Have you ever seen an entrepreneur post a screenshot of their packed-full calendar, booked end-to-end with meetings, appointments, and tasks…

…and bragging about it?

For some people, this is just the way they operate.

But it’s not for me.

I don’t know about you, but to me having a packed calendar isn’t a flex. It’s a misalignment of priorities.

And it can be detrimental to your business.

Here’s what my calendar looks like on a typical week:

I leave tons of time open every morning for deep work.

I spend a lot of time doing high-leverage creative work.

And I get more done in 3 hours than most do in an entire work day.

The Myth of “Productivity”

Productivity isn’t just getting more done than other people.

Unfortunately a lot of people think that’s the case.

That’s why they fill up their entire calendar with tasks and to-dos, trying to fill every moment with more work.

Because, the more hours of the day you work, the faster you’ll make progress, and you’ll stay ahead of everybody else who doesn’t work as many hours. Right?

But this isn’t true productivity.

True productivity measures output per unit of input.

Therefore, less input + more output = higher productivity.

So being more productive isn’t about doing more work.

It’s actually about doing less work, but doing higher-leverage work.

So that one unit of work produces a higher output or result.

3 Hours of Deep Work a Day

Want to see huge productivity? Focus on doing 3 hours of deep work every day.

It’s been proven that humans are more productive when they get into a deep flow state for a few hours a day than if they spend 8 hours being distracted.

When you do it right, you’ll be more productive in 3 hours than most are in 8.

Which means you just bought back time for things that are the most important:

• Hobbies
• Creativity
• Family time
• Self-development
• Clarity on your goals

This practice has completely revolutionized my life.

I’m more present, more fulfilled, happier, in the best shape of my life, in momentum, and moving the needle faster in my business.

So here’s my simple framework for being a master of deep productivity:

1. Clear your mornings

It’s been proven that it’s easier for humans to get into a deep flow state in the morning than at any other time of the day.

That’s because, right after waking up, your brain is already coming out of a natural flow state.

You’re better rested, your chemical levels are reset, and you’re ready to go.

Throughout the day, you get tired, energy levels drop, and will power gets lower.

So it’s crucial that you put your most important, highest-leverage activities first thing in the morning.

1. Move all your meetings to the afternoon. Meetings are huge energy vampire. Nothing will kick you out of flow faster.
2. Get rid of distractions. Put your phone in another room. Tell your team that you’re unavailable. Things can wait.
3. Start deep work immediately after waking up. Or after a quick workout. Take advantage of your natural rhythm to get your best work done.

2. Focus on high-leverage activities

Whatever you do, don’t spend your valuable deep work time doing monotonous tasks.

Instead you should be working on something demanding, creative, high-leverage, and highly valuable to your business. For example:

• Writing copy
• Creating content
• Building systems
• Business strategy
• Making connections
• or other high-leverage activities for your unique business

Every night before bed, set your one intention that you will focus on during your flow session.

Maybe two. But no more than that.

Here’s my nightly journaling routine that has maximized my productivity and fulfillment.

Everything else that’s trying to get your attention can be moved to the afternoon.

And if it gets to be too much, it’s a sign that you need to build better systems.

3. One step back, 10 giant leaps forward

At first, putting aside all your tasks and going deep into one thing will probably feel counterintuitive.

Like you’re having to slow down, and that doesn’t feel right.

If it feels like taking a step backwards… good. That means you’re doing it right.

The clarity, energy, and momentum you find will propel you 10 giant leaps forward.

Here’s a few reasons why:

1. You’re probably doing a ton of tasks that can actually just be deleted. Doing deep work will help you focus on the most important tasks and let go of the ones you don’t need to be doing.
2. Deep work gives you clarity to make higher quality decisions. Your decisions affect your destination. The key to a higher quality life is higher quality decisions.
3. You become a better protector of your time. When you only have limited time to get your most important task done, you get better at delegating and automating everything else. So you protect your time for only the most valuable things.

As an entrepreneur, your time is your most valuable resource.

Use this framework to get more done in less time so you can get that precious resource back.

Hope you enjoyed this letter.

If you have any questions, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask.

See you next week.