Focus session for drawing: 90 minutes, vinyl crackle, if you are new to this

1 Before you start

• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• 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.
• Lower the bar until starting feels almost silly, then start.
• Have a piece of paper beside you for the thoughts that will try to interrupt.

2 While the timer runs

• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.
• 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.
• If nothing is working, write badly on purpose for two minutes.

3 When it ends

• 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.
• If it went badly, note one thing that worked anyway. There is usually one.

4What to put on

vinyl crackle — A thin layer of surface noise over nothing much. Just enough texture to stop the room feeling empty.