2020 has been a rough year for most of us. The concept of routine became inane and it became tough to stay laser-focused at getting things done. As we hopefully enter 2021 – a new year, it is essential to make a difference in lifestyle to stay productive. If you often find yourself procrastinating at work or during your study sessions, here’s a list of apps that could help you regain focus and concentrate on tasks that matter the most at the moment.
We’ve compiled the list focusing on both mobile platforms and desktop platforms. In addition, the article includes a few practical tips that may come in handy when you’re trying to stay productive. You can use the table of contents button below to easily navigate between sections.
- What exactly is a focus app?
- Apps for Focusing on Android and iPhone
- Apps for Focusing on Windows and Mac
- Tips for Focusing Without Apps
What exactly is a focus app?
A focus app is an app that helps you eliminate distractions. It serves as a tool to help you prioritize tasks so that you get work done instead of mindlessly scrolling through the internet. Based on the name, one must not confuse focus apps with meditation apps or habit tracking apps. While a meditation app is to deal with mental health issues and relax your body & mind, a focus app is for those times when the situation demands a burst of productivity.
1. Forest
Forest is a great app that guilts your way to productivity, especially if you’re someone who cares about nature and the environment. In the app, you’re supposed to plant a tree and make sure it doesn’t die. The tree dies if you switch to another app and you will get a warning screen urging you to switch back when you enter a distracting app.
Pricing: Free with in-app purchases on Android, $1.99 with in-app purchases on iOS
Engross is a productivity app inspired by Francesco Cirillo’s pomodoro technique. The app lets you set work timers and break timers, manage a to-do list, and create/manage events with its built-in planner. You even have the option to break down work and break times into sessions for better management. One unique aspect of Engross is in the way it handles accountability.
Download Engross (Android, iOS)
Focus To-Do is another app that helps you with task management. With Focus To-Do, you can set focus timers starting from 1 minute to 480 minutes. The app has built-in white noises such as tic-tac, countdown, wind with crickets, rain, cage, library, to name a few.
4. Focus Keeper
If you want a simple Pomodoro app with the sole purpose of increasing your work productivity with work and break sessions, Focus Keeper is what you should be looking at. It has a satisfying clock ticking sound during your work session and you are treated with a bell sound to indicate that the work time has ended.
Focus mode and Screen time are two underrated features on both iPhones and Android devices. While these are not apps that you download from Play Store or App Store, these built-in digital wellbeing features offer the basics of what all the other apps are capable of. You can set daily app timers to lock yourself out once you exhaust the time limit. Moreover, you can view a visual representation of the apps you use the most and track your usage habits.
6. Freedom
Freedom is a must-have productivity app on your Mac and Windows machine. You can use Freedom to play ambient sound, block websites, apps, or even block internet access with the click of a button. You can also set blocklists of select websites and apps or add exceptions to useful websites. With Freedom’s premium feature – advanced scheduling, you can schedule a future session that starts automatically. There’s an option to create recurring sessions too. Thanks to the cross-platform nature of Freedom, you can use the app across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS (via browser extension).
Download Freedom (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chrome extension)
Serene is a visually pleasing app to avoid distractions. The macOS app can block websites and apps. You also get additional features such as a day planner, to-do list, and focus music. Although the app is exclusive to macOS, the developers have revealed that a Windows app is on its way. Meanwhile, you can utilize Serene’s browser extensions available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox to block distracting websites.
8. Mindful Browsing
Mindful Browsing is a simple yet useful browser extension to stay away from distracting websites. Unlike Serene that takes a stern approach, Mindful Browsing asks if you really want to visit a distracting website. You can either choose to use the website for 10 minutes or close it. In addition, you can add a productive task to get reminded of it. You should check this out if you want a gentle reminder to focus on your work.
LeechBlock is yet another browser extension to block websites, but it is highly customizable. You can define a total of six sets of blocked websites and choose when to block them. Interestingly, there’s an option to apply a filter (blur, grayscale, invert, sepia) to make the page less appealing instead of entirely locking it. The developers have also added a setting to close the tab instead of blocking the page.
Last, but certainly not least, we have Pomodoro Timer, a web app offering from Francesco Cirillo, the creator of Pomodoro technique. All you have to do is create a new activity along with its description on the website and click on the Wind Up button. Once you have completed a session, you can take 2, 5, 15, or 30-minute breaks.
Use Pomodoro Timer (Web App)
Now that you know all these apps, let’s discuss a few tips to stay focused even without apps. One habit I personally found to be effective is to log out after you use an addictive platform. The idea is to increase friction in the process so that you will have to put in that extra effort to use it. By introducing an additional step, you’re less likely to jump right back in. While you’re at it, I would highly recommend you set up two-factor authentication for the platform. This not only makes the login process lengthy but also offers an additional layer of security to your account.
Q. Why is my mind so distracted?
Your mind tends to get distracted when it is preoccupied with thoughts. You can take a step back and analyze your behavior and actions to regain control. If you’re preparing for an exam, you can follow evidence-based techniques such as spaced repetition, Mnemonic peg system, or Feynman technique to prepare better.
Q. What causes lack of focus at work?
One may lose focus at work if the task in question is either boring or has too much workload/pressure. An overwhelmed mind may end up skipping all the assigned tasks. If the issue is out of control, a prolonged lack of focus can be a symptom of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
People suffering from anxiety disorders usually have trouble staying concentrated. The best ways to deal with anxiety issues are seeking professional help and making positive lifestyle changes.
Thanks to social media and easy access to smartphones, the average attention span has dropped significantly over the years. You can read without losing focus by cutting down distractions, picking a topic that interests you, and taking occasional breaks.
You can use apps like Forest and Freedom to lock yourself out of distracting apps.
You can become more productive at work by prioritizing tasks based on urgency using techniques like Eisenhower Matrix, eliminating distractions, and following the Pareto principle (80/20 rule).
