Focus session · exam revision · 25 min
Deep work timer: 25 minutes of exam revision (distant thunder), when you have tried everything else
One block of exam revision with distant thunder underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
25:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
Turn your phone face down if it's within reach. If it's in another room, even better. This assumes you have already tried the obvious things. This works better when you don't overthink it.
1 Before you start
- Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
- Decide in advance that a bad sentence is still progress.
- Close the door, or put headphones on, whichever signals "working" to the people around you.
- Expect to want to stop at about the eight-minute mark. That is normal and it passes.
- Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.
2 While the timer runs
- 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.
- When you catch yourself re-reading the same sentence, stop and write down what you were looking for.
- When you notice you have drifted, do not restart the block. Just come back and carry on counting from where the timer is.
3 When it ends
- Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
- Roll your shoulders and your neck before the next block.
- Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
4What to put on
distant thunder — Low rumbles with long gaps. Suits people who find sudden noises more distracting than constant ones.
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