45-minute focus block for applications and forms — a stream, when the day has been loud

1 Before you start

• Decide now what you will do when the timer ends. Otherwise the decision will eat the first five minutes.
• If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
• Close the door, or put headphones on, whichever signals "working" to the people around you.
• Tell yourself the goal is time spent, not output produced.
• Get water now, so you do not have to get up in fifteen minutes.

2 While the timer runs

• If the task suddenly feels impossible, make it smaller rather than stopping. One paragraph. One function. One row.
• When you catch yourself re-reading the same sentence, stop and write down what you were looking for.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.

3 When it ends

• Have a drink of water before you check anything.
• Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
• If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.

4What to put on

a stream — Running water with small variation. Softer than rain and less repetitive than a fan.