In the age of APIs and integrations, as Twitter goes backwards and shuts down one API after the other in a awkward attempt to monetise, other companies improve by connecting with third-party services which can improve both sides. One of my favourite productivity tools has added new integrations that can help you get more done (I’ve got a window with my “productivity pulse” open on a second screen all day long ;)). If you’re not familiar with it, RescueTime monitors the apps and sites that you use, providing you statistics on where you spend your time. But more importantly, you can configure it to block access to distracting websites according to limits that you set on your self.

With the added you can now both trigger such “FocusTime” session of as well as invoke actions. Examples of triggers that start a new focus session can be
– Receiving an e-mail from an important person
– A Google calendar event (so you can basically pre-schedule your focus time)
– Start of a Harvest timer
– Much more (Zappier and IFTTT connect to dozens of other apps and services)

As for actions you can automatically trigger when a FocusTime session starts, some examples are:
– Silence your phone, including notifications (Android only)
– Set your #Slack presence to ‘away’
– Post a do-not-disturb note to your calendar, group chat, or company social network
– Dim your Philips Hue Lights

Learn more on the RescueTime site

Also published on Medium.