One helpful starting point is understanding your own attention limits, and a timer cube can help you do that, says Muir.
A timer cube is a simple six‑sided device with preset time intervals. Flip it to the side you want, and it starts counting down. It’s low‑tech, easy to use, and less distracting than your phone, says Muir.
To find your baseline attention limit, set the timer for five minutes and try working on a low‑interest task. If you stay focused, increase the time slightly, and try again. When you reach the point where your attention slips, you’ve found your natural limit, explains Muir.
If you take stimulant medication, you can repeat the same process after taking your dose, says Muir. Now you have two numbers: how long you can focus without medication and how long you can focus with it. You can also test different tasks to see how they compare. Maybe you can read a low-interest book for 10 minutes, but when you take your medication, you can do it for 20.
Once you know your attention limit, don’t push past it, says Muir. When the timer goes off, stop, get up, and move your body before starting again. Forcing yourself to keep going once your attention is gone usually leads to frustration and low‑quality work, which drains energy without much payoff.
