Many academics find themselves caught in a paradox: despite working longer hours and feeling constantly busy, their most important work – the kind that advances their careers – remains untouched. This disconnect occurs because we’re increasingly pulled into what Cal Newport calls “shallow work:

Shallow work is non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. It is busy work that may be urgent but not important, or important but not urgent.

Cal Newport (2016)

Email responses, administrative tasks, routine meetings – these activities may keep us employed, but they rarely lead to promotion or meaningful career advancement. Yet they consume an ever-growing portion of our working hours, leaving little time for the deep, focused work that actually moves our careers forward.

In contrast:

Deep work includes professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.

Cal Newport (2016)

Why this matters

The ability to engage in deep work is becoming increasingly rare in academia, even as it becomes more valuable. When you’re constantly switching between shallow tasks, you’re not just busy; you’re actively undermining your capacity for the kind of meaningful scholarship that builds your academic reputation.

What’s more concerning is that many academics have begun to accept this state of constant interruption as normal. We’ve convinced ourselves that responding quickly to emails and being available for impromptu meetings makes us “good colleagues.” But this mindset comes at a steep cost – the gradual erosion of our ability to engage in the type of sustained, focused work that leads to breakthrough research and influential publications.

Breaking free from the shallow work trap

Here are some practical strategies to reclaim your capacity for deep work:

• Audit your time for one week, categorising each activity as either deep or shallow work
• Block out 2-3 hours early in your day specifically for deep work, before shallow tasks take over
• Create a “shallow work budget” – limit these tasks to specific time blocks
• Practice saying no to non-essential shallow work that doesn’t align with your core academic goals
• Batch your teaching prep and marking into dedicated days rather than spreading it throughout the week; this creates clearer boundaries between your teaching responsibilities and research time
• Use conference trips strategically – block out the day before or after presenting to work on your research in a new environment, away from campus-based shallow work demands

Remember, shallow work is what keeps you employed, but deep work is what gets you promoted. The key isn’t to eliminate shallow work entirely – that’s usually impossible – but to contain it so it doesn’t consume your entire academic life.

By intentionally creating space for deep work, you’re not just being more productive; you’re aligning with the principle of sustainable productivity – making meaningful progress on high-value projects while maintaining your well-being and sense of purpose.