45-minute focus block for drawing — a train carriage, after a long day

1 Before you start

• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
• Plan to leave the last two minutes for writing down where to pick up next time.
• Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
• Lower the bar until starting feels almost silly, then start.
• Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.

2 While the timer runs

• If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.
• If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.
• When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.

3 When it ends

• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
• Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.

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.