#I've tried the method of setting a timer or a specific time to get to work and

[muzzlemouths]

hello my fellow executives of dysfunction. how the hell do you get past security

[jez-bez]

"You want to make Daddy happy, don't you?"

Years down the line of Phayu and Rain's relationship and dynamic, it's once again Race Night. Drag City is one of the safe places where they (with Pakin's blessing) can be who they are. It's a safe place to practice their dynamic with plenty of protection from the bodyguards – Chai specifically. While the night started innocently enough, Rain is now bratting too close to the sun – meaning he's one misstep away from Phayu not only putting him to his knees, but down to his elbows in a proper bow. 

Rain being Rain, he purposely ignores Phayu's last warning thinking he's won the evening but unfortunately it earns him floor time. Phayu twisting his arm behind his back, leading him to right next to Phayu's workstation. 

"Knees," Phayu says calmly, too calmly. Continuing with a; "Good boy," when Rain obeys, a smirk still curled around his lips – one that disappears before the sun when Phayu finishes with; "In position, now."

"P'Pha–" swallowing audibly at Phayu eyebrow raise. "Daddy..." 

"Position," Phayu repeats, tone dropping dangerously low.

"Rain is sorry, Daddy," Rain tries. He knows he went too far but the temptation was too great to resist. "Rain will behave." Though he's still not getting in position so Phayu sinks down to sit on his hunches before him. 

"I know you will, baby," he strokes Rain's cheek with the back of his pointer– and middle finger. 

Rain's eyes flutter shut, enjoying the warm caress. 

Phayu's thumb catches on Rain's bottom lip and pulls it down. "Open up," he croons and dips in to press the pad of his thumb to Fon's wet tongue. "I know you can be a good boy," pulling out to smear the wetness over Rain's chin. "And you know Daddy loves you, isn't that right?"

"Uh-huh," Rain breathes, already missing the pressure on his tongue.

"And you want to make Daddy happy, don't you?"

Rain nods in a daze, losing himself in their intense eye contact. 

"Then..." Phayu leans in to whisper in his ear. "Position."

Rain drops flat to his forearms faster than he ever has before. 

"Fifteen minutes," Phayu says and sets a timer. "When it goes off," putting it on the ground before Rain, trusting him to not mess with it. "Daddy will be right over by the bikes," rising to his feet, looming over Rain, "And you'll tell me exactly why you're being punished." 

Rain shudders but nods his understanding to the ground. 

"Good," Phayu says, "Fifteen minutes," and he steps back to continue preparing Pai's bike. 

Halfway through the timer, Pai comes walking up to Phayu's workstation. He whistles a short tune and puts his hands on his hips “So harsh, Yu.”

"Is that so?" Phayu straightens from the bike he was checking over. “Are you questioning my methods? Must I remind you of your lessons?”

"Oh no no, I know your methods work." Pai holds up his hands in surrender. "I've just never seen you punish him in public before. Though I have to admit, he looks beautiful like this."

Phayu hums and crosses his arms, allowing himself to take in the beauty that is Rain's submission. There's only a few minutes left on the timer and his boy is doing so well. Rain's head is dropped between his shoulders and his arms lay flat on the cold asphalt – skin decorated by goosebumps Phayu will make disappear soon enough. He's trembling slightly, muscles sure to be sore from holding the same position for so long – which is why Phayu only set a fifteen minute timer. Any longer and it would cause Rain more physical discomfort than necessary. That's not the point of this punishment – it would also border Rain's limits dangerously. Fifteen minutes is more than enough. "He does, doesn't he?" Phayu croons. – For the usual race attendees, seeing Rain bratting isn't anything new. They're used to his antics, to his taunts and his mischievous giggles, but also his whines when Phayu chides him. 

But they've never seen him be punished before, let alone on his hands and knees, nor seen him crawling over to Phayu when the timer goes off. Obediently telling Phayu his wrongdoings from down on his knees, hands neatly placed on his thighs and looking up at Storm with such honest devotion. 

The usual race attendees know Phayu is a firm and stern man, they know he's not to be messed with and they know that what he says goes. 

But they've never seen him act as caring as he does with Rain. Seeing Phayu cradle Rain to his chest, stroking his hair, whispering in his ear, kissing his cheek. 

