Focus session · reading · 50 min
Deep work timer: 50 minutes of reading (a fireplace), when you are at home and cannot settle
One block of reading with a fireplace underneath. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
50:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
Nothing needs to be decided in the next few minutes. Park the decisions. Being at home and unable to settle is a very specific problem. We'll be efficient and then you can get on with your day.
1 Before you start
- Get water now, so you do not have to get up in fifteen minutes.
- Plan to leave the last two minutes for writing down where to pick up next time.
- Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
- Promise yourself you will not check anything until the timer ends, including "just quickly".
- Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.
2 While the timer runs
- If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
- If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
- 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
- Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
- Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.
- Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
4What to put on
a fireplace — Crackles and a low roar underneath. Warm, irregular, and undemanding.
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