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TikTok era, we now have an entire category of apps dedicated to helping you stick to what you’re supposed to be doing.

These apps all work more or less in the same way, giving you a straightforward method of tracking how long you’re spending on a task, and offering some sort of incentive to keep going for the allotted amount of time. Sometimes you get a few extra features as well, like the ability to block access to other apps.

In the interest of trying to write this specific article without switching between browser tabs and apps every two minutes, I gave three of the best focus tools a try. Here’s how they stack up.

Focus Friend

Image may contain Book Publication and Comics

Focus Friend gives you a companion bean to focus with.

Photograph: David Nield

The vibe of Focus Friend is very much a warm and cozy one. When you first set up the app, you get your own personal bean, which you can give a name to. Once you’re through the intro screens, your bean will start knitting—and anytime you pick up your phone after that, the knitting stops.

The idea is that if you stick to the block of time you’ve set, your bean can come up with a variety of knitted creations, which can then be traded for different decorations for your bean’s living space. As you might expect, you can pay for decorations too, and a Pro subscription ($2 a month) means your bean is able to get more creative with its knitting.

It’s up to you how long your focus sessions are, and you have the option of playing some relaxing music, blocking access to other apps, or keeping the screen on while you work or study—and while your bean gets busy doing some knitting. It’s all quite whimsical and easy to set up. You don’t even need to register a user account.

How effective you find Focus Friend really depends on how taken you are by your bean and its knitting projects. At its core the app is really just a stopwatch, though the option to actually block other apps is useful. For me, the extra dollop of cutesy companionship does make a difference, and helps sticking to a task.

Focus Friend for Android and iOS (free or from $2 a month)

Forest

Image may contain Advertisement and Poster

Forest grows virtual trees while you work or study.

Photograph: David Nield

The trick that Forest uses to keep you focused is growing virtual trees inside the app. The longer you stay engaged and able to avoid distractions, the more trees you get—until you have your very own forest on your phone. The app developers have partnered with the nonprofit Trees for the Future to grow millions of actual trees out in the real world too.

#Focus #Timer #Apps #Taskapps,how-to,software,tips,productivity"> These 3 Focus Timer Apps Will Keep You on Taskwhen you’re trying to stay focused on something, there’s no shortage of distractions on your phone, through your web browser, or out the window. And with attention spans crumbling in the TikTok era, we now have an entire category of apps dedicated to helping you stick to what you’re supposed to be doing.These apps all work more or less in the same way, giving you a straightforward method of tracking how long you’re spending on a task, and offering some sort of incentive to keep going for the allotted amount of time. Sometimes you get a few extra features as well, like the ability to block access to other apps.In the interest of trying to write this specific article without switching between browser tabs and apps every two minutes, I gave three of the best focus tools a try. Here’s how they stack up.Focus FriendFocus Friend gives you a companion bean to focus with. Photograph: David NieldThe vibe of Focus Friend is very much a warm and cozy one. When you first set up the app, you get your own personal bean, which you can give a name to. Once you’re through the intro screens, your bean will start knitting—and anytime you pick up your phone after that, the knitting stops.The idea is that if you stick to the block of time you’ve set, your bean can come up with a variety of knitted creations, which can then be traded for different decorations for your bean’s living space. As you might expect, you can pay for decorations too, and a Pro subscription ( a month) means your bean is able to get more creative with its knitting.It’s up to you how long your focus sessions are, and you have the option of playing some relaxing music, blocking access to other apps, or keeping the screen on while you work or study—and while your bean gets busy doing some knitting. It’s all quite whimsical and easy to set up. You don’t even need to register a user account.How effective you find Focus Friend really depends on how taken you are by your bean and its knitting projects. At its core the app is really just a stopwatch, though the option to actually block other apps is useful. For me, the extra dollop of cutesy companionship does make a difference, and helps sticking to a task.Focus Friend for Android and iOS (free or from a month)ForestForest grows virtual trees while you work or study. Photograph: David NieldThe trick that Forest uses to keep you focused is growing virtual trees inside the app. The longer you stay engaged and able to avoid distractions, the more trees you get—until you have your very own forest on your phone. The app developers have partnered with the nonprofit Trees for the Future to grow millions of actual trees out in the real world too.#Focus #Timer #Apps #Taskapps,how-to,software,tips,productivity
Tech-news

TikTok era, we now have an entire category of apps dedicated to helping you stick to what you’re supposed to be doing.

