16 tools for a more focused workday

This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Now that fall is here, my focus has been fragile. Noise, notifications, news, and email grab at my attention. To help cope with distractions, I’ve stitched together a focus tool kit with apps, sites, and sounds. Some are new, others old. My goal this season is to concentrate for a bit longer when my attention might otherwise drift. I hope this collection will be useful for you, too. Stop email interruptions Inbox Pause This simple email add-on temporarily freezes what you see in your inbox. Any new messages will show up as soon as you unpause. Price and platforms: Free for basic use. For extra features, like custom scheduling or hearing from select senders during pauses, get the $15/month pro account. Works with Gmail and Outlook online or on the iPhone. An alternative free option: Pause Gmail. Avoid distracting sites News Feed Eradicator Get rid of the addictive, endless feed on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Look instead at whatever accounts you’re actually interested in. Price and platforms: Free. Chrome o…