Deep work timer: 45 minutes of planning (white noise), when you are somewhere noisy

1 Before you start

• Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
• If you are dreading it, make the first action physical: open the file, sharpen the pencil.
• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
• Expect to want to stop at about the eight-minute mark. That is normal and it passes.
• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.

2 While the timer runs

• If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.
• If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.
• When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.

3 When it ends

• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.
• Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
• Roll your shoulders and your neck before the next block.

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.