These apps all work more or less in the same way, giving you a straightforward method of tracking how long you’re spending on a task, and offering some sort of incentive to keep going for the allotted amount of time. Sometimes you get a few extra features as well, like the ability to block access to other apps.

In the interest of trying to write this specific article without switching between browser tabs and apps every two minutes, I gave three of the best focus tools a try. Here’s how they stack up.

Focus Friend

Image may contain Book Publication and Comics

Focus Friend gives you a companion bean to focus with.

Photograph: David Nield

The vibe of Focus Friend is very much a warm and cozy one. When you first set up the app, you get your own personal bean, which you can give a name to. Once you’re through the intro screens, your bean will start knitting—and anytime you pick up your phone after that, the knitting stops.

The idea is that if you stick to the block of time you’ve set, your bean can come up with a variety of knitted creations, which can then be traded for different decorations for your bean’s living space. As you might expect, you can pay for decorations too, and a Pro subscription ($2 a month) means your bean is able to get more creative with its knitting.

It’s up to you how long your focus sessions are, and you have the option of playing some relaxing music, blocking access to other apps, or keeping the screen on while you work or study—and while your bean gets busy doing some knitting. It’s all quite whimsical and easy to set up. You don’t even need to register a user account.

How effective you find Focus Friend really depends on how taken you are by your bean and its knitting projects. At its core the app is really just a stopwatch, though the option to actually block other apps is useful. For me, the extra dollop of cutesy companionship does make a difference, and helps sticking to a task.

Focus Friend for Android and iOS (free or from $2 a month)

Forest

Image may contain Advertisement and Poster

Forest grows virtual trees while you work or study.

Photograph: David Nield

The trick that Forest uses to keep you focused is growing virtual trees inside the app. The longer you stay engaged and able to avoid distractions, the more trees you get—until you have your very own forest on your phone. The app developers have partnered with the nonprofit Trees for the Future to grow millions of actual trees out in the real world too.

#Focus #Timer #Apps #Taskapps,how-to,software,tips,productivity">These 3 Focus Timer Apps Will Keep You on Task

when you’re trying to stay focused on something, there’s no shortage of distractions on your phone, through your web browser, or out the window. And with attention spans crumbling in the TikTok era, we now have an entire category of apps dedicated to helping you stick to what you’re supposed to be doing.

These apps all work more or less in the same way, giving you a straightforward method of tracking how long you’re spending on a task, and offering some sort of incentive to keep going for the allotted amount of time. Sometimes you get a few extra features as well, like the ability to block access to other apps.

In the interest of trying to write this specific article without switching between browser tabs and apps every two minutes, I gave three of the best focus tools a try. Here’s how they stack up.

Focus Friend

Image may contain Book Publication and Comics

Focus Friend gives you a companion bean to focus with.

Photograph: David Nield

The vibe of Focus Friend is very much a warm and cozy one. When you first set up the app, you get your own personal bean, which you can give a name to. Once you’re through the intro screens, your bean will start knitting—and anytime you pick up your phone after that, the knitting stops.

The idea is that if you stick to the block of time you’ve set, your bean can come up with a variety of knitted creations, which can then be traded for different decorations for your bean’s living space. As you might expect, you can pay for decorations too, and a Pro subscription ($2 a month) means your bean is able to get more creative with its knitting.

It’s up to you how long your focus sessions are, and you have the option of playing some relaxing music, blocking access to other apps, or keeping the screen on while you work or study—and while your bean gets busy doing some knitting. It’s all quite whimsical and easy to set up. You don’t even need to register a user account.

How effective you find Focus Friend really depends on how taken you are by your bean and its knitting projects. At its core the app is really just a stopwatch, though the option to actually block other apps is useful. For me, the extra dollop of cutesy companionship does make a difference, and helps sticking to a task.

Focus Friend for Android and iOS (free or from $2 a month)

Forest

Image may contain Advertisement and Poster

Forest grows virtual trees while you work or study.

Photograph: David Nield

The trick that Forest uses to keep you focused is growing virtual trees inside the app. The longer you stay engaged and able to avoid distractions, the more trees you get—until you have your very own forest on your phone. The app developers have partnered with the nonprofit Trees for the Future to grow millions of actual trees out in the real world too.

