Focus session · research · 25 min
A 25-minute block for research, with a stream, after a difficult conversation
A single 25-minute block for research — with a note file open beside you.
25:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
You don't have to empty your mind. Nobody has ever managed that, including the people who wrote the instructions. Difficult conversations leave a residue. This is for the residue. We'll be efficient and then you can get on with your day.
1 Before you start
- Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
- Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
- Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
- Decide in advance that a bad sentence is still progress.
- Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
2 While the timer runs
- When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.
- It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
- If the task suddenly feels impossible, make it smaller rather than stopping. One paragraph. One function. One row.
- If you feel the urge to check something, write it on the paper beside you and keep going. Deal with the list afterwards.
3 When it ends
- Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
- Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.
- If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.
4What to put on
a stream — Running water with small variation. Softer than rain and less repetitive than a fan.
This page is a tool, not a course. Nothing is tracked, nothing is saved, and nobody is told whether you finished.