I've never used a timer, but always been curious about them. I'm going to try one! Q: 5 seconds to "prepare" seems like no time at all, so I'm curious what happens in that 5 seconds and how that compares to opening docs/apps or other support you might need for that work block?
Oh yes, use the timer for a week and then report back. Did it help you to more quickly direct your focus to the task and allow you to be more fully immersed in the task? As for the 5 seconds, that was the default starting for this interval timer, so at first it just showed up there. I never even thought to have a "prepare" step, but in the end, it has become a very positive pavlov connection for me. I hear "beep beep beep" and I'm in. Note that this "prepare" is just a mental preparation. It's not preparing the environment or anything else. I do all of that before starting the timer. For instance, I grab a cup of coffee and put it on the side table. Then I grab my laptop and sit down in my writing chair. I open up the laptop and switch to my writing desktop. I take a sip of coffee. and *then* I start the timer. But for my project work, I simply start the timer, and then after the 5 second prepare, I do all the project setup work at my desk.
I've never used a timer, but always been curious about them. I'm going to try one! Q: 5 seconds to "prepare" seems like no time at all, so I'm curious what happens in that 5 seconds and how that compares to opening docs/apps or other support you might need for that work block?
Oh yes, use the timer for a week and then report back. Did it help you to more quickly direct your focus to the task and allow you to be more fully immersed in the task? As for the 5 seconds, that was the default starting for this interval timer, so at first it just showed up there. I never even thought to have a "prepare" step, but in the end, it has become a very positive pavlov connection for me. I hear "beep beep beep" and I'm in. Note that this "prepare" is just a mental preparation. It's not preparing the environment or anything else. I do all of that before starting the timer. For instance, I grab a cup of coffee and put it on the side table. Then I grab my laptop and sit down in my writing chair. I open up the laptop and switch to my writing desktop. I take a sip of coffee. and *then* I start the timer. But for my project work, I simply start the timer, and then after the 5 second prepare, I do all the project setup work at my desk.