#Focus #Timer #Apps #Taskapps,how-to,software,tips,productivity

when you're trying to stay focused on something, there's no shortage of distractions on your…

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closure of the Strait of Hormuz was taking a high toll on the crews.
International Maritime Organisation secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said that at least 10 seafarers had been killed in 29 attacks on vessels in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran.

In addition, several vessels had been seized and detained in the region in recent days while thousands of seafarers remained trapped in the area, Dominguez said on Friday.

“My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.

“The situation is not improving. I reiterate: there is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Dominguez added: “I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks. Aside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel invisible, that they are not valued. There is much more we need to do.”

#Trapped #Gulf #ship #crews #run #food #water #mental #health #reservesAlphaliner, Donald Trump, Abbas Araghchi, MarineTraffic, Guangdong, Arsenio Dominguez, Steve Witkoff, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, Strait of Hormuz, US, CNOOC Offshore Engineering, Persian Gulf, J.D. Vance, Nanfeng Chuang, Hai Yang Shi You, International Maritime Organisation, United Nations, China, Islamabad, Jared Kushner, Dubai"> Trapped in the Gulf, ship crews run low on food, water – and mental health reservesThe United Nations’ maritime agency has highlighted the plight of seafarers trapped in the Persian Gulf, saying the weeks-long closure of the Strait of Hormuz was taking a high toll on the crews.International Maritime Organisation secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said that at least 10 seafarers had been killed in 29 attacks on vessels in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran.In addition, several vessels had been seized and detained in the region in recent days while thousands of seafarers remained trapped in the area, Dominguez said on Friday.“My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.“The situation is not improving. I reiterate: there is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz.”Dominguez added: “I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks. Aside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel invisible, that they are not valued. There is much more we need to do.”#Trapped #Gulf #ship #crews #run #food #water #mental #health #reservesAlphaliner, Donald Trump, Abbas Araghchi, MarineTraffic, Guangdong, Arsenio Dominguez, Steve Witkoff, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, Strait of Hormuz, US, CNOOC Offshore Engineering, Persian Gulf, J.D. Vance, Nanfeng Chuang, Hai Yang Shi You, International Maritime Organisation, United Nations, China, Islamabad, Jared Kushner, Dubai
World news

closure of the Strait of Hormuz was taking a high toll on the crews.
International Maritime Organisation secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said that at least 10 seafarers had been killed in 29 attacks on vessels in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran.

In addition, several vessels had been seized and detained in the region in recent days while thousands of seafarers remained trapped in the area, Dominguez said on Friday.

“My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.

“The situation is not improving. I reiterate: there is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Dominguez added: “I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks. Aside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel invisible, that they are not valued. There is much more we need to do.”

#Trapped #Gulf #ship #crews #run #food #water #mental #health #reservesAlphaliner, Donald Trump, Abbas Araghchi, MarineTraffic, Guangdong, Arsenio Dominguez, Steve Witkoff, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, Strait of Hormuz, US, CNOOC Offshore Engineering, Persian Gulf, J.D. Vance, Nanfeng Chuang, Hai Yang Shi You, International Maritime Organisation, United Nations, China, Islamabad, Jared Kushner, Dubai">Trapped in the Gulf, ship crews run low on food, water – and mental health reserves
The United Nations’ maritime agency has highlighted the plight of seafarers trapped in the Persian Gulf, saying the weeks-long closure of the Strait of Hormuz was taking a high toll on the crews.
International Maritime Organisation secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said that at least 10 seafarers had been killed in 29 attacks on vessels in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran.

In addition, several vessels had been seized and detained in the region in recent days while thousands of seafarers remained trapped in the area, Dominguez said on Friday.

“My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.

“The situation is not improving. I reiterate: there is no safe transit anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Dominguez added: “I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in the Persian Gulf for more than six weeks. Aside from the exhaustion and toll on mental health of the crews, they feel invisible, that they are not valued. There is much more we need to do.”

#Trapped #Gulf #ship #crews #run #food #water #mental #health #reservesAlphaliner, Donald Trump, Abbas Araghchi, MarineTraffic, Guangdong, Arsenio Dominguez, Steve Witkoff, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, Strait of Hormuz, US, CNOOC Offshore Engineering, Persian Gulf, J.D. Vance, Nanfeng Chuang, Hai Yang Shi You, International Maritime Organisation, United Nations, China, Islamabad, Jared Kushner, Dubai

The United Nations’ maritime agency has highlighted the plight of seafarers trapped in the Persian…