Focus session for planning: 50 minutes, a train carriage, if you are doing this instead of scrolling

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.
• Dim the screen slightly. Bright screens make long sessions harder than they need to be.
• Decide what you will do if you get stuck: write the problem out, then move on.
• Clear the surface in front of you down to the thing you are working on.

2 While the timer runs

• If your attention keeps sliding, shorten the next block rather than abandoning this one.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• If you are stuck, say the problem out loud. It changes what you can see.
• If a thought will not leave, give it one line on the page and return to the task.

3 When it ends

• Write one line about where to start next time. Future you will be grateful.
• Take the break away from the screen, even if it is just the other side of the room.
• 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.