Focus session · decluttering · 25 min

25-minute focus block for decluttering — a train carriage, if you are tired of apps

A timer, a short prep list, and 25 minutes to move things out.

25:00

Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.

Let the floor take your weight through your feet, and stop holding yourself up for a second. No account, no streak, no notification asking how you feel. We'll go through it in order, without much decoration.

1 Before you start

  • Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.
  • Choose one question to answer in this block, rather than a whole subject to cover.
  • Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
  • Promise yourself you will not check anything until the timer ends, including "just quickly".
  • Have a piece of paper beside you for the thoughts that will try to interrupt.

2 While the timer runs

  • The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.
  • When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
  • If the task suddenly feels impossible, make it smaller rather than stopping. One paragraph. One function. One row.
  • It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.

3 When it ends

  • Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
  • Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
  • Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.

4What to put on

a train carriage — Rhythmic, low, and slightly rumbly. Many people find the motion-and-noise combination easier to work to than silence.

This page is a tool, not a course. Nothing is tracked, nothing is saved, and nobody is told whether you finished.