Focus session · applications and forms · 45 min
Deep work timer: 45 minutes of applications and forms (white noise), when you are waiting for something
One block of applications and forms with white noise underneath. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
45:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
Keep your eyes open if you like, resting on one point of the floor a metre or two ahead. Waiting is dead time you can spend on this instead. We'll be efficient and then you can get on with your day.
1 Before you start
- Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
- Give yourself permission to stop when the timer ends, even mid-sentence.
- Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.
- 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
- When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
- When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
- If the task suddenly feels impossible, make it smaller rather than stopping. One paragraph. One function. One row.
- 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
- 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.
- Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
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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