Hello Reader,

A few weeks ago, I blocked off a Saturday to work on some core updates to the Re:Mind deck. No meetings. No email. Just headphones and focus. And I got more done in four hours than I had in the previous four days.

That’s the power of Deep Work—extended periods of distraction-free focus where real progress gets made.

Deep Work creates the conditions for clarity, flow, and original thinking. When we protect our attention, we recover our best ideas.

I’ve loaded 100 of the most powerful mental models into Re:Mind, a pocket-sized toolkit for better thinking. We successfully wrapped up our Kickstarter campaign with $8.5K in pledges, and both stretch goals were met. If you missed the campaign, late pledges are still open.​

Why Use It

We live in a world designed to fracture your focus. Deep Work gives you back your edge.

Here’s what it makes possible:

• Solve harder problems with fewer hours
• Create meaningful work
• Build a skill moat that shallow work can’t replicate

When to Use It

Deep Work is essential when the task demands your attention:

• Strategy planning: Map long-range priorities or complex product architecture.
• Writing & design: Create from scratch without interruption.
• Skill-building: Learn something new that challenges your limits.

How to Use It

In The Queen’s Gambit, Beth Harmon spends night after night in silent, focused study—memorizing moves, replaying games, solving puzzles in her head. Her progress builds through long stretches of deliberate, undistracted practice. That’s deep work. The breakthroughs are born in those quiet hours of focused effort.

Here’s how to build a Deep Work ritual—and train the habits that sustain it:

1. Work Deeply – Schedule distraction-free sessions (60–120 min). Treat them like sacred meetings.
2. Embrace Boredom – Resist impulse distractions. Let quiet moments build your focus muscle.
3. Quit Social Media / Audit Tools – Only use tools that support your goals; eliminate those that fracture attention.
4. Drain the Shallows – Batch low-value tasks (such as email and meetings) outside your deep sessions.

Choose Your Scheduling Philosophy Pick the approach that makes Deep Work sustainable:

• Monastic – Dedicate entire days to uninterrupted deep focus.
• Bimodal – Split time between deep-focus days and shallow-work days.
• Rhythmic – Build consistent daily time blocks so focus becomes a habit.
• Journalistic – Slot deep work into available pockets throughout the day.

Next Steps

Look at your calendar. Where could 90 minutes of uninterrupted work change your week? Pick one task. Protect the time. Go deep.

Where It Came From

Popularized by Cal Newport in his book Deep Work, the model draws on cognitive science to demonstrate that focus is a skill that strengthens with practice. And in an age of distraction, it’s a competitive advantage.

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Until next time, keep exploring and questioning. Your unique perspective is your greatest asset.

Think Independently, JC

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