Focus session · studying · 25 min
Deep work timer: 25 minutes of studying (birds at dawn), when nothing else has worked today
One block of studying with birds at dawn 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.
Notice the temperature of the air on the backs of your hands. Nothing else has worked today. That is not a reason to skip this. We'll be efficient and then you can get on with your day.
1 Before you start
- Go to the toilet first. It sounds trivial until you are mid-sentence.
- Accept that the first five minutes will feel like wading. Wading counts.
- Get water now, so you do not have to get up in fifteen minutes.
- Remember that motivation usually arrives after starting, not before.
- Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
2 While the timer runs
- Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
- If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
- When you catch yourself re-reading the same sentence, stop and write down what you were looking for.
- It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
3 When it ends
- Leave the desk tidier than you found it. Two minutes now saves ten later.
- Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
- Have a drink of water before you check anything.
4What to put on
birds at dawn — Bright but not sharp. Better for early sessions than for late ones.
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