App: Focusito: flex pomodoro timer
Developer: VLADYSLAV GOROKHOVSKYI
Genres: Productivity, Education

Focusito is an app for those who find it hard to concentrate in a noisy environment: office workers, students and freelancers. It makes it easier to focus on one task and to avoid burnout.

Focusito combines two techniques: noise blocking and interval work (pomodoro timer). Noise block helps to eliminate external concentration killers — background noise and conversations. Interval work — to remain focused and avoid overworking the brain.


EXTERNAL NOISE: WHY PEOPLE WORK IN HEADPHONES

Research shows that only hearing other people talk reduces a person’s productivity by 66%. Noise and people talking are an integral part of public places — offices, coffee shops, coworking spaces and dorms. To be able to work or study in such places people put on headphones and listen to their favourite music.

The purpose of music here is to mask external noise and conversations without being distracting or annoying. There are two types of sounds most suitable for this purpose: nature sounds and β-rhythms.

Nature sounds. These are the ones occurring in nature: sound of waves, rain or leaves rustling. They are monotone and predictable, easy for the brain to «filter» and stop paying attention to.

Binaural beats (β-rhythm). A sound of a specific frequency corresponding to the brain’s electroencephalogram (EEG) during intellectual work. It is believed that listening to β-rhythms in headphones helps the brain to focus and enter a flow state faster.

Binaural rhythm is a variation of white noise with a continuous pulsation effect, which is perfect for noise masking. It sounds unusual so it’s convenient to use when forming a healthy habit. The brain gets used to concentrating to a binaural rhythm and once it hears it, it enters the necessary state. A conditioned response is thus formed.


INTERVAL WORK: WHY POMODORO TECHNIQUE IS POPULAR

The idea of interval work is to take short breaks. They allow the brain to distance from the task for a while and not to lose interest. If you work on a task for a long time, the brain loses focus and starts to «sabotage» the task at hand.

It is the brain’s natural defense mechanism. It avoids overworking the following way: if it’s focused on an object for a long time, it just starts ignoring it and the focus shifts. To prevent this from happening, all you need to do is take two short breaks each working hour.


WHAT’S COOL ABOUT USING FOCUSITO

Interval work isn’t very effective if you’re distracted by external noise and conversations. In such environment the interval work technique might not do the trick and you won’t be able to get into the zone. As a result, the habit is not being formed and people give up on the system.

The masking background sounds are good at blocking external noise. But you can spend the whole day in sound isolation and still do nothing since you lack internal motivation. Blocking sounds and conversations doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to focus on the task.

The cool thing is to combine the two techniques. The sounds help to eliminate external concentration killers — noise and conversations. The interval work — to maintain the focus and not overwork the brain. These techniques complement each other well and compensate for one another’s disadvantages.


USE FOCUSITO IF:

• you are distracted by external noise and conversations
you procrastinate and find it hard to focus;
• the task’s not interesting and you don’t want to get started with it;
• you overwork and are prone to burnout. 


FEATURES

• Interval timer with intervals of up to 5 minutes;
• 9 kinds of sounds to mask the external noise;
• Binaural rhythm to enter flow state faster;
• Daily interval goals;
• Worktime iCloud synchronisation;
• Past tasks log (coming soon);
• Statistics (coming soon);
• Saving the timer and sound settings as presets (coming soon).

————
The app is still being developed. If you have any suggestions or you run into a problem, contact me at:
◆ vlad.gorohovsky@macosworld.ru
◆ twitter.com/focusitoapp

Release notes:
• Fixed: Focusito no more restarts with a blank window; 
• We added the button «Unlock Focusito Pro» under the list of sounds and on the statistics screen. Now you can support us with one click :) 
• Small UI tweaks. 

You can always contact us by email: vlad.gorohovsky@macosworld.ru

Vlad and Sergey.