A 50-minute block for coding, with plain quiet, if you are fitting this around other people

1 Before you start

• Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
• Expect to want to stop at about the eight-minute mark. That is normal and it passes.
• Close every tab that is not needed for this one task. Not minimised — closed.
• Accept that the first five minutes will feel like wading. Wading counts.
• Write down the one thing you are going to do, in a single sentence, before you start.

2 While the timer runs

• The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• If nothing is working, write badly on purpose for two minutes.

3 When it ends

• 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.
• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.

4What to put on

plain quiet — No added sound at all. If you have a quiet room, that is usually better than any recording of one.