How I Build in 90-Minute Sprints

Most builders either plan too big or drift without structure. For a long time, I was doing both. I’d write a huge roadmap, jump between ideas, and make progress everywhere and nowhere at once.

The thing that finally gave me momentum wasn’t a new tool.
It was a shift in mindset:

Work in 90-minute sprints.
Small enough to finish. Big enough to matter.

This simple habit, when paired with clear sprint specs, became the core of how I run Three Eagles Forge Studio and how I collaborate with AI tools like ChatGPT without losing context or direction.

Why 90 Minutes?

Ninety minutes is a sweet spot. Long enough to complete a self-contained deliverable, short enough that I don’t dread starting. It’s also roughly the limit of deep focus before attention drops off.

But the real power is psychological:

A 90-minute sprint is easy to begin.
It’s short enough that failure doesn’t sting.
It’s long enough that success compounds quickly.
And it creates a natural cadence—plan, build, reflect, pause—that prevents burnout.

I stopped thinking in terms of days or weeks and started thinking in terms of sessions.

Macro vs. Micro Sprints

To stay organized across multiple projects, I split work into two levels:

Macro Sprints (1–2 weeks)

A macro sprint covers a domain of work. It could be a major new feature for the website, or even a business obective, like customer outreach. It’s the “theme” for the week or two.

Micro Sprints (90 minutes)

A micro sprint is the atomic unit. One focused task. One deliverable. A single problem solved.

I keep my macros in a simple roadmap, then break them into micro-level tasks with clear acceptance criteria. If I ever need to pause a macro sprint, I can return later without losing the thread. The structure keeps everything recoverable. I can also run multiple Macro sprints in parrallel by focusing on completing a micro sprint before switching focus, I ensure clean handoffs.

How I Work With ChatGPT

This is where the system shines.

I start each micro sprint with a small spec:

Objective
Deliverables
Tasks
File paths (if needed)

That spec becomes the memory for the sprint.
It’s the anchor that prevents drift, both for me and for ChatGPT.

A typical 90-minute sprint rhythm looks like this:

Write the spec (2–5 minutes)
Ask ChatGPT to break it into a tasklist
Build alongside the generated steps
Validate the output against the spec
Commit and close

If the conversation derails or hallucinations creep in, I reset with:

“Here’s the sprint spec again. Stay within this scope.”

The spec keeps things tight. It significantly reduces mistakes, drift, and wasted time. It creates a durable loop: clarify → build → verify.

Tools & Rituals That Make It Work

This system stays light on purpose.

A timer (90 minutes, no pauses)
One sprint = one Git commit
A small TODO block inside the spec
A ritual of closing with: “What did I learn? What’s next?”

These micro habits create stability even when everything else feels chaotic. It enables me to easily manage multiple projects with shifting priorities.

The Benefits I’ve Seen

After months of running 3EF this way, a few things became clear:

Momentum compounds fast.
Even one micro sprint per night moves a project meaningfully forward.
Context switching becomes manageable.
Each project has a spec trail; nothing is ever “lost” when I return.
AI collaboration feels structured instead of noisy.
ChatGPT becomes a teammate inside a well-defined box.
Burnout drops.
Ninety minutes is sustainable even on hard days.

You can ship something meaningful every night.
That’s all momentum really needs.

You can see it in action within the Forge where you can see the sprints i have planned and the commits i have made. It shows real time how this studio works and the momentum it builds.

Try It Yourself

If you want to try this approach, start small:

Pick one thing you can reasonably finish in 90 minutes.
Write a short spec with a clear objective.
Set a timer.
Work until done—no multitasking.
Close with a quick reflection.

You don’t need a complex system.
You just need clear boundaries and a consistent rhythm.

If you try a 90-minute sprint, let me know how it goes.
It’s a simple habit that’s made a big difference for me—and it might help you ship more, with less stress, one focused block at a time.