25-minute focus session for writing with white noise, when you want to be left alone

1 Before you start

• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Let go of the version of this task you imagined doing perfectly.
• Get water now, so you do not have to get up in fifteen minutes.
• Remind yourself that you are allowed to produce something mediocre in the first pass.
• Have a piece of paper beside you for the thoughts that will try to interrupt.

2 While the timer runs

• If you feel the urge to check something, write it on the paper beside you and keep going. Deal with the list afterwards.
• If the task suddenly feels impossible, make it smaller rather than stopping. One paragraph. One function. One row.
• If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.

3 When it ends

• Note what you actually got done, not what you meant to get done.
• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
• Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.

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.