Be Focused Pro - Focus Timer 4+

I use this with Focus Matrix, a companion app that organizes you to-do list into one of four cateogories: important and urgent, important and not urgent, not important and urgent, and not important and not urgent.

As a grad student responsible for more work than could possibly be asked of a human, some of which is busy-work and some of which actually forwards one's progress toward exiting the program, it is helpful to organize one's workflow this way. Also, as a grad student you have very unstructured time. It's important to dedicate time to sitting down and working without distractions as there is rarely anyone looking over your shoulder or any work card to punch in or out of. You just have to sit down and do things, and what you work on is your choice. It really helps to have the focus matrix there to help you remember which tasks are worth spending your time on, and which ones are worth letting go. The Be Focused app helps you actually sit down and get the work done because you know that if you sit down and catch flow, you can off-load the responsibility of deciding when or not to futz around on facebook onto the Be Focused app.

There are lots of apps that try to of these kind of things, but Be Focused Focus Matrix seems to be the most efficient and well-put-together execution IMO.

I like the way this app works (Mac OS), and how it tucks away neatly while you're working. It's easy to set up and easy to use. I do wish I could edit intervals on the fly, though. I'm a busy mom with several types of work on my plate every day. Sometimes I'm setting out to work on something (writing specifically) based on the amount of time I have available, rather than an ideal schedule of X intervals of X minutes each. I have an ideal schedule set up in the app - e.g., 8 intervals of 20 minutes each - but more than half the time that's not how my day looks. If I sit down with 18 minutes to work, or 35, I can't edit the interval for a one-time session without going into settings and modifying the entire schedule, which I then have to change again next time. It would be nice to have a default schedule in settings, but be able to modify the length of the current interval on the fly. Also, if I work for 18 out of 20 minutes and have to stop, it won't record that interval correctly. The only options are to let it run to 20 or "skip" entirely, so I can't get an accurate accounting of my time later. (I sometimes track my words written per hour in a spreadsheet, so the little differences matter there.)

Overall, great product, but for my needs I'd love some adjustments!

Be Focused has helped me out tremendously at work. With tasks like emailing it helps to have a Pomodoro Timer app in order to let me know when I'm done. Otherwise I can spend too long emailing and neglect other duties.

The app also helps me with completing documentation. I have 2 kinds of documentation, 4-6 short notes every day and treatment planning which has to be reviewed & renewed every few months. If I have short notes that are overdue, I might do 2 intervals rather than the typical 1 interval on a given day. In this way, I stay on track with the never-ending pile of paperwork.

Be Focus app and similar will NOT work if you drift off topic! You must stay on the task you identified for the interval you are on. As someone with ADHD, this was not easy first. But it got easier with practice. You may want to block the use of certain distracting websites to help you stay on task.