These apps claim to increase productivity. Research says this

It’s hard to argue that we live in an age of distraction smartphone addiction. Our phones interrupt us, hijack our attention, and tempt us to scroll. Even if we don’t interact with them, their presence can make it difficult to focus.

To solve this problem, app developers have responded tremendously Productivity and focus appseach promising to quell chaos with timers, app blocking, habit reminders, and rewards designed to help you stay focused and be more productive.

To understand whether these apps are worth using, we first need to consider why staying focused is so difficult.

Why is staying focused so difficult?

Overall, lacking focus It comes down to difficulties with self-regulation, the ability to monitor and manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to pursue goals.

Simply put, when a task feels boring, stressful, or boring, it creates an unpleasant feeling. We then seek relief, and for most of us that comes through our smartphones, which have become our go-to coping tool, even if it undermines the work we need to do.

In recent years, there have been many claims that our ability to focus has declined, although this is not supported by the scientific literature.

However, research does show that certain technology habits (particularly multitasking and constant digital distractions) are associated with some people being more likely to be distracted. In other words, while our ability to focus may not have declined, the modern world places greater demands on it.

The rise of focus apps

To meet these needs, a new generation of focus applications has emerged. productivity scene. These apps use gamification (the application of game design elements in non-game settings) and lovable characters to encourage focused work.

The most important of these is Focus Friend, which once replaced ChatGPT as the most downloaded application in the first month of its release on the App Store in August this year.

The app works by encouraging you to set focus timers. During that session, a virtual bean character quietly weaved in the background. If you pick up your phone and open an app that’s pre-selected as prohibited, the knitting will fall apart and the beans will look disturbed. If you stick to the task, your bean will earn numerical rewards such as socks, scarves, and room decorations.

How does it help you focus?

In addition to the usual gamification techniques, this app also uses some psychological principles.

First, it uses incentives to give you instant, tangible rewards – knitted items and room upgrades – as you complete focus sessions.

Next, it utilizes reward substitution by having you do a potentially unpleasant thing (deep work) to get something immediately enjoyable (seeing the bean’s world improve).

About the author

The app also inspires commitment and consistency. Simply starting a timer is like making a small commitment to yourself, and once a commitment is made, we often want to maintain consistent behavior by maintaining continuity and avoiding behaviors that will disrupt that session.

Over time, decorating a room with beans activates the IKEA effect. That said, we value the things we help build more, so the more you customize and invest in your space, the more motivated you are to protect it with continued attention.

Do focus apps really help?

There are few studies examining the effectiveness of focus applications. A study examining a range of apps that reduce phone use found that gamification-focused apps, while scoring high on user mood, were rarely used and were less effective than simple strategies like switching the phone to grayscale mode.

While there are no peer-reviewed studies specifically focusing on Focus Friend, its high App Store rating and numerous articles from enthusiastic users suggest that people enjoy using it. However, enjoyment alone does not correlate with increased concentration or productivity.

How to use focus apps wisely

Do you have an automatic and uncontrollable urge to check your phone while at work? If so, you can try using the focus app.

Practical steps include scheduling specific focus sessions using the application and selecting clearly defined tasks. Additionally, when you feel the urge to check your phone during a meeting, take note of that feeling and remind yourself that discomfort is part of getting important things done.

Finally, after a week of use, review your experience to see if the app has actually helped you make progress. Ask: “Is this serving me, or am I serving it?”

Be sure to watch out for traps. Apps like Focus Friend don’t evaluate the quality of your work, so you can spend your focused time on low-value tasks. It’s also fairly easy to spoof apps using your phone’s settings.

Perhaps most importantly, remember that while a focus app can help you resist checking your phone, it can’t address the inner forces that distract you. The key to better focus may be diagnosis, not downloading—that is, learning to notice how you feel, choosing how you want to respond, and committing to focusing on what matters.