Focus session · problem solving · 45 min
45-minute focus block for problem solving — distant traffic, when you are doing this for the first time
A timer, a short prep list, and 45 minutes to stay with the difficulty.
45:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
Put both feet flat on the floor and let them take some of the weight. If this is your first go, stay with the plainest version of the instructions. This works better when you don't overthink it.
1 Before you start
- Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
- Plan to leave the last two minutes for writing down where to pick up next time.
- Close every tab that is not needed for this one task. Not minimised — closed.
- Remind yourself that you are allowed to produce something mediocre in the first pass.
- Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
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 you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
- If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.
- If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.
3 When it ends
- Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
- Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
- Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
4What to put on
distant traffic — A low continuous wash from a road you are not on. Familiar and easy to stop hearing.
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