As CrossFit affiliate owners, we pride ourselves on our work ethic. The intensity and ability to tackle difficult tasks are virtues ingrained in our community. But have you ever wondered if all this hard work is truly meaningful?
Hard work doesn't inherently produce satisfaction or meaningful results. Often, it becomes an escape—from our situation, insecurities, or doubts. This differs significantly from work that leads to creation, process, and fulfillment.
The root of this issue lies in two types of distraction:
We use hard work to avoid confronting what's truly meaningful in our lives.
The constant multitasking and low-priority tasks that fragment our attention and productivity.
In our post-Enlightenment world, we've tasked ourselves with identifying what's meaningful—a daunting exercise that can lead to nihilism. As philosophers Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Kelly note:
"The Enlightenment's metaphysical embrace of the autonomous individual leads not just to a boring life, it leads to an almost unlivable one".
To escape this existential burden, we often resort to mindless toiling. The busier we are, the less we contemplate our identity and purpose.
Shallow work—the constant switching between tasks and notifications—further compounds our productivity problem. We fall into the trap of believing we can "do it all," spreading ourselves thin across numerous low-impact activities.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, known for his research on "flow," explains:
"Ironically, jobs are actually easier to enjoy than free time, because like flow activities they have built-in goals, feedback rules, and challenges, all of which encourage one to become involved in one's work, to concentrate and lose oneself in it".
The antidote to this existential crisis and productivity drain lies in how we approach our most important work. Enter the concept of "Deep Work," coined by computer science professor Cal Newport.
Deep work is:
To cultivate deep work, Newport suggests four philosophies. Let's explore each in detail:
This approach involves eliminating or radically minimizing shallow obligations to maximize deep efforts.
• Dedicate extended periods (days or weeks) solely to deep work.
• Create a distraction-free environment by eliminating access to email, social media, and other interruptions.
• Focus intensely on a single, well-defined professional goal.
Affiliate owners with a clear, high-value goal that requires intense concentration, such as developing a new training program or writing a book on CrossFit methodology.
An affiliate owner might take a "deep work retreat" for a week each quarter, isolating themselves to work intensively on business strategy or program development.
This philosophy involves dividing your time between deep pursuits and shallow work.
• Dedicate clearly defined stretches to deep work (at least one full day).
• During deep work periods, follow monastic-like practices.
• Leave the rest of your time open for shallow work and other obligations.
Affiliate owners who can't completely eliminate shallow work but can carve out significant chunks of time for deep focus.
An owner might dedicate every Monday to deep work, focusing on business growth strategies or analyzing performance data, while handling day-to-day operations the rest of the week.
This approach transforms deep work into a regular habit.
• Schedule a consistent time each day for deep work.
• Use a visual tracker (like a calendar with "X" marks) to maintain the habit.
• Start with shorter periods (1-2 hours) and gradually increase.
Affiliate owners who prefer consistency and have difficulty finding large blocks of uninterrupted time.
An owner might set aside 6:00-8:00 AM every weekday for deep work before the gym opens, focusing on different aspects of the business each day.
This method involves fitting deep work wherever you can in your schedule, switching into deep work mode at a moment's notice.
• Treat pockets of free time as opportunities for deep work.
• Develop the ability to quickly transition into a state of deep focus.
• Keep a list of deep work tasks ready for when opportunities arise.
Experienced deep workers with unpredictable schedules or those juggling multiple responsibilities.
An affiliate owner with young children might use nap times or after bedtime for focused work on business financials or marketing strategies.
Choosing the right deep work philosophy depends on your personal circumstances, working style, and the nature of your affiliate business. Here are some strategies to get started:
What tasks will have the most significant impact on your affiliate's future? These are prime candidates for deep work sessions.
Consider which of Newport's four approaches aligns best with your lifestyle and business needs. You might even combine elements from different philosophies.
Designate a space and time for focused work. This might mean setting up a home office, using noise-cancelling headphones, or working from a local library.
Use techniques like meditation to improve your ability to concentrate. Research shows that regular mindfulness practice can enhance focus and cognitive flexibility.
Reduce unnecessary technology use to reclaim your attention. This might involve deleting social media apps from your phone or using website blockers during deep work sessions.
Let your staff know about your deep work schedule so they can respect your focus time and handle routine matters independently.
Begin with short deep work sessions (30-60 minutes) and gradually increase the duration as you build your "focus muscles."
Implementing deep work practices can be challenging, especially when juggling the demands of running a CrossFit affiliate. That's where we come in.
Our experienced coaches understand the unique challenges you face and can help you create personalized routines and rituals to unlock your deepest, most impactful work.
Don't let busywork and distraction hold you back any longer. It's time to move from busy to impactful.
Ready to transform your work and your affiliate? Schedule a free strategy call with us today. Together, we'll identify what's standing in the way of your deepest work and create a plan to achieve unprecedented success.
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