A 90-minute block for language practice, with distant thunder, before you go back to something hard

1 Before you start

• Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
• Give yourself permission to stop when the timer ends, even mid-sentence.
• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
• Let go of the version of this task you imagined doing perfectly.
• Take one slow breath before you press start, so the session has a beginning.

2 While the timer runs

• When you notice you have drifted, do not restart the block. Just come back and carry on counting from where the timer is.
• Notice the moment your hand moves toward your phone. That moment is the whole skill.
• 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.

3 When it ends

• Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.
• Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
• Leave the file open if you are coming back. Closing it makes restarting harder.

4What to put on

distant thunder — Low rumbles with long gaps. Suits people who find sudden noises more distracting than constant ones.