Focus session for exam revision: 50 minutes, distant thunder, when you have been on screens all day

1 Before you start

• Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".
• Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
• Write down the one thing you are going to do, in a single sentence, before you start.
• Remind yourself that you are allowed to produce something mediocre in the first pass.
• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.

2 While the timer runs

• When you get an idea for something else, park it. Do not follow it.
• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.
• If you feel the urge to check something, write it on the paper beside you and keep going. Deal with the list afterwards.
• If the task suddenly feels impossible, make it smaller rather than stopping. One paragraph. One function. One row.

3 When it ends

• Leave the desk tidier than you found it. Two minutes now saves ten later.
• Roll your shoulders and your neck before the next block.
• Put the notes you made where you will find them next time.

4What to put on

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