A 50-minute block for planning, with birds at dawn, when you need to stop thinking about work

1 Before you start

• Take one slow breath before you press start, so the session has a beginning.
• Tell yourself the goal is time spent, not output produced.
• Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
• Lower the bar until starting feels almost silly, then start.
• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.

2 While the timer runs

• If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
• If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.

3 When it ends

• Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
• Leave the file open if you are coming back. Closing it makes restarting harder.
• If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.

4What to put on

birds at dawn — Bright but not sharp. Better for early sessions than for late ones.