Focus session for thesis writing: 90 minutes, a stream, before something difficult

1 Before you start

• Close every tab that is not needed for this one task. Not minimised — closed.
• 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.
• Let go of the version of this task you imagined doing perfectly.
• Decide what counts as done for this block. "Two pages" is better than "make progress".

2 While the timer runs

• If you start tidying your desk, that is avoidance. Sit back down.
• If you are bored, the boredom is usually the last thing before something clicks.
• Notice the moment your hand moves toward your phone. That moment is the whole skill.
• The first urge to stop usually arrives early. Sit through it once and the second one is quieter.

3 When it ends

• Stand up and move for at least two minutes. The break is part of the method, not a reward.
• Say the session is finished, out loud if you can. It marks the boundary.
• Decide whether the next block is the same task or a different one. Do not drift into it.

4What to put on

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