A 45-minute block for coding, with vinyl crackle, when you are at home and cannot settle

1 Before you start

• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.
• Choose one question to answer in this block, rather than a whole subject to cover.
• 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.
• Have a piece of paper beside you for the thoughts that will try to interrupt.

2 While the timer runs

• When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
• When you catch yourself re-reading the same sentence, stop and write down what you were looking for.
• If nothing is working, write badly on purpose for two minutes.
• It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.

3 When it ends

• Roll your shoulders and your neck before the next block.
• Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
• 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.