25-minute focus block for research — white noise, when you have woken up too early

1 Before you start

• Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
• Let go of the version of this task you imagined doing perfectly.
• Close every tab that is not needed for this one task. Not minimised — closed.
• Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.

2 While the timer runs

• When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
• If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.

3 When it ends

• Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
• Leave the desk tidier than you found it. Two minutes now saves ten later.

4What to put on

white noise — Flat across all frequencies and very effective at covering speech. Some people find it harsh after an hour; keep the volume low.