Deep work
Etymology
A term coined by computer scientist Cal Newport in his 2016 book "Deep Work," from plain English words. He contrasted it with "shallow work" — the reactive, logistical busywork of email and meetings.
noun phrase · /DEEP wurk/
Focused, undistracted work on a cognitively demanding task, performed without interruption.
What it names
The rare state of concentration where real intellectual work gets done — and the discipline of protecting it.
Example
She blocks off her mornings for deep work, phone in another room, before the day’s messages begin.
Related idea
Flow is the psychological experience of absorption in a task; deep work is the deliberate practice you schedule to make that state possible.