Focus session · practising an instrument · 90 min
Deep work timer: 90 minutes of practising an instrument (a train carriage), when you need to stop thinking about work
One block of practising an instrument with a train carriage underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.
90:00
Press start. The timer keeps time so you do not have to look at a clock.
Loosen your grip on whatever you're holding, or imagine loosening it. Work thoughts are allowed to be there. They just do not get to drive. This works better when you don't overthink it.
1 Before you start
- Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.
- Decide in advance that a bad sentence is still progress.
- Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
- If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
- Take one slow breath before you press start, so the session has a beginning.
2 While the timer runs
- The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.
- When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
- If nothing is working, write badly on purpose for two minutes.
- Notice the moment your hand moves toward your phone. That moment is the whole skill.
3 When it ends
- Leave the file open if you are coming back. Closing it makes restarting harder.
- If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.
- Have a drink of water before you check anything.
4What to put on
a train carriage — Rhythmic, low, and slightly rumbly. Many people find the motion-and-noise combination easier to work to than silence.
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