Set up a clear attention profile to guard your best work hours. On Mac, open System Settings > Focus to add a provided Focus such as Work or create custom by choosing Add Focus > Custom. Name it, pick a color and icon, then click OK.
Decide which notifications and apps can reach you. Allow people or apps, enable Time Sensitive Notifications, and pick who can call you: everyone, contacts, favorites, or allowed people. Keep the setup light at first — start with one or two apps and contacts.
Sync changes across your iPhone and Mac so rules follow you. If Apple Intelligence is available, try Reduce Interruptions. It surfaces only high‑priority alerts while silencing the rest and uses intelligent breakthroughs for important interruptions.
Name custom profiles in plain language like “Deep Work” or “Client Calls.” That makes the right choice obvious and helps you stay in flow across devices.
Why dialing in Focus matters right now
Interruptions add up — protecting your work hours starts with dialing in how your devices behave. Research shows it can take roughly 23 minutes to regain full focus after an interruption, so each ping costs real productivity.
Setting simple device settings and a clear work mode reduces context switching. When notifications are limited to what truly matters, your brain avoids repeatedly shifting tasks and wasting recovery time.
On iPhone and Mac, Apple’s tools let you silence most alerts while allowing emergency notices from chosen contacts or apps. This makes it easier to prioritize deep work and keep distractions from derailing your plan.
Use short, repeatable rules so teammates know when you’re off-limits and when you’ll reply. Protecting your best time leads to steadier thinking, fewer mistakes, and less afternoon fatigue.
Quick start: Turn on Work Focus on iPhone and set up Focus on Mac
Turn on a dedicated Work profile on your iPhone and mirror it on your Mac to keep distractions out. This quick setup mutes most alerts and helps you protect concentrated blocks without heavy tweaking.
iPhone path: Settings > Focus > + Add Focus > Work
On your iPhone, open Settings, tap Focus, then tap + Add Focus and choose Work. Limit allowed people to essential contacts and keep allowed apps to only the tools you need.
Customize a minimalist Home and Lock Screen to reduce temptation
Customize Home screens to surface only work widgets like Calendar or Reminders. Rearrange or hide non‑work screens so distracting apps stay out of sight.
Toggle Dim Lock Screen so banners don’t glow and you resist reaching for the phone when an alert appears.
Mac path: System Settings > Focus > Add Focus or Create Custom Focus
On Mac, open System Settings > Focus and click Add Focus to pick Work or click Custom to create custom focus with a name, color, and icon. Allow a few contacts and apps, enable Time Sensitive Notifications if needed, and use Control Center to switch the profile fast.
focus mode configuration essentials for allowed people, apps, and calls
Trim down who and what can reach you so work windows stay uninterrupted. On Mac go to System Settings > Focus and pick the profile you want to edit.
Allowed People: pick contacts and silence others
Choose Allow Some People to build a short allowed people list. Add only key contacts — a manager or family member — so only vital messages come through.
If someone is distracting, use Silence Some People to mute them without blocking. Set “Allow calls from” to everyone, contacts, favorites, or allowed people to match your availability.
Allowed Apps: permit essentials and silence the rest
Use Allow Some Apps and add mission‑critical tools like Calendar, project trackers, or chat apps. Silence apps that break your flow and review the list every few weeks.
Time Sensitive and repeated calls
Enable Time Sensitive Notifications to let urgent alerts slip past the filter. Turn on Allow repeated calls so a second call within three minutes can reach you.
Fine‑tune call handling
Use the Add button to curate contacts and apps quickly. If you create custom focus for roles like “Calls Only,” copy the same rules: tight allow notifications, specific calls options, and a clear list.
Make it automatic: set a schedule by time, location, or app
Let your device flip into work hours automatically so you spend less time toggling and more time creating. On Mac go to System Settings > Focus, choose a profile, then Set a Schedule > Add Schedule to start. Use the Schedule toggle to pause rules for a day without deleting them.
Time-based automation for work blocks and calendars
Pick start and end times and the days that match your calendar blocks, for example 9:00–12:00 and 1:00–5:00. This ensures protected windows appear by themselves and reduces manual switching during the day.
Location-based activation for home office, coworking, or campus
Use the location option to have the profile turn on when you arrive and off when you leave. Keep Location Services enabled so your Mac knows where you are and can automatically activate the right option.