Because Drag City is a place where they can safely be who they are.

[erinwantstowrite]

How long does it take you to write a certain amount? If that makes sense…??? Like how many words if u were to guess do u write in an hour/session (depending on if u like have set aside time for writting)

i like to do a 30-5-30-5-30 method (i just call it 30-5) where I write for 30 minutes, take a break for 5 (or sometimes 10 minutes), and continue till i hit a word count that i want for the day. though sometimes i do 40-5-40. my average word count for a 40 minute session is like, 930-1000? i think? i try to limit myself to writing 2000 words a day so i'm not overdoing it (can stress myself out that way), but sometimes i get WAY in the zone and write 4000-5000

but word count doesn't hold a lot of stock in my eyes! it doesn't work this way for everyone nor does it work that way for me every writing session. some days i can only get 300 out of myself because motivation comes in waves. if anyone tries the 30-5 or the 40-5 method, make sure you know what YOUR limits are. my average word count is because i've been working on it for years and I know my own limits!

like, i know how many average words i can type a minute, but that's not what's being measured in the 30-5 method. i take into consideration how much time i need for processing. I need time to think, to review, etc. i don't stop my timer even when i have to pause and think about what i'm doing, because the timer is specifically there so i can take brain breaks. it's important to know your strengths, weaknesses, and the conditions you're working with so you don't overexert yourself

[bookwyrminspiration]

tips for studying/assessments in general? you always seem to do so well in school its admirable hh

I'd love to help! I'm just not sure how useful I can be. I don't know how to say this without sounding like an ass, but it's kinda always come easier to me, so I'm not sure how to pass that on. I can try, though. And of course, everyone learns/works different so just take what's useful (if anything) and leave the rest!

physically written to-do lists. being able to count the number of tasks instead of it being an abstract mountain keeps me from getting so paralyzed, and the act of writing makes it stick better

unintelligible background noise. wordless music, one song looped, music in a language you don't speak. it provides a constant to focus on passively.

put your phone somewhere you can't see it. if I can't see it, I'll forget about it and won't pick it up as much. literally as easy as putting it behind my laptop

related: take a phone break for a day. if you're someone active online like me, it zaps time and energy more than you know. 2 hours into a break day i'm searching for anything to do, which can make completing assignments sound more appealing

have a designated work spot, even if you don't always use it. when I sit down at my desk, it helps mentally transition into work mode. this isn't to say you can't ever work in bed, but if you're starting to lag there, try moving

work with yourself. don't force tactics/routines/etc. that don't work for you. i need 15 minute transitions between scheduled tasks. i've tried to push 10 in the past, and I just end up wasting energy and effort that could've gone to the actual tasks if I wasn't trying to punish myself for how I am

set a timer. sometimes if i'm stuck, I say fuck it. just put 30 minutes on the clock. knowing the end point can help it feel less daunting. I don't have to do everything, i just have to do 30 mins of work

in conjecture: switch between techniques. if I get too used to a method (like the timers), it stops working, so I use another until that one stops working, then come back to the first. you don't need to have one constant system

when asking for feedback, give specifics. it doesn't help if they don't know how to give advice or what you want to know, so say: is my thesis grounded? is my grammar correct? does everything flow? repeat my point back to me so I know if you got what I wanted you to. this is essay specific, so tailor to the assignment

be polite/communicative. both for the sake of being polite, and also forming a positive impression on teachers/classmates so they'll be more willing to be lenient and helpful with you. having a good rapport with teachers has enabled me to chose alternate assignments, skip something, be late without consequence, etc.

I don't know if any of this is helpful, but it's the foundation I personally rely on. If you or anyone has further or more specific questions, I'm more than happy to try and help :)

[author-a-holmes]

okay, you've convinced me to try sprinting lol! I always beat myself up for procrastinating on writing until it's too late in the day and then hating that I can't write for an extended period bc when I actually find the focus/motivation to write it's like 11PM. I think I (partly) procrastinate bc I *know* earlier in the evening I'll be too distracted by other stuff (texts, having to make dinner, wanting to watch a show or other stuff etc) to properly write. But if I only do it in bursts...it may work. Is there a specific app or anything you use or is really just set a timer on your phone and go?

That's exciting! I love watching writers try out new things!

