Focus sessions
A timer, a short prep list, and a note on what to do when you drift. 300 blocks for writing, coding, studying and the rest of the work that needs an hour.
50-minute focus block for language practice — a stream, when the house is busy
A timer, a short prep list, and 50 minutes to practise out loud.
Start the block →Focus session for studying: 25 minutes, rain on a window, when the weather has kept you inside
25 minutes of studying, with rain on a window and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →Focus session for drawing: 45 minutes, a train carriage, when you are short on time
45 minutes of drawing, with a train carriage and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →Focus session for reading: 50 minutes, vinyl crackle, on a day that started badly
50 minutes of reading, with vinyl crackle and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →25-minute thesis writing session with white noise and a timer, when you are at home and cannot settle
Sit down, press start, and add to the pile for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →45-minute design work session with distant thunder and a timer, after eating too much
Sit down, press start, and make decisions for 45 minutes. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →90-minute decluttering session with rain on a window and a timer, if you are tired of apps
Sit down, press start, and move things out for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →A 25-minute block for admin and email, with a fireplace, if you have done this a hundred times
A single 25-minute block for admin and email — in one pass, without opening new tabs.
Start the block →A 45-minute block for portfolio work, with vinyl crackle, when you have already had a long week
A single 45-minute block for portfolio work — the last ten percent.
Start the block →A 90-minute block for problem solving, with a fan or air conditioner, on a low-energy afternoon
A single 90-minute block for problem solving — before looking anything up.
Start the block →25-minute focus session for coding with a washing machine, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
25 minutes on coding — one function at a time, not the whole system. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →50-minute focus session for practising an instrument with café murmur, when you need to stop thinking about work
50 minutes on practising an instrument — slowly, with the metronome. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →90-minute focus session for exam revision with a library, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
90 minutes on exam revision — recall rather than re-reading. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 25 minutes of data work (distant traffic), when you need something unremarkable
One block of data work with distant traffic underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 50 minutes of editing (forest at dusk), after a difficult conversation
One block of editing with forest at dusk underneath. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 90 minutes of brainstorming (a washing machine), when you are somewhere noisy
One block of brainstorming with a washing machine underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →45-minute focus block for research — brown noise, after a long day
A timer, a short prep list, and 45 minutes to follow one thread.
Start the block →50-minute focus block for applications and forms — a library, when you are waiting for something
A timer, a short prep list, and 50 minutes to get through the questions.
Start the block →90-minute focus block for planning — plain quiet, when you are too tired to try hard
A timer, a short prep list, and 90 minutes to decide what happens when.
Start the block →Focus session for writing: 45 minutes, a train carriage, when you are not sure this will work
45 minutes of writing, with a train carriage and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →Focus session for language practice: 50 minutes, birds at dawn, when you are not in the mood
50 minutes of language practice, with birds at dawn and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →25-minute studying session with white noise and a timer, when you are somewhere unfamiliar
Sit down, press start, and take in the material for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →45-minute drawing session with a stream and a timer, when you feel restless rather than tired
Sit down, press start, and fill the page for 45 minutes. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →90-minute reading session with rain on a window and a timer, when nothing else has worked today
Sit down, press start, and read properly for 90 minutes. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →A 25-minute block for thesis writing, with a train carriage, when you are on your own
A single 25-minute block for thesis writing — sections, not the whole thing.
Start the block →A 45-minute block for design work, with vinyl crackle, if you are fitting this around other people
A single 45-minute block for design work — rough versions first.
Start the block →A 90-minute block for decluttering, with white noise, when you have more time than usual
A single 90-minute block for decluttering — one surface at a time.
