The reason so many of us struggle to make meaningful progress on our goals is because we’re always in a state of shallow work due to constant distractions.

Our attention is constantly fragmented by interruptions, multitasking, and reactive work habits, which leads to inefficiencies, and ultimately longer work hours. So, today we’re going to focus on how creating an environment that minimises these distractions and fosters deep, uninterrupted work can lead to accomplishing more in less time, making working less a realistic goal.

When we divide our days into blocks of different levels of focus and quiet, we can achieve greater output in less time. Not only that—deep, uninterrupted work allows for better concentration and creativity—meaning your work is more thought out and refined, leading to higher quality results (and let’s face it, who wouldn’t want that!) Without deep focus however, it takes longer to complete tasks, forcing you to work more hours. This means lower output and higher mental fatigue over the long run.

Typically we turn to time management apps and techniques (like to-do lists or time blocking) to organise our day. While these tools are a must, and help us plan tasks, they don’t directly address the underlying issues of distraction and focus. Without minimising interruptions, these techniques just become another layer of busywork (the antithesis of working less).

So, if you really want to take control, work less, and eliminate distractions for good. You need to create an environment optimised for deep, uninterrupted focus. And here’s how to do it:

How To Prioritise Deep Work In 3 Steps

Step 1: Design Your Work Environment for Focus

The first step is to optimise your physical space—and this can be done in a few ways.

Start by eliminating digital distractions. Use tools like “Do Not Disturb” mode, or leave your phone in another room. Shut down your emails, slack, socials, and web browsers—remove anything that can steal your focus.

Next, create a dedicated, tidy workspace that signals to your brain it’s time for focus. And complement this with some noise-cancelling headphones to minimise outside noise. Ensure you’re not listening to music with lyrics as this makes it harder to concentrate (I find binaural beats are the best for my deep work sessions.)

Finally, set clear boundaries to limit interruptions during your focused work hours. Visual signals are best for this (e.g., a closed door, “focus time” sign) to communicate when you’re unavailable.

Step 2: Batch Your Tasks

Schedule specific blocks of time in your day reserved exclusively for deep work, and ensure they’re aligned with your energy map.

These blocks should be used for your most important, high-value tasks. As you build this habit, you’ll be blown away by what you can achieve in just a few hours a day. On the other end of the spectrum, group smaller less demanding tasks (email, admin work) into your designated low-energy periods, so they don’t interfere with your deep work time. This habit creates a clear distinction between the work that drives genuine value, and the work that doesn’t.

And if you want to dive deeper into redesigning your work day, I wrote about it in-depth here.

Step 3: Master the Art of Single-Tasking

Finally, monotask on one high-value task during your deep work block.

When you focus entirely on one high-value task without switching between activities, you minimise cognitive load which enhances the quality and speed of your work. It can also help to set clear end goals for your deep work blocks. When you start each session with a specific, actionable goal (e.g., complete one visual identity, draft two sections of a brand strategy). You give yourself direction and an idea of what progress looks like. Preventing time being spent on less important details.

This monotasking technique helps train your brain to resist distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.

In Conclusion

Ultimately, mastering focus and deep work is one the most effective ways to cut down on work hours—and boost the quality of what you do.

The best bit is, it’s not about cramming more into your day, but about doing the right things in an environment that supports deep concentration. So, if you’re serious about working less, give one or all of these techniques a go, and see how they improve your focus and output.

And next week, we’ll take a look at embracing rest and recovery by using the time you’ve saved redesigning your workday, and prioritising deep work, to help you maintain long-term productivity while working less.

See you then!

Josh