50-minute research session with rain on a window and a timer, when you feel fine and want to stay that way

1 Before you start

• Write down the one thing you are going to do, in a single sentence, before you start.
• Give yourself permission to stop when the timer ends, even mid-sentence.
• 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".
• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.

2 While the timer runs

• The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.
• When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
• 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

• Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
• Roll your shoulders and your neck before the next block.
• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.

4What to put on

rain on a window — Steady rain is broadband noise with a slow natural rhythm. It masks speech and keyboard clatter without being interesting enough to listen to.