As someone with mild to moderate focusing problems (tbh, this blog post is basically procrasti-blogging other tasks I need to do), it’s sometimes hard for me to focus on tasks like reading and writing for extended periods of time. ChromeOS’ new feature, Focus, aims to help just that. Focus is now a timer in your taskbar that silences notifications and other distractions in chunks (edit: excuse me, intervals) of 25 minutes, letting you specify one task to focus on. You can also pair each task with a different ambient sound (nature, waves, and ambient white noise).
Those of you familiar with the Pomodoro Method will automatically recognize this interval as the one recommended for optimal focus. For every 25 minute interval (one pomodoro), you should take a five-minute break. After four pomodoros, you should take a 30-minute break. While there aren’t any direct research studies about the Pomodoro Method specifically, as an educator I know that shorter periods of focused activity are likely to be more productive than a purgatorial 4-hour study session.
Another tip I recommend for focusing is turning web apps into PWAs: into their own standalone window. It’s less tempting to go to distracting tabs when your web app (such as Google Docs or Microsoft 365) is open in its own window, much like focus-oriented word processors.
The feature is automatically integrated into the OS with the latest update.
Resources:
Book on Amazon: The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time Management System That Has Transformed How We Work
FTC disclosure: The above resource is an Amazon affiliate link, which earns the blog a small commission (at no extra cost to you) for any purchase made through the link.
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