Focus session · studying · 45 min

A 45-minute block for studying, with white noise, when you have been meaning to start

A single 45-minute block for studying — reading and notes, not highlighting.

45:00

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

Begin with the simple fact that you got here. That already happened. You have been meaning to start. This is the least intimidating way in. Straight through, at a normal pace.

1 Before you start

  • Decide now what you will do when the timer ends. Otherwise the decision will eat the first five minutes.
  • Choose one question to answer in this block, rather than a whole subject to cover.
  • Close the door, or put headphones on, whichever signals "working" to the people around you.
  • If you are dreading it, make the first action physical: open the file, sharpen the pencil.
  • Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.

2 While the timer runs

  • If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.
  • It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
  • When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
  • If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.

3 When it ends

  • Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
  • Note what you actually got done, not what you meant to get done.
  • Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.

4What to put on

white noise — Flat across all frequencies and very effective at covering speech. Some people find it harsh after an hour; keep the volume low.

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