Deep work timer: 50 minutes of editing (rain on a window), if you have five quiet minutes

1 Before you start

• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Choose one question to answer in this block, rather than a whole subject to cover.
• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
• Promise yourself you will not check anything until the timer ends, including "just quickly".
• Take one slow breath before you press start, so the session has a beginning.

2 While the timer runs

• When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
• When you catch yourself re-reading the same sentence, stop and write down what you were looking for.
• If nothing is working, write badly on purpose for two minutes.
• If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.

3 When it ends

• Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
• Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
• Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.

4What to put on

rain on a window — Steady rain is broadband noise with a slow natural rhythm. It masks speech and keyboard clatter without being interesting enough to listen to.