Focus Technique Prompt Templates

Focus session setup:

1. Task breakdown (2 hours total):
- First 20 min: Outline the proposal structure (sections, key points for each)
- Next 40 min: Write the problem statement and proposed solution sections
- 10 min break
- Next 40 min: Write timeline, budget, and next steps sections
- Last 10 min: Quick review pass, note any gaps to fill later

2. Distraction management:
- Slack: Set status to 'Focusing until [time], will respond after.' Close the app. If truly urgent, people will find you.
- Research tangents: Keep a 'parking lot' note open. When you want to look something up, write it down instead. Research later, not now.
- Email anxiety: You're not checking email for 2 hours. Nothing in email is so urgent it can't wait. If you're worried about something specific, set one calendar reminder to check after your session ends.

3. Session structure:
- Two 50-minute focus blocks with a 10-minute break in between
- During break: Stand up, walk around, don't check your phone. Let your brain rest.

4. Starting ritual:
- Close all browser tabs except what you need
- Put phone in another room (not on silent in your pocket, in another room)
- Open a blank doc for the proposal
- Take 3 deep breaths
- Set a timer for 50 minutes
- Write the first sentence. Doesn't have to be good. Just start.

Your goal isn't a perfect proposal. It's a complete first draft. Perfect comes later.

Pomodoro plan (6 pomodoros available in 3 hours):

Session breakdown:
- Pomodoro 1 (25 min): PR #1 review. Read code, test mentally, write feedback.
- Pomodoro 2 (25 min): PR #2 review.
- Pomodoro 3 (25 min): PR #3 review.
- Longer break (15 min): Stand up, walk, stretch. Don't start PR #4 in your head.
- Pomodoro 4 (25 min): PR #4 review.
- Pomodoro 5 (25 min): PR #5 review.
- Pomodoro 6 (25 min): Final pass on all feedback. Make sure comments are constructive and clear. Submit all reviews.

Why this allocation: One PR per pomodoro keeps each session contained. You're not context-switching mid-review. The final pomodoro for polishing prevents rushed, unclear feedback.

Break activities:
- Short breaks (5 min): Stand up, look away from screen, get water. Don't check Slack or email. Don't start the next PR early.
- Long break (15 min after Pomodoro 3): Leave your desk. Walk outside if possible. This prevents review fatigue from making you sloppy on the last PRs.

Handling interruptions:
- If someone pings you: Note it, respond 'In a focus block, will respond in [X] minutes,' then actually respond when your current pomodoro ends.
- If an interruption takes more than 2 minutes: The pomodoro is broken. Reset and start fresh. Don't try to 'make up' lost time by extending.
- If you finish a PR early: Take the remaining time to stretch or rest. Don't start the next PR. The break between sessions matters.

Tracking: Tally how many pomodoros you complete vs. plan. If you consistently do fewer, either your estimates are off or interruptions are a bigger problem than you thought.

Diagnosis:

The pattern: You're avoiding the task, not just distracted by other things. The Slack/email/Twitter aren't pulling you away; you're escaping to them.

Why this happens with quarterly planning:
- It's ambiguous. 'Quarterly planning document' isn't a clear next action. Your brain doesn't know where to start, so it seeks clearer, easier tasks (like checking notifications).
- It's high-stakes. Planning documents get scrutinized. There's pressure to get it right, which triggers avoidance.
- It's long. You can't finish it in one sitting, which makes starting feel pointless.

This is a task problem first, environment problem second:

1. Fix the task clarity:
Instead of 'work on quarterly planning,' your task should be: 'Write the Q1 goals section: 3 bullet points on what we want to achieve.' That's specific, achievable in one sitting, and has a clear end point.

2. Fix the environment:
- Close Slack, email, and Twitter before you start. Not minimize. Close.
- Use a website blocker for 30 minutes. Freedom, Cold Turkey, or your browser's built-in focus mode.
- Phone in another room. You know this. Do it.

3. Fix the mental state:
- Acknowledge the avoidance. 'I'm avoiding this because it feels big and high-stakes. That's normal. I'm going to do one small piece anyway.'
- Lower the bar. Your first draft doesn't have to be good. It has to exist. Write badly. Edit later.

3-day avoidance means this matters to you. The fix isn't trying harder. It's making the task smaller and the distractions harder to access.

Focus recovery:

1. Should you continue or break?
Continue, but with a 2-minute reset first. 45 minutes is a good chunk of focus, and you have an hour left. A full break now might make it hard to get back in. But don't just dive back in; you need a moment to mentally return.

2. Re-engagement ritual (2 minutes):
- Read the last paragraph or section you wrote. This loads your context back.
- Write a one-sentence note: 'I was in the middle of [specific thing] and my next step is [specific action].'
- Take 3 deep breaths. You're annoyed about the interruption. Let it go. The frustration will hurt your writing more than the time lost.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes and start.

3. Prevent this next time:
- Physical signal: Headphones on, even if you're not listening to anything. It's a universal 'do not disturb' sign.
- If your workplace allows it: Work from a different location (conference room, cafe) when you need deep focus.
- Proactive communication: 'Hey [coworker name], I'm going to be heads-down on spec writing mornings this week. Can you Slack me questions instead? I'll respond by lunchtime.' Most people respect boundaries when you set them explicitly.
- Office hours: If interruptions are frequent, designate a time when you're available for questions. 'I do office hours 2-3pm, happy to help then.' This protects your focus time and gives interrupters a clear alternative.

The 15 minutes are gone. Don't spend mental energy resenting it. Use your remaining hour well.