How many focus sessions should I aim for per day?

2–4 quality focus sessions per day is realistic for most knowledge workers. More than 4 typically indicates sessions are shorter or lower-intensity than optimal. Quality and intentionality matter more than count.

What do I do when a focus session gets interrupted?

Log the session up to the interruption point, note the interruption source (meeting, message, visitor), and decide whether to continue after the interruption or reschedule. Tracking interruption sources over time reveals the most costly attention thieves.

Should I use a timer during focus sessions?

Many people find timers helpful for session boundaries — they remove the urge to check how much time is left. A simple kitchen timer or phone timer works. today tracks session duration from start to stop without displaying a countdown, keeping the interface clean.

Is working in focus sessions the same as the Pomodoro Technique?

Pomodoro is a specific protocol (25 minutes work, 5 minutes break, 4 cycles then a longer break). Focus sessions are more flexible — you define the duration based on the task. Pomodoro is one way to run focus sessions, not the only way.

Focus sessions: how to structure concentrated work periods that actually produce results

A focus session is a structured period of concentrated work with a clear task, defined duration, and outcome review. Learn how to run them effectively.

What is a focus session?

A focus session is a defined period of concentrated work with three key properties: a clear task statement before starting, a committed duration, and a review of results when done. Unlike simply 'working,' a focus session begins with intention and ends with assessment. The task statement can be brief ('draft section 3 of the spec') but must be specific enough to evaluate completion. The duration can range from 25 minutes to 2 hours depending on the task and your capacity. The review — even just a 60-second mental note of what was accomplished — closes the loop and generates data for better future planning.

The anatomy of an effective focus session

A well-structured focus session has four phases: setup (2–5 minutes), concentrated work (25–90 minutes), wind-down (5 minutes), and review (2–3 minutes). Setup involves clearing your environment, stating the task aloud or in writing, and closing distracting apps. Concentrated work is the session itself — distraction-free. Wind-down is finishing the current thought or saving state, not starting something new. Review answers: what did I complete, was it connected to my main goal today, and did it help? This structure adds roughly 10 minutes to every session in overhead but dramatically improves both completion quality and future planning accuracy.

How to choose the right duration for a focus session

Duration should match the cognitive load of the task, not a fixed interval. Creative ideation or complex analytical work benefits from 60–90 minute sessions — long enough to overcome the initial friction of deep engagement. Editing, reviewing, or administrative work can be effective in 25–40 minute sessions. The Pomodoro Technique's 25-minute default is often too short for deep cognitive work but useful for overcoming procrastination on tasks you're avoiding. Your personal data is the best guide: track how long your sessions run and compare that to how useful you rated them. The pattern tells you your personal optimal session range.

Linking focus sessions to daily outcomes

A focus session without a connection to your most important daily work is time spent, not time invested. The practice of linking sessions to a daily outcome — asking 'does this session serve my main goal today?' before starting — is a simple filter that prevents hours of high-energy work from going toward low-priority tasks. In today, every focus session has an outcome-linked toggle. Over a week, the ratio of outcome-linked to non-linked sessions is a real-time measure of your strategic focus — how much of your concentrated time is pointed at what actually matters versus what just feels productive.

Frequently asked questions