Focus session · thesis writing · 90 min
90-minute focus session for thesis writing with distant thunder, when you have more time than usual
90 minutes on thesis writing — sections, not the whole thing. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
90:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
Take one breath that is slightly slower than the last one. That is enough to start. This is the longer version, for a day with some slack in it. This works better when you don't overthink it.
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.
- Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
- If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
- Decide now what you will do when the timer ends. Otherwise the decision will eat the first five minutes.
2 While the timer runs
- 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.
- The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.
- If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.
3 When it ends
- Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
- Have a drink of water before you check anything.
- Look out of a window for thirty seconds. Your eyes have been at one distance for a while.
4What to put on
distant thunder — Low rumbles with long gaps. Suits people who find sudden noises more distracting than constant ones.
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