4 Android Features to Help Avoid Distractions at Work

If your typical day is filled with notifications from various apps and you are looking for ways to deal with this constant stream of distractions, then don't miss this article. Here are some Android features that can be used to stay focused during work hours.

1. Do Not Disturb to block unwanted notifications

Android's Do Not Disturb feature is one solution to avoid distractions while working. This mode blocks all notifications from distracting apps. You can also choose who will ignore restrictions when enabled.

To set up Do Not Disturb, follow these steps:

• Open Settings > Sound & vibration and select Do Not Disturb .
• Tap People and select Messages or Calls . On the next page, fine-tune whose messages or calls can show up when Do Not Disturb is on.
• Next, select Apps and tap Add Apps . You'll see a list of all your installed apps. Select an app and the types of notifications you want to receive from that app when Do Not Disturb is turned on.

For apps, only allow notifications from financial services and work-related apps. Finally, for Alarms & other interruptions , only allow alarms, reminders, and calendar events.

2. Timer to limit usage per app

Another handy feature to avoid distractions is the app timer. This is one of Android's Digital Wellbeing tools that helps you control your screen time. Setting an app timer will help you track your phone usage by deciding how much time you want to spend on each app each day.

To set an app timer on Android, follow these steps:

• Open Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Dashboard .
• Select the app you want to set a timer for. Tap Show all X apps to see all apps if you can't see the target app.
• On the next page, tap App timer . Then, from the window that appears, select the maximum time limit for the selected app. Swipe up or down to adjust the timer.
• Click OK when finished to save your changes. A confirmation pop-up will appear at the bottom.

With that setting, Android will send you a warning a minute before your limit is up. Once the timer is up, your phone will pause the app for the rest of the day (the timer resets at midnight). Knowing that you’ve spent X amount of time scrolling through social media or watching YouTube videos will help you avoid wasting the rest of your day.

3. Focus Mode to pause notifications from distracting apps

Focus Mode is a built-in Android feature that's perfect for when you want to focus on a task at hand. It's an alternative approach to Do Not Disturb, allowing you to decide which apps to block. Use Focus Mode to pause notifications from apps you find distracting.

The best part about Focus Mode is that it allows you to automatically schedule when your phone turns it on or off. You can also use the schedule option to decide which days of the week you want to use it. Here's how to turn on Focus Mode:

• Open the Settings app.
• Navigate to Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Focus mode .
• Select the apps you find distracting by tapping them from the list.
• Once done, tap Turn on now to enable Focus Mode.

All of this is simple, but it is possible to set a schedule to automate the process. First, click Set a schedule , then on the next page, select the appropriate Start and End times . Then, select the days of the week that the schedule will run. Click Set to save.

You won't need to manually tinker with Focus Mode in the future. It will automatically turn on and off at set times.

4. Grayscale Mode makes using your phone less enjoyable

Grayscale Mode is a feature that strips all colors from your Android phone, making everything appear in black and white. This not only helps avoid distractions, but also helps curb smartphone addiction in general. It makes the device less enjoyable and can help you avoid wasting time.

Follow these steps to enable Grayscale Mode on your Android phone:

• Open the Settings app and select Accessibility > Color and motion .
• Tap Color correction , then turn on Use color correction .
• Select Grayscale from the options.

Doing so will turn everything on the screen black and white. At the end of the work day, just turn off Use color correction to get all the colors back.

Smartphones are convenient tools in the modern era, but one of their downsides is that they can often be distracting. Luckily, you can combat this problem by using a variety of built-in features to help you focus when you need to.

Android offers Do Not Disturb mode, app timer, Focus Mode, and Grayscale Mode that can be used daily to help limit distractions when you need to focus. You can also take advantage of these features to reduce distractions at work.