Do you ever have trouble staying focused on your work and being productive? I know I certainly do given the ungodly amount of distractions that are vying for my attention these days… Facebook, Twitter, Email, Reddit, IM… These services are great, but getting stuff done can be hard when they’re one click away.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to quickly create your ideal work environment on your computer by limiting these time-sucking distractions?
In the real world, it’s easy to close the door or put on some headphones. But blocking out distractions on a computer is much, much harder. We socialize and entertain ourselves on the same computers where we work, so separating the two often feels impossible.
But, if you’re ready to harness your attention and take your productivity to the next level, then this month’s sugg-jess-tion is for you.
sugg-jess-tion #8: Focus App
Focus is a Mac app that blocks distracting websites on all browsers. When a distracting website is blocked, a motivational quote is shown to get you back on track and improve your productivity. Dozens of inspiring quotes are provided, but what motives you might be different than what motivates me, so you can also customize the message. Focus allows you to schedule blocks of productivity during the day when you know you need to get work done, or you can choose to use the standard Pomodoro Timer to break down work into smaller intervals and improve mental agility. If you need a break, you can build those in too. Even if you’re a professional procrastinator, fear not. You can simply engage “hardcore mode” which enforces Pomodoro Timers and Schedules—meaning once they start, they have to finish. During this period, preferences and certain actions (like adding websites with Drag and Drop) are disabled. Focus also offers password protected preferences, so you can’t go in and change the preferences while the program is running. (?? This is great for parental controls!) Check out heyfocus.com to download a trial today!
