Focus session · exam revision · 45 min

A 45-minute block for exam revision, with a train carriage, when you feel fine and want to stay that way

A single 45-minute block for exam revision — recall rather than re-reading.

45:00

Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.

Start with the noise that is already in the room. We are not going to try to remove it yet. Feeling fine is a good reason to do this, not a reason to skip it. We'll be efficient and then you can get on with your day.

1 Before you start

  • Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
  • 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.
  • Accept that the first five minutes will feel like wading. Wading counts.
  • Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.

2 While the timer runs

  • If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.
  • If your attention keeps sliding, shorten the next block rather than abandoning this one.
  • 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.

3 When it ends

  • Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
  • Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.
  • Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.

4What to put on

a train carriage — Rhythmic, low, and slightly rumbly. Many people find the motion-and-noise combination easier to work to than silence.

This page is a tool, not a course. Nothing is tracked, nothing is saved, and nobody is told whether you finished.