I personally use the "Sprinto Bot" on Discord if you have your own server you can add it to, but literally any App or Clock can work for you. Just set the timer for 15, 20, or 25 minutes and just write. And then give yourself a break before doing another one, or call it done for the day if you just want to slide in something, yah know.

(25 minutes working, 5 minute break, is known as the Pomodoro Method, but as I mentioned in the other post I find 25 minutes too long, I start picking up my phone and getting side tracked. On bad days I also find 5 minutes too short a break. So it might take a few tries until you find a specific number combination that works for you)

Ultimately though, it may not work for you at all, but everyone I've talked into trying sprinting has at least found something from it to incorporate into their own specific writing toolset <3

I'm a night owl too, because of earlier in the day distractions, but if I start at 11pm I can usually run a sprint from 11:05-11:25, then have a 10 minute break, and then set another sprint to run between 11:35-11:55. Which nets me 40 minutes of writing a night. And sometimes that's 200 words, sometimes it's 500. On really, really, good nights I can get as many as 900 words in 2 sprints, but I've not been doing that well recently.

Ultimately the number doesn't matter all that much, it's just a way for me to talk myself into doing something. It used to be that I'd go "Urgh, I've only got an hour left? I can't settle into writing and get a good chunk done in that time, I'll leave it until tomorrow" and weeks would go by like that. Literal months Rofl

But if I've got twenty minutes, I can set a timer and do 200 words. It's progress, and I'll take any forward momentum when I'm neck deep in the second act of a manuscript lol!

[haunted-rum-art]

Attempting to Develop a Routine

Between my ADHD, depression, and just general laziness, I've always struggled to keep a routine. I have tried a lot of different routines over the years, but unfortunately, very little of it sticks. Often times, it'll start with me skipping something small. Maybe I'll decide to skip meditating one day, then suddenly I'm skipping it everyday. After that it's like a domino effect. One after another, each habit will fall, then suddenly I'm just sitting on my phone all day, or I'm staying up too late because I'm too restless.

TLDR; start with goals that are more vague, limit your screen time, find some hobbies that don't involve social media.

Because of this, I try to set more vague goals such as getting all of my energy out of my system before 8 pm. I found that having a more vague goal, allows me more freedom to choose how I do that. Maybe one day I'll exercise, and another I'll dedicate to deep cleaning my space. Regardless of what I do, as long as I'm getting my zoomies out of my system before 8 pm, then I'm happy.

So that's a solution for my restlessness, but what about my phone addiction? I like to use a few different methods:

Turn off notifications for anything that isn't necessary. The less notifications that pop up, the less likely I am to get distracted.

Make use of the Screen Time limits on your phone. You can limit the amount time you can use certain apps. I put limits on streaming services, social media, and games. I also have downtime turned on. Downtime can be set on a schedule and will restrict you're access to specific apps. You can customize and choose which apps you can access during this time, and of course phone calls are always accessible with this setting. I set my downtime from 9 pm to 7 am.

There apps that you can download that allow you to set timer locks on your phone to keep you from using it when you're trying to focus. I personally use an app called Plantie. Plantie allows you to choose a timer length for however long you want to focus. If you exit the Plantie app, it will give you 30 seconds to go back before you fail. If you succeed and stay off your phone for the chosen time, you'll get coins. These coins can be used to purchase different plants. You are also able to set a break timer after you complete the focus timer.

Out of sight, out of mind. Put it away in a drawer, a cabinet, a bag, wherever. As long as it's out of sight. Perhaps on the other side of the room or in another room entirely. You can't be distracted by your phone if it takes considerable effort to grab it. Alternatively you can put it in a lock box, but I like to at least keep it somewhat accessible in case of emergency.

What if you get bored? Find some hobbies you enjoy. Preferably ones that don't involve social media. Reading, crafting, drawing/painting, going on walks, playing with your pet(s), playing some games (physical or digital), exercise, watch some TV or movies (you can use the internet for this one).

