Plan, work, review, repeat
A cycle is a short, timed block of work with a written plan in front of it and a written review behind it. The timer creates the focus; the writing creates the feedback. Neither works alone.
- 01Set one intention
Name what the whole session is for. One clear line is enough — everything else on the form is optional.
- 02Plan the next cycle
Before the timer starts, write a specific target and the first concrete step. “Work on the proposal” drifts; “draft the problem and scope sections” finishes.
- 03Work the timer
Stay with that one target until the timer ends. When a distraction pulls at you, note it and return — chasing it is how sessions dissolve.
- 04Review in the break
Record what happened, what pulled you away, and what you'd change. Honest notes turn into patterns you can act on; skipped notes turn into nothing.
Three habits that make it stick
- Start the first cycle immediately, even if it's a throwaway. Waiting for the perfect moment is the most expensive habit there is.
- Budget more cycles than you think you need. Almost everyone underestimates; a buffer cycle costs nothing if unused.
- Answer the review honestly, including "nothing pulled me away". Silence teaches the app — and you — nothing.
Inspired by the Work Cycles method created by Sebastian Marshall at Ultraworking. Compound Cycles is an independent product, not affiliated with or endorsed by either.