Summary

  • Attention is finite. Treat recovery as a work input.
  • Alternate focus → defocus → focus to avoid cognitive depletion.
  • Use deliberate breaks, sleep, and environment resets to restore bandwidth.

Key ideas

  • Defocus to refocus: light, low-cognitive tasks enable insight recovery.
  • Energy > time: schedule by energy peaks, not clock alone.
  • Sabbath slots: planned no-input blocks reduce decision fatigue.
  • Boundaries: start/stop rituals prevent attention bleed (apps, games, chats).

Practices (ready-to-run)

  • 50/10 cadence: 50 min deep work, 10 min true break (no scrolling).
  • Recovery menu: walk 5–10 min, water, 1 page fiction, box-breathing 2 min.
  • Defocus rule: light game or hobby ≤15 min with timer, then hard stop.
  • Sleep guardrails: fixed bedtime + phone docked outside room.
  • Context reset: close IDE, clear desk, 3-line plan for next session.

Micro-templates

Focus block


Task: <one verb + object>  
Why now:  
End state:  
Duration: 50 min Break: 10 min

Break checklist


☑ Move body  
☑ Hydrate  
☑ Eyes off screens  
☑ One small joy (music / sunlight)

Shutdown ritual (2–3 min)


1. Log wins (1–3)
    
2. Capture next step (1 line)
    
3. Close loops (DMs, calendar)

Experiments for this week

  • AM peak deep work first 90 min; afternoons for meetings.
  • Social micro-break: short chat to reset attention, then resume.
  • Defocus gate: if using a game, set timer 12–15 min + exit cue song.
  • Sunday planning: pre-book breaks like meetings.