45-minute focus block for research — distant thunder, if you have five quiet minutes

1 Before you start

• Write down the one thing you are going to do, in a single sentence, before you start.
• Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• If you are dreading it, make the first action physical: open the file, sharpen the pencil.
• Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.

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.
• When you get an idea for something else, park it. Do not follow it.
• If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.

3 When it ends

• 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.
• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.

4What to put on

distant thunder — Low rumbles with long gaps. Suits people who find sudden noises more distracting than constant ones.