[rachidvax]

When I was 15, I was introduced to weight training. It transformed my life then, and it keeps doing so now. I really didn't know what I was doing then. I just read a lot of magazines and did exercises that made sense. In an era of college football with most weight rooms either less than one thousand square feet or simply nonexistent, I was one of only a few players to take weight training seriously. As I write this article today in 2015 I can proudly say that as a college player 50 years ago my bench was 405, my squat was 505, and my deadlift was 605. I never took steroids, and my only vice was protein shakes. I have a bachelor's degree and master's degree in kinesiology. My master's thesis was on strength training. I was a head football and swimming coach at the high school level before becoming a clinical and sports psychologist 30 years ago. I never stopped working out. In fact, when we added on to our house, my wife allowed me to turn our old master bedroom into a full weight room complete with bench, squat cage, lat machine, leg extension & curl machine, sit up board, treadmill, 550 pounds of free weights, and dumbbells from 10-70. Our house was the hangout for all our son's teammates. OK, enough background. In my ignorant youth I was working out 3X/week for about 2 ½-3 hours, which included all body parts. Of course, now we know that is overtraining, but no one told me. I just knew I liked the results. Over the years I've tried high reps, super sets, and all the usual workouts. For the most part, they all work if you are consistent. What I can tell you is that at my current age of 68, I can still hold my own in the weight room with men much younger. We all now know that sarcopenia (loss of muscle due to aging) is somewhat inevitable, but it most certainly can be slowed down and delayed by proper workout even in the absence of great amounts of testosterone, as long as protein requirements are met (1.2-1.5 grams/kilo of bodyweight for men and slightly less for women). I stopped doing heavy lifting years ago, but many consider what I lift now to be heavy. Even my teammates from 50 years ago recently made that comment. High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, has been shown to be the most effective and efficient means of achieving good cardio. So after almost a year of experimentation, I combined HIIT with weights. Please understand that Y44 is a method of working out. You can still do whatever exercises you want, split your workouts, etc. The beauty of Y44 is you only have to do one set of the exercise to get excellent results. In fact, doing more is overtraining. I can almost hear the skeptics now, but please be open-minded. I have turned many skeptics into believers. People have been very pleased with the Y44 method. If you are a senior or significantly out of weight training shape, please see your doctor and get her or his approval before you attempt the Y44 (I always emphatically recommend getting a full physical before undertaking any new workout regimen). Yes, it's that intense. This is NOT a beginner's workout. You also need to make sure your kidneys are functioning properly in order to be able to handle the protein. The best results from weight training are when you take a muscle to complete exhaustion. Please keep in mind the protein requirements,otherwise this won't work. Again, keep in mind you can do almost any exercise using the Y44 principle. I say almost because some like flat barbell bench or free bar squats, can not be done this way. If you want to do bench or squats with the Y44 method, a machine is the best choice. For the purpose of explaining the Y44 method I will use dumbbell bench as an example. Again, this is a method. You can continue whatever exercises you want in combination so long as you give at least 72 hours between working out a specific body part. Okay, let's do this. Take whatever weight you can do 8 reps with and cut that in half. As an example, I can comfortably do 8 reps with 100 lbs. dumbbells, so my Y44 set will be with 50's. I set my timer for 4 minutes. I lie down and do as many reps as I can do until I can't move, usually somewhere between 21-25,then I sit up. I take exactly 4 breaths, and go back down and repeat the process. I usually am able to get maybe 7-8 reps. I sit up and take another 4 breaths, and back down, this time maybe getting 3-4 reps. I repeat this process until the timer goes off. 4 minutes, 4 breaths equals Y44. This constitutes one set, and that's all that is needed. It seems far too simple, especially for those who think you need 5-8 sets. Keep in mind, this is weight training, not bodybuilding. This is more on the order of body sculpting. Oh, yes, and if you don't think this involves cardio, track your pulse during the workout. Y44 is a hybrid HIIT. As with all weight training, make sure your form is excellent to avoid injuries. I am not a researcher, so, no, there are no studies versus a control group to point to, and at this point in my career and personal life, I'm just thrilled to get results and share them. I'm happy to let my background speak for itself. I'll let some graduate assistant or doctoral candidate set the whole thing up, record the results, and do all the various statistical analyses. I would be happy to help. Just remember it will take you about a month just to get in shape to really attack the Y44 method. As the old legal disclaimer goes, "Results may vary." By all means email me and tell me I'm crazy. I love to hear all the wonderful results from a fellow crazy. Dr. Yellen is a parent, former educator, and clinical & sports psychologist in private practice. He has appeared nationally television as well as giving commentary on local television and radio stations.

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