How to Automatically Trigger a Focus Session
There are three ways to start a Focus Session automatically: via a calendar event, via an alert, or via a distraction time limit.
From a calendar event
Add one of these hashtags to the title or description of any calendar event:
- #focustime
- #focus
- #focussession
A Focus Session starts automatically when the event begins and runs for the event's duration. Requires a connected Google or Outlook calendar. Connect your calendar at Account Settings → Calendar Integrations.
💡 This is the simplest automation. Create an event for "Deep Work" on your calendar each morning, add the hashtag, and your sessions run themselves.
From an alert
Go to Goals & Alerts → Alerts tab → + New Alert. Set your threshold, enable Desktop notifications, then set Start Focus Session blocking to your desired session length.
The session fires automatically the moment the alert threshold is crossed. Common setups:
- Start a 30-minute session after spending 30 minutes on Personal/Distracting sites
- Start a 1-hour session after 2 hours of total logged time each morning
- Start a session after using a specific app for too long
Desktop notifications must be enabled for alert-triggered Focus Sessions to begin, and your OS needs to allow notifications from RescueTime. Check your OS notification settings if sessions aren't starting.
From a distraction time limit
Go to Account Settings → Focus Settings and enable Automatic session for distraction limits. Set a threshold; the default is 30 minutes. When your Personal or Distracting time exceeds that limit in a day, a Focus Session starts automatically.
This is a set-and-forget option. You configure it once and it runs every day without needing to create a separate alert.
💡 The distraction limit is a global setting that fires every day. If you want something more targeted, like different thresholds on different days or scoped to specific activities, use an alert instead.