25-minute problem solving session with white noise and a timer, when you are on your own

1 Before you start

• Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
• Tell yourself the goal is time spent, not output produced.
• Take one slow breath before you press start, so the session has a beginning.
• Decide that today's session does not have to be good. It has to happen.
• Go to the toilet first. It sounds trivial until you are mid-sentence.

2 While the timer runs

• If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.
• If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• If you feel the urge to check something, write it on the paper beside you and keep going. Deal with the list afterwards.

3 When it ends

• Note what you actually got done, not what you meant to get done.
• Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
• Leave the file open if you are coming back. Closing it makes restarting harder.

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.