45-minute focus session for problem solving with white noise, when you have been on screens all day

1 Before you start

• Have a piece of paper beside you for the thoughts that will try to interrupt.
• Remember that motivation usually arrives after starting, not before.
• Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
• If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
• Get water now, so you do not have to get up in fifteen minutes.

2 While the timer runs

• When you get an idea for something else, park it. Do not follow it.
• When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
• It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
• When you catch yourself re-reading the same sentence, stop and write down what you were looking for.

3 When it ends

• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
• Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
• Do not immediately open the thing you were avoiding. Give the block a proper end.

4What to put on

white noise — Flat across all frequencies and very effective at covering speech. Some people find it harsh after an hour; keep the volume low.