25-minute focus session for editing with a train carriage, when you are doing this for the first time

1 Before you start

• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
• Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.
• Remind yourself that you are allowed to produce something mediocre in the first pass.
• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.

2 While the timer runs

• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.
• It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
• The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.

3 When it ends

• Roll your shoulders and your neck before the next block.
• Have a drink of water before you check anything.
• Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.

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.