Focus session · reading · 25 min
Deep work timer: 25 minutes of reading (white noise), on a day that started badly
One block of reading with white noise 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.
Check your hands. Are they doing anything? Let them stop. A day that started badly does not have to stay that way. No preamble. We start with the body.
1 Before you start
- Set the timer where you can see it, or where you can deliberately not see it.
- Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
- Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.
- Decide in advance that a bad sentence is still progress.
- Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
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.
- When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.
- It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
- Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
3 When it ends
- Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
- Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.
- Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.
4What to put on
white noise — Flat across all frequencies and very effective at covering speech. Some people find it harsh after an hour; keep the volume low.
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