Focus session · data work · 90 min

A 90-minute block for data work, with a stream, when the day has been loud

A single 90-minute block for data work — checking as you go.

90:00

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

If you're tired, you can let that be true. Tired is allowed here. For days that were loud from the moment they started. Keep it simple: breath in, breath out, notice.

1 Before you start

  • Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
  • Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
  • Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.
  • If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
  • Set the timer where you can see it, or where you can deliberately not see it.

2 While the timer runs

  • If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
  • If you feel the urge to check something, write it on the paper beside you and keep going. Deal with the list afterwards.
  • 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.

3 When it ends

  • Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
  • Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
  • Leave the desk tidier than you found it. Two minutes now saves ten later.

4What to put on

a stream — Running water with small variation. Softer than rain and less repetitive than a fan.

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