Deep work timer: 90 minutes of writing (birds at dawn), if you are new to this

1 Before you start

• Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
• Tell yourself the goal is time spent, not output produced.
• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Plan to leave the last two minutes for writing down where to pick up next time.
• Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.

2 While the timer runs

• When you have drifted for the fifth time, that is still four returns. Keep going.
• When you get an idea for something else, park it. Do not follow it.
• If you feel the urge to check something, write it on the paper beside you and keep going. Deal with the list afterwards.
• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.

3 When it ends

• If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.
• Leave the desk tidier than you found it. Two minutes now saves ten later.
• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.

4What to put on

birds at dawn — Bright but not sharp. Better for early sessions than for late ones.