# Deep Work Protocol for Annotators

**Version:** 1.0 · **domainXpert Productivity Frameworks**

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## The Core Idea

High-quality annotation is cognitively demanding work. It requires the same conditions as any other deep knowledge work: uninterrupted focus, a clear task, and a defined end point.

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## The Protocol

### 1. Schedule your sessions in advance
Don't annotate in leftover time. Block 60–90 minute sessions on your calendar and treat them as fixed commitments.

### 2. Define the session before it starts
Know exactly what you're working on and what "done" looks like before you open the task interface.

### 3. Eliminate interruptions
- Phone on Do Not Disturb
- Email and Slack closed
- One browser window: the task interface only

### 4. Use time-boxing
Set a timer for 45 minutes. Work until it goes off. Take a 10-minute break. Repeat up to twice per session.

### 5. End with a shutdown ritual
When your session ends, write one sentence about where you left off and what the next session should start with. This offloads the "open loop" from your working memory.

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## What to Do When You're Stuck

1. Re-read the task instructions.
2. Check the relevant reference guide for your domain.
3. If still stuck after 5 minutes, flag the task and move on. Don't let one task consume a disproportionate share of your session.

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*Part of the domainXpert Productivity Framework.*