25-minute research session with café murmur and a timer, if you are doing this instead of scrolling

1 Before you start

• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Tell yourself the goal is time spent, not output produced.
• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
• Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
• Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.

2 While the timer runs

• When you notice you have drifted, do not restart the block. Just come back and carry on counting from where the timer is.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.
• If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.

3 When it ends

• Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
• Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
• Note what you actually got done, not what you meant to get done.

4What to put on

café murmur — The blur of other people talking, with none of the words close enough to follow. Some people concentrate better with a low level of company.