Start the block →25-minute focus session for admin and email with distant thunder, when you cannot concentrate on anything else
25 minutes on admin and email — in one pass, without opening new tabs. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →50-minute focus session for portfolio work with rain on a window, when you have been on screens all day
50 minutes on portfolio work — the last ten percent. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →90-minute focus session for problem solving with a fireplace, when you have woken up too early
90 minutes on problem solving — before looking anything up. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 25 minutes of coding (distant traffic), when the day has been loud
One block of coding with distant traffic underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 50 minutes of practising an instrument (a fan or air conditioner), when you feel fine and want to stay that way
One block of practising an instrument with a fan or air conditioner underneath. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 90 minutes of exam revision (a washing machine), if you have five quiet minutes
One block of exam revision with a washing machine underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →45-minute focus block for data work — café murmur, when you have tried everything else
A timer, a short prep list, and 45 minutes to work through the numbers.
Start the block →50-minute focus block for editing — a library, when you have just finished work
A timer, a short prep list, and 50 minutes to cut and tighten.
Start the block →90-minute focus block for brainstorming — distant traffic, before you go back to something hard
A timer, a short prep list, and 90 minutes to generate options.
Start the block →Focus session for research: 45 minutes, forest at dusk, when you want to be left alone
45 minutes of research, with forest at dusk and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →Focus session for applications and forms: 50 minutes, a washing machine, if you are new to this
50 minutes of applications and forms, with a washing machine and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →25-minute planning session with brown noise and a timer, when your attention is scattered
Sit down, press start, and decide what happens when for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →45-minute writing session with a stream and a timer, when you have been meaning to start
Sit down, press start, and get words down for 45 minutes. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →50-minute language practice session with plain quiet and a timer, before something difficult
Sit down, press start, and practise out loud for 50 minutes. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →A 25-minute block for studying, with a train carriage, when the house is busy
A single 25-minute block for studying — reading and notes, not highlighting.
Start the block →A 45-minute block for drawing, with birds at dawn, when the weather has kept you inside
A single 45-minute block for drawing — without correcting anything yet.
Start the block →A 90-minute block for reading, with white noise, when you are short on time
A single 90-minute block for reading — pages rather than paragraphs.
Start the block →25-minute focus session for thesis writing with a stream, when you have been putting it off
25 minutes on thesis writing — sections, not the whole thing. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →50-minute focus session for design work with rain on a window, if you are sceptical about all of this
50 minutes on design work — rough versions first. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →90-minute focus session for decluttering with a train carriage, when you are cold and want to be warm
90 minutes on decluttering — one surface at a time. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 25 minutes of admin and email (vinyl crackle), when you only have a few minutes
One block of admin and email with vinyl crackle underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 50 minutes of portfolio work (white noise), when you want something simple
One block of portfolio work with white noise underneath. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →Deep work timer: 90 minutes of problem solving (distant thunder), when you want to finish something
One block of problem solving with distant thunder underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
Start the block →45-minute focus block for coding — café murmur, when you are doing this for the first time
A timer, a short prep list, and 45 minutes to work through the problem.
Start the block →50-minute focus block for practising an instrument — a fireplace, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
A timer, a short prep list, and 50 minutes to drill the hard bars.
Start the block →90-minute focus block for exam revision — distant traffic, when you need to stop thinking about work
A timer, a short prep list, and 90 minutes to test yourself.
Start the block →Focus session for data work: 45 minutes, a fan or air conditioner, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
45 minutes of data work, with a fan or air conditioner and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →Focus session for editing: 50 minutes, a washing machine, when you need something unremarkable
50 minutes of editing, with a washing machine and a note on what to do when you drift.
Start the block →25-minute brainstorming session with café murmur and a timer, after a difficult conversation
Sit down, press start, and generate options for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →45-minute research session with a library and a timer, when you are somewhere noisy
Sit down, press start, and follow one thread for 45 minutes. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →50-minute applications and forms session with distant traffic and a timer, after a long day
Sit down, press start, and get through the questions for 50 minutes. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →A 25-minute block for planning, with forest at dusk, when you are waiting for something
A single 25-minute block for planning — on paper, so you can see it.
Start the block →A 45-minute block for writing, with birds at dawn, when you are too tired to try hard
A single 45-minute block for writing — the first draft, not the good version.
Start the block →Nothing is tracked here. Close the tab whenever you like — the timer is the only thing that knows.