90-minute reading session with vinyl crackle and a timer, when you are somewhere unfamiliar

1 Before you start

• Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
• If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
• Have a piece of paper beside you for the thoughts that will try to interrupt.
• If you are dreading it, make the first action physical: open the file, sharpen the pencil.
• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.

2 While the timer runs

• When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
• If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.
• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.

3 When it ends

• Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
• Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.
• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.

4What to put on

vinyl crackle — A thin layer of surface noise over nothing much. Just enough texture to stop the room feeling empty.