1. Be Kind
  2. Work Hard
  3. Maintain Control

Let’s talk about #2 – Working Hard.

What is hard work?

First we must define this for ourselves before laying claim to having done any.

Working hard shouldn’t be confused with work that’s hard.

Changing out tires on heavy-duty equipment is physically demanding; performing neurosurgery is mentally taxing; being an ice-road trucker with a secret family, two sets of logbooks (in order to drive double the legal hours) and a fierce drug habit (in order to drive double the legal hours) is hard both mentally and physically—but none of these defines the sort of hard work that applies here in Broker world.

Author Cal Newport draws distinctions around the types of work humans do in his book ‘Deep Work’. Mr. Newport refers to “shallow work,” i.e., work done amidst all sorts of distractions without careful consideration or complex training. But what interests us is ‘deep work‘, the work done with a laser-like focus, often in a controlled and specific environment. It’s about long hours invested in solving complex problems. Work best done in an environment of limited distraction.

Limiting distraction is critical in mortgage-world.

Limiting distraction is critical in life.

To work hard requires focus.

To work hard requires efficiencies.

To work hard is to work effectively.

For most humans, especially those who live with other humans, deep work requires an offsite dedicated workspace/office typically at least a few minutes away from home. You may be an exception to this rule, assume that you are not. Assume that you need a dedicated office to perform at a higher level.

“Oh but that costs money,” you might say.

No. Not having a dedicated office costs money. Tens of thousands per year, maybe more, depending on your profession.

An office is an investment.

But you “love the flexibility of ‘working’ from home.” Well here’s the thing: you’re not working from home; more likely you’re kind-of-sort-of working-ish. Only the rarest among us can achieve true dedicated focus for any duration from within a home office. You may be doing 4hrs work over a span of 12 distracted hours. This is more common than many realize.

Before you write to me about how you’re crushing it from your home office, think about what your production level would be if you were in a professional office environment that we tailor-made for you. investing 4, 6, or 8 highly focused hours per day.

No TV.

No kids.

No dog to walk.

No spouse/partner.

No neighbours to chat up.

No deliveries of cool amazon stuff you forgot you ordered.

Just a whiteboard with some basic action items, and the knowledge that this spot is the spot where work occurs. Focused, efficient, effective, and difficult work. Hard work.

To be clear: this is not to say that you’ll for sure be happier, or have greater ‘balance’ (whatever this is for you), this is simply to say you’ll be more productive in a professional space.

Production — it’s what we’re talking about here.

Not balance-by-the-hour.

For many, an office outside of the home just might be exactly the thing to bring them into balance. All too easily a home office can itself become the epicentre of distraction (from life).

In any proper deep work environment all devices, starting with your phone & computer, operate in total silence. No notification alerts, no chimes for email or IM’s. No audible alerts of any kind.

One challenge will be avoiding the draw into Reels, YouTube, IG, FB, TikTok, et al, even online shopping can be distracting. An exception to the silence in my office is Alexa—she’s nice to have around. I find myself asking Alexa all kinds of questions because it’s easier than opening a new tab to Google tab re how long it’ll take me to get to Waterfront Station, or what the current temperature is, or even to just play me a little thinking music (Mozart) or some writing music (still LCD Soundsystem)… on repeat.

Your work computer, found in your dedicated work office, serves only one purpose: the performance of tasks dedicated to the completion of mortgage files. That’s it. Personal pics, personal docs, personal social media surfing are all done from another device, a device not located in your office.

In fact, wipe the TikTok, Facebook, IG, Bumble, Tinder, Thrinder, etc. apps from your phone; you’ll be glad you did. Actually, while you have your phone out right now, try the following: go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut > Color Filters then press the home button three times to enable grayscale, and to revert back click it three times again.

Distraction factor reduced 10X.

Create a mental shift between devices.

Personally, I use a desktop PC for work, because PCs are not about having fun; they’re about getting work done. Sorry, Apple, but your ads backfired. I actually want boring and dependable, I want Excel, and no I don’t need a super-duper graphics card. Not in the office anyway.

Home is where the Apple (everything) is. The PC in my office is the protein and heavy lifting. My office is where I make my gains, and home is where I rest and recover. Each environment is increasingly about optimizing a specific sort of performance in very specific ways.

Your office will have a door that closes. Use it. Privacy is a vital component of focus, as is cutting yourself off from the office rambler, the doorway-leaner, and the got-a-minute meetings about nothing. The people who seem to think work is some kind of social summer camp and want to interrupt your work since they have none of their own to get done.

This is your office.

You are there to work.

Work.

Hard.

DW

**Note: as we find ourselves in a post pandemic world this chapter continues to evolve and my belief in the value of an office, a (short) commute, and some social/physical interaction within our communities is only that much greater.