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Google’s new feature helps you avoid distractions on your Android device
If you’re anything like the majority of smartphone users, you know just how addictive and distracting mobile apps can be. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, there are those who just can’t pull themselves away from engaging with these apps. Surely, there are worse things to be addicted to but like anything else, too much of any one thing is not good.
Users, both adults and children, are losing time and focus on their work and personal lives because they are more engaged with their various mobile apps. This is why some tech companies are addressing the issue of how addictive their products can be. So, they are coming up with new ways to help users disengage.
Google’s new Android Focus Mode is designed to do just that. Focus Mode is meant to help you put those addictive apps aside while you tackle the immediate, important tasks at hand. In what follows, we’ll tell you all about the Focus feature and how it can break the user’s addictive habits towards their phones.
What is Focus Mode?
Focus Mode is meant to promote what’s known as Digital Health. First introduced in May, the Focus Mode feature acts sort of like a virtual time lock.
Users can place a timer on specific apps and keep them locked for a certain amount of time throughout the day. Once the timer runs out, Google will automatically unlock each app and allow you to access them again.
The Focus Mode is a branch off of the original Wind Down mode, which is another part of Android’s Wellbeing feature. The overall goal of the Wellbeing feature and its modes is to eliminate distractions and promote a healthier lifestyle when it comes to mobile tech.
Related: 7 signs you’re addicted to your smartphone
How does Focus Mode help?
Google began this Wellbeing feature with the belief that app timers such as the Focus Mode will keep people from overusing and abusing an app 90% of the time. Kids in school and adults at work are becoming increasingly distracted with apps, which is creating a lack of productivity throughout the day.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many others have a tendency to interrupt you with random notifications.
While the Focus mode feature is able to lockout such interruptions from apps that have a live connection with others, the feature allows you to keep certain messaging apps unlocked for emergency purposes. So, you’re never really cut off from open lines of communication with Focus Mode enabled.
How to enable Focus Mode
Focus Mode is not yet available to everyone, so you must sign up to take part in the Digital Wellbeing beta if you want to use the feature. If you already have it installed, follow these five simple steps:
- Open the settings menu via the app drawer or home screen.
- Scroll until you see the Digital Wellbeing pane and tap it.
- From there, select the Focus Mode.
- Choose the apps from the list that you wish to have paused along with the time parameters.
- Tap Turn on Now to enable Focus Mode. Done.
Tags: Android, Facebook, Google, YouTube
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