Deep work timer: 50 minutes of reading (distant thunder), when your attention is scattered

1 Before you start

• Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
• If you are dreading it, make the first action physical: open the file, sharpen the pencil.
• Close every tab that is not needed for this one task. Not minimised — closed.
• Choose one question to answer in this block, rather than a whole subject to cover.
• Close the door, or put headphones on, whichever signals "working" to the people around you.

2 While the timer runs

• If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
• If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.
• It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
• If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.

3 When it ends

• If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.
• Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
• Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.

4What to put on

distant thunder — Low rumbles with long gaps. Suits people who find sudden noises more distracting than constant ones.