Focus session · research · 50 min
50-minute focus block for research — a fan or air conditioner, if you are new to this
A timer, a short prep list, and 50 minutes to follow one thread.
50:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
If you're tired, you can let that be true. Tired is allowed here. Nothing here assumes you have done this before. This works better when you don't overthink it.
1 Before you start
- Set the timer where you can see it, or where you can deliberately not see it.
- Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
- Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
- Promise yourself you will not check anything until the timer ends, including "just quickly".
- Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
2 While the timer runs
- 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.
- If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.
- If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.
3 When it ends
- Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.
- Have a drink of water before you check anything.
- Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
4What to put on
a fan or air conditioner — A constant mechanical hum with no variation. The lack of change is the point — nothing in it asks for your attention.
This page is a tool, not a course. Nothing is tracked, nothing is saved, and nobody is told whether you finished.