I know firsthand how terrible and distressing it feels not to finish a task simply because you keep putting it off.
Does the phrase “I’ll do it tomorrow” sound familiar? Or maybe “I’ll have more motivation tomorrow”?
Well, my friend — that’s not going to happen. Chances are, tomorrow you’ll just postpone it again.
It’s not your fault. It’s your brain trying to avoid that big, uncomfortable task and escaping fear through procrastination.
In recent years, Linux has been growing in popularity. After Microsoft’s constant blunders with Windows 11, more and more people are looking for alternatives. That’s why I want to recommend that you give Linux a try — especially if you want to beat procrastination and embrace what Cal Newport calls Deep Work.
My Turning Point
In early 2025, after hitting rock bottom and realizing that I’d been stuck for over a year since graduating — without investing time in learning new skills or improving at my job — I decided to make a change.
I was doing only the bare minimum, and I started to feel that I no longer fit in the job market with my current skill set.
That realization led me to read a book that completely changed how I work: Deep Work by Cal Newport.
The author talks about the importance of deep concentration, a skill that’s becoming increasingly rare in our hyper-connected, distraction-filled world.
Newport shares several stories showing that deep work is essential in fields like technology (I’m a software engineer myself), where you constantly need to stay updated with new tools and methods.
The Grand Gesture
One idea from the book that really stuck with me was what Newport calls the grand gesture:
As Cal Newport explains in Deep Work:
“The concept of the grand gesture is that by making a radical change to your normal environment—coupled perhaps with a significant investment of effort or money—all dedicated toward supporting a deep work task, you increase the perceived importance of the task. This boost in importance reduces your mind’s instinct to procrastinate and delivers an injection of motivation and energy.”
After an unproductive year where I barely worked 15 hours a week and spent more than four hours a day gaming, I knew it was time for a change.
I left Windows — my long-time environment and main source of distraction — and decided to switch to Linux.
I ordered a new SSD online, and my choice was Ubuntu, a simple distribution I had already used a bit back in college during a systems administration class.
A New Environment, A New Mindset
After six months of using Ubuntu as my main operating system, I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Separating my work into two different operating systems dramatically boosted my productivity and my motivation to learn new skills.
Dividing my workspaces “virtually” (since I work from home) helped me create a psychological barrier: if I want to play games, I have to switch systems — and that little bit of friction is enough to stop me.
The result: more focus, more energy, and greater professional satisfaction.
And You?
If you can relate to any of this — if you’re thinking of trying Linux or simply looking for a new challenge — give it a chance.
There are many beginner-friendly distributions to start with:
- đźź Ubuntu
- đź’š Linux Mint
- 🟦 Pop!_OS
- ⚪ Zorin OS (very similar to Windows)
If you decide to give it a shot, remember that everything is hard at first… until it becomes easy.
Don’t be afraid of the terminal — learning a few basic commands gives you an incredible sense of control.
And most importantly, enjoy the process. Trying Linux doesn’t just change your operating system — it can change the way you work.
What’s the smallest change you’ve made that’s had the biggest impact on your productivity?
Top comments (0)