Setting smartphone screen time boundaries can be a struggle. But there are an increasing number of apps and tools to help—including the Focus mode feature that comes built right into iOS.
The idea is you set up different iPhone Focus modes for different scenarios: one for the office, one for driving, and one for home maybe. Each mode sets down certain rules about how notifications are handled, and how many distractions are allowed through.
Your iPhone can then switch between these various modes as needed, making sure you stay connected as much as needed, without missing anything important that’s happening on your smartphone.
These Focus modes are simple to set up, can be extensively customized, and have the potential to be more helpful than you might think when it comes to reducing the amount of attention you give to your phone.
Setting up iPhone Focus modes
Head to Focus from the main iOS Settings menu, and you’ll see some modes already listed, covering standard scenarios: Driving, Fitness, Sleep, and Work, for example. There’s also the traditional Do Not Disturb mode, which the Focus feature builds on top of—you can just stick to one of these modes, or make use of several of them.
[Related: How your daily screen time affects your wellbeing]
Tap on any mode to make changes to it. The two main settings you’ll find cover the contacts who are able to get in touch with you while the mode is active, and the apps that can still send notifications. Tap Options underneath to change how silenced notifications are handled—they can still prompt notification badges and lock screen alerts, if needed.
There are more settings for the Focus mode further down the page. You can choose specific lock screen and home screen layouts to apply when the mode is active, giving you the opportunity to hide certain apps and shortcuts away from view in specific scenarios…
Read the full article here