Here’s what I mean: say you’re at a client meeting discussing a potential project. He’s going over the creative brief with you. You’re asking questions and taking notes. You’re being careful to ensure you understand everything and making a good impression. Typical client meeting stuff. Now in the middle of that meeting, you’re not suddenly going to open your laptop and check your mail, make a quick phone call to a friend and chat about plans for the weekend, or pull out your grocery list and add a few items. That would be ludicrous. The client would think you’re a wacky creative. (You might be, but you don’t want the client to think that!) No, you would give that client meeting your full attention. For those 50 minutes or so, you would let few things, if any, distract you. You’d be “on.”

Now think about the last time you did some work on a client project. Were you “on” for 50 minutes, totally focused and absorbed in the work, not allowing yourself to get distracted in any way? Or did you find yourself occasionally answering the phone, checking e-mail, grabbing a coffee, throwing some laundry in the dryer, or playing a quick game of spider solitaire on your computer?

You could easily double your productivity by doing what you already know how to do: remaining totally focused on one thing and one thing only—the project—for just 50 minutes. This technique is called the 50-minute focus. Here’s how it works:

After 20 minutes, assuming you still plan on working, do another 50-minute focus.

The 50-minute focus technique was developed by my friend, marketing whiz Dean Jackson. The first time I tried it, I was surprised by two things:

And I’m not the only one. Remember Jan, the freelancing mom I told you about earlier? She divides her workday into three 50-minute focus sessions. “It took me a few days before I could focus that long on a project without distracting myself by checking my email or thinking about what to make for dinner. It was as if I had to exercise my 50-minute focus muscle and make it strong. But once I did, I was amazed by how much more productive I became. Interestingly, the work became more enjoyable, too.”

My experience has been similar. Every 50-minute focus I do gives me a quantum leap toward a project finish line. I also like the built-in incentive—that 20-minute break!

Fifty-minute focus sessions are like blocks of superproductive time you can squeeze in anywhere, anytime. I find this technique particularly helpful when I’m tired, under deadline pressure, or just feel unmotivated for some reason. If I’d rather clean my cat’s litter box with a toothbrush than work on a particular client project, I simply decide to do a 50-minute focus. I tell myself, “Hey, that’s less than an hour. I can do that.” Once I get absorbed in the project, my lack of motivation often disappears.

In fact, with just a few exceptions, most of my days are a series of 50-minute focuses and 20-minute breaks. During the breaks, I chip away at the tasks I have pinned (as index cards) to the cork board on my office wall, grab a coffee, or step outside for some fresh air.