Lexi, yeah, I forgot to mention — digital timer is less of a “ticking time bomb” feeling. And, as your son gets older, you can move to 20 minute blocks and then 30 minute block and then 45. But I don’t recommend working in blocks much larger than that because we tend to let our minds wander. So, break and play time and hugs and then another timed work stretch.

Congrats all!
Nicole

- I learned that I have developed such a short attention span, as if my brain has been trained to switch from one thing to another every 60 seconds. I couldn’t go 15 minutes without thinking to check my Email or Tweetdeck. Tsk, tsk!

- I felt motivated to plough through tasks I didn’t particularly enjoy, knowing that the timer would soon go off and I could take a break.

- The toddler didn’t get frustrated when he wanted me, because he knew that as soon as the timer rang, I could read him a story (or watch TV with him or whatever).

- I realized I was accomplishing a lot in such a short time. All in all, I worked for under two hours yesterday… and yet all my Most Important Tasks were done. Much less frustration but greater feeling of accomplishment.

- I did hate hearing the tick-tick-ticking of the kitchen timer. I think it made me a little nervous, as if a bomb were about to go off! So today I’ll be using my iPod’s timer instead.

I’ll be using a timer to do focused work in chunks throughout the day. One thing, though: I do allow one – and only one – interruption during these times: my little boy.