How to study without your phone in 4 steps

Most study time is lost to the phone, a few seconds at a time. The phone part is step 2, and it's the one that matters.

The session

1. 1

   Write down one task

   Not “study”. Something you can finish, like “finish the chapter 3 questions”.

2. 2

   Put your phone across the room

   Even face down on the desk, it pulls at your attention. Out of reach beats out of sight.

3. 3

   50 minutes on, 10 off

   Work properly, then take a real break away from the desk. Adjust the numbers, but keep the break real.

4. 4

   Lock down for the session

   Lock your distracting apps for exactly as long as you plan to study, so there's nothing to check even if you go and get the phone.

Do it the same way each time and starting gets easier. The setup becomes the signal.