Many great artists, writers, musicians and other creative professionals follow a ritual to produce their best work. It might be a special place they go, the time of day they choose to work, the environment of the room where they create, etc. They find what works for them, and once they do, that becomes their creative ritual. Following their ritual helps them get into the zone to be as productive and effective as possible.
The best students do the same thing when they study or do homework. Some work best in a particular room in their house or even in the local library. Others might listen to music. But like the most effective professionals, they find what works. And when they need to produce their best work, they start by following their ritual.
If you want to do your best work in less time, make one of your goals to find and perfect your own ritual. You might need to experiment to find what works for you. For more on this topic, here’s Cal Newport’s most recent post on what he calls a “depth ritual.”