Focus session · research · 90 min
Deep work timer: 90 minutes of research (white noise), when your attention is scattered
One block of research with white noise 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.
Take a moment to notice the room behind you, without turning around. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. This works better when you don't overthink it.
1 Before you start
- Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.
- Decide in advance that a bad sentence is still progress.
- Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.
- 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
- 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.
- When you notice you have drifted, do not restart the block. Just come back and carry on counting from where the timer is.
- If nothing is working, write badly on purpose for two minutes.
3 When it ends
- Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.
- Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.
- Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.
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.
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