Focus session for portfolio work: 45 minutes, plain quiet, if you are fitting this around other people

1 Before you start

• Put the thing you keep reaching for out of arm's reach.
• Lower the bar until starting feels almost silly, then start.
• Turn off notifications for the next block, not just to silent.
• Give yourself permission to stop when the timer ends, even mid-sentence.
• Put your phone in another room, or in a drawer you cannot reach without standing up.

2 While the timer runs

• When you finish a piece, pause for three seconds before starting the next. It keeps the pace honest.
• If you feel restless, change your posture rather than your task.
• It is fine to stare at the wall for a minute. That is often where the answer is.
• If your attention keeps sliding, shorten the next block rather than abandoning this one.

3 When it ends

• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
• Resist the urge to review the work straight away. Come back to it later with fresh eyes.
• Write down the question you could not answer, so it has somewhere to live.

4What to put on

plain quiet — No added sound at all. If you have a quiet room, that is usually better than any recording of one.