Focus session for studying: 90 minutes, a stream, after a long day

1 Before you start

• Get water now, so you do not have to get up in fifteen minutes.
• If your mind is already racing, write down the three loudest thoughts before you begin.
• Make sure your chair is at a height where your feet are flat on the floor.
• Expect to want to stop at about the eight-minute mark. That is normal and it passes.
• Take one slow breath before you press start, so the session has a beginning.

2 While the timer runs

• When the timer feels too long, look at it less. The clock is not the task.
• If you are suddenly sleepy, stand up for ten seconds and sit back down.
• If your attention keeps sliding, shorten the next block rather than abandoning this one.
• Notice whether you are working or performing work. They look similar from the outside.

3 When it ends

• Leave the desk tidier than you found it. Two minutes now saves ten later.
• Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
• Have a drink of water before you check anything.

4What to put on

a stream — Running water with small variation. Softer than rain and less repetitive than a fan.