Deep work and focus
Time for the work that matters.
The important work keeps losing to small tasks; protect the hours for it and give it your full attention.
Step by step
Protect the hours, then use them.
Decide the one task, give it a block, focus, and recover before the next one.
Step 1: Pick the one task
Plan your day in the morning, and give the deep-work task a time and a duration in quick add.
Read about Quick addQuick addWorkshop thursday 14:00-15:30
- Title
- Workshop
- Due
- Thu 22 Oct
- Time
- 14:00
- Duration
- 1 h 30 min
Step 2: Block the hours
Drag the task into the morning in the week view, before the first meeting. Stretch its bottom edge to the time it needs.
Read about Calendar and time blockingWeekStep 3: Start the timer on the task
Press F on the task to start your default rhythm: Pomodoro, Deep work 50/10, Ultradian 90/20, or Flowtime, which counts up. The timer is the same on every device.
Read about Plan your day and focusFocusStep 4: Take a break that restores
When the session ends, the break suggests one small thing: stretch, rest your eyes, drink water or breathe. Then the next session.
Read about Plan your day and focusBreak
Views to use
Fewer things in view.
Calendar
The hours of the week, with deep work blocked before the meetings.
Focus
One task and a timer, nothing else.
Someday
Ideas parked out of Today until you choose to pick them up.
Tips
Guard your best hours.
- Give tasks you cannot start yet a start date: they stay out of Today until their day.
- Use ⌘K to add or find a task without leaving what you are doing.
- Flowtime suits work where a fixed bell would interrupt: it suggests a break of a fifth of the time worked.
- Look at Focused today at the end of the day to see where the time went.
Features in this workflow.
Plan your day and focus
A morning plan, a focus timer on the task, and breaks that help you recover.
Calendar and time blocking
Drag tasks into the week, next to the meetings from your other calendars.
Keyboard and command palette
A shortcut for everything and ⌘K for the rest.
Tasks and lists
Inbox, Today, Upcoming, Someday and the Logbook, with subtasks and priorities.
Questions and answers
Which focus rhythms are there?
Pomodoro 25/5 with a longer break after four, Deep work 50/10, Ultradian 90/20, and Flowtime, which counts up and suggests a break that fits the time worked.
Can I see how long I focused?
Yes. thisflow shows how long you focused today and on which tasks the time went.
Does the timer follow me to my phone?
Yes. The running timer is synced, so every device you are signed in on shows the same session.
Does thisflow block other apps?
No. It keeps one task and a timer in front of you; it does not block apps or websites.
Protect tomorrow morning.
Create an account, block two hours in the calendar and press F.