Work you keep putting off
Set 10 to 15 minutes to lower the barrier to starting. Once you have momentum, lengthen the following sessions.
FOCUS CYCLE GUIDE
Fitting a 25-minute focus cycle to your day
A focus cycle replaces "hold out as long as you can" with a clear split between working and resting. The default is 25 minutes of focus and a 5 minute break, but it only lasts if you tune it to the work and to your own energy.
01
Start with the plain structure
Begin with four rounds of 25 minutes of focus and a 5 minute break, then rest for about 15 minutes. Pick exactly one task for the focus block. During the break, get out of the chair or look at something far away rather than starting the next task early.
25 min focus→5 min break× 415 min long break
Not finishing a session is not a failure. Note what interrupted you in a few words and start again — that note is what tells you how to adjust the next session.
02
Change the length to match the work
Writing and development
35 to 50 minutes of focus with an 8 to 10 minute break often fits better. If alerts keep cutting your train of thought, lengthen the focus block rather than shortening it.
Review and admin work
20 to 25 minutes with a 5 minute break keeps fatigue from accumulating. Setting a small scope per session also makes progress easy to see.
03
Setting it up in PipTim
- Choose "Focus Cycle" at the top
The default focus duration appears straight away.
- Adjust the durations in settings
Enter the focus time, short break, long break, and how many rounds pass before the long break.
- Watch the remaining time in the PiP window
Even after you switch to another application, the small window shows whether you are in a focus block or a break.