90-minute focus session for thesis writing with rain on a window, when you are somewhere unfamiliar

1 Before you start

• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Lower the bar until starting feels almost silly, then start.
• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.
• Remember that motivation usually arrives after starting, not before.
• Decide now what you will do when the timer ends. Otherwise the decision will eat the first five minutes.

2 While the timer runs

• If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.
• Notice the moment your hand moves toward your phone. That moment is the whole skill.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.

3 When it ends

• Have a drink of water before you check anything.
• Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
• If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.

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.