed everything: deep vs shallow work.
The Breakthrough That Transformed My Career
The idea is simple: Not all work is created equal.
Deep Work: The Game-Changer
Deep work is the time you spend solving hard problems, learning new skills, or creating something impactful.
This is the kind of work that challenges you—like designing a new system or writing complex code. It’s like hitting the gym for your brain: demanding but rewarding.
And, just like a good workout, it requires focus and dedication.
Shallow Work: The Productivity Killer
Shallow work, on the other hand, is what fills your day but doesn’t fill your cup.
Think endless emails, status meetings, or tweaking PowerPoint slides. These tasks often feel urgent but rarely move the needle on your long-term goals.
Back then, I spent way more time in shallow work than I realized.
And it was holding me back.
My Deep vs Shallow Wake-Up Call
I tried tracking my time for two weeks.
Let me tell you—it was a humbling experience. Apparently, I was a professional email checker with a side hustle in actual engineering.
The verdict?
Over 75% of my day was spent on shallow work.
No wonder I felt stuck.
But it wasn’t just the lack of progress that bothered me. It was the constant context-switching: jumping from emails to meetings to coding, all while my brain screamed for a break. By the end of the day, I was mentally drained and still had to log back on to finish the “real” work—sound familiar?
So, I made one big change: I flipped my deep-to-shallow work ratio.
How I Increased My Deep Work Time
Here’s exactly what I did to reclaim my focus and finally feel productive:
Batch Shallow Tasks
Instead of checking Slack and email every 10 minutes (guilty), I set two 30-minute windows each day for these tasks. At first, it felt weird to ignore notifications, but soon I realized how freeing it was to stay in the zone.Guard My Calendar
Every morning from 9 to noon became my sacred deep work time. I even changed my Slack status to ‘Focus Mode’ with an emoji of a zen monk. Was it a little extra? Sure. But it worked.Decline More Meetings
If a meeting didn’t have a clear agenda or require my input, I didn’t attend. I even suggested async updates when possible. Fun fact: Most people don’t mind skipping unnecessary meetings either.
These small shifts added up fast.
The Results: Less Stress, More Impact
Within three months, my deep work time jumped from 25% to 60%.
The difference? Night and day. I started delivering features ahead of schedule, while everyone else was scrambling to keep up. And it wasn’t just my work that improved—my life did too.
For the first time in years, I had the energy to exercise consistently, spend more quality time with family (no phone at the dinner table), and even work on my side projects.
No more late nights trying to catch up.
No more burnout.
Just solid progress on what mattered most.
Why Your Ratio Matters
Every software engineer should aim for at least a 50:50 deep-to-shallow work ratio. But the magic really happens when you push closer to 70:30 or even 80:20.
Why?
Because deep work is where growth happens.
It’s what gets you noticed.
It’s what builds your skills.
And it’s what creates career-defining opportunities.
Shallow work keeps the lights on. Deep work builds your future.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re thinking, “Okay, but where do I even begin?” don’t worry—I’ve got you.
Here’s a quick-start guide to improving your deep-to-shallow ratio:
Track Your Time: Use a simple tool like Toggl or a notebook to log your day. Where’s your time going?
Schedule Deep Work: Block off a few hours for focused work this week. Protect this time like your life depends on it—because your career does.
Say No to Noise: Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails (yes, including this newsletter if it’s not valuable for you). Mute Slack channels that aren’t critical.
Batch Admin Tasks: Group shallow tasks into specific blocks to minimize context-switching.
Set Specific Goals: Define what success looks like for each deep work session. Clear goals = more focus.
🎁 Bonus: Your Free Deep Work Playbook
Want a cheat sheet with all 13 strategies I used?
I’ve put together a downloadable Deep Work Playbook you can print and keep on your desk.
It’s free for subscribers and packed with actionable tips to help you reclaim your time.
The world rewards people who spend time creating—not just managing.
So here’s my question:
What’s one thing you’ll stop doing this week to make room for deep work?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Stay deep!
—Alberto
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The deep work guru Cal Newport, who also coined the term, has a podcast called Deep Questions - I listen to it to get motivation and as a reminder on the importance of deep work. He also has written books on the subject.
I often prefer meetings to Slack for this reason. I've seen a discussion that could have been a 30 minute meeting turn into an 8 hour Slack discussion. It killed the whole day for an entire team.