App-based triggers when opening focus-heavy apps and tasks
Add an app trigger so the profile starts the moment you open a heavy editing or coding app and ends when you switch away. Combine a short time window with an app trigger for layered protection that follows your actual work flow.
Review these options monthly and tweak times, locations, or apps until automation matches real life. Automating this way helps notifications stay useful and lets you protect deep work without friction.
Control screens and notifications: Lock Screen, Control Center, and display options
Your screens should serve your day, not steal it — make them quieter and simpler. Small display choices cut down temptation and keep you steady during key work stretches.
Dim the Lock Screen and silence notifications
On iPhone you can use Dim Lock Screen so bright banners do not pull you back to the lock. That single option reduces visual jerks and helps you resist checking every alert.
Decide in settings whether to silence notifications broadly or allow a few essential apps. If something truly matters, add it to allowed lists rather than turning everything back on.
Customize screens to show only work apps and widgets
Curate a minimal Home Screen with Calendar, Reminders, and a project dashboard. Fewer icons mean fewer decisions and less chance of slipping into non‑work apps.
Use specific screens for work and hide the rest so your device displays match the task at hand.
Use Control Center and review Mac display options
Control Center gives a fast way to flip a profile on or off without digging through menus. Quick toggles keep you in flow when a sudden task appears.
On Mac, open Focus settings to choose which notifications appear and how they show up. Remember Gaming Focus can engage when a controller connects — allow notifications from chosen people or apps if you still need them.
Consider location when you commute or move between rooms and tweak these options periodically. Small, regular adjustments keep screens helpful and quiet.
Use Focus filters to control app behavior in Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Safari
Use app-level filters to shape each program’s behavior so your calendar, mail, and browser match the work you need to do. On Mac go to System Settings > Focus, pick a profile, then choose Focus Filters > Add Filter to start customizing.
Calendar Filters
Add a Calendar filter to show only selected calendars during Work Focus. This keeps personal events out of your day view and makes scheduling faster.
Mail Filters
Use a Mail filter to limit visible accounts. Show client and team inboxes and hide nonessential mail so your attention stays on what matters.
Messages and People List
Turn on Filter by People List in Messages so texts from priority people rise to the top. Others stay quiet until you check them.
Safari Tab Groups
Choose a Tab Group to open automatically and toggle “Open external links in your Focus Tab Group.” This reduces tab sprawl and keeps research in one place.
Turn filters on/off or edit them anytime
Use the Add Filter button to configure each app. Toggle individual filters on or off, edit settings to relax a rule, or open a filter and click Delete App Filter to remove it.
Reinforce boundaries with Screen Time: App Limits, Downtime, and Notification Summary
Use Screen Time controls to put helpful limits around your phone and reduce impulsive taps. These settings work with your existing focus mode to make boundaries stick when willpower fades.
App Limits for high‑distraction apps and categories
On iPhone go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits to set daily caps for specific apps or categories. Start small so limits feel achievable and raise them later if needed.
Downtime to build a reliable wind‑down
Schedule Downtime (for example 10 PM–7 AM) to block most apps while allowing essential contacts. Use this to protect sleep and reduce late‑night distractions.
Notification Summary to batch non‑urgent alerts
Turn on Notification Summary so non‑urgent notifications are grouped and delivered on a schedule. This reduces constant pings and keeps your dayflow steadier.
Grayscale and accessibility tweaks
If colorful icons pull you in, enable Grayscale at Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters. Pair this with app limits and review your settings monthly.
Pro workflows: pair Work Focus with Pomodoro and task blocks
Pair short, time‑boxed work sprints with your device rules to protect momentum during high‑value tasks.
Turn Focus on during 25–45 minute deep‑work sessions
Run 25–45 minute deep‑work bouts and keep your focus mode active for the whole block. Short breaks help reset attention and make the next sprint easier.
Automate “turn focus” in tandem with your task list and schedule
Map session windows to calendar tasks so your time and task plan match. Use schedule rules or app triggers to start a work block when you open a heavy app.
Use Control Center for quick toggles between Work, Personal, and Gaming
Tap the control center button to switch profiles without leaving your current screen. This keeps interruptions low when you need to pivot fast.
Sync Focus across devices so iPhone and Mac stay aligned
Keep settings synced so the same rules and notifications apply on phone and Mac. If a contact must reach you during a sprint, allow that person temporarily and review the list later.
End each session with a quick check: did any app hijack time or did a contact need access? Adjust your schedule or allowlists for the next task block and keep the system simple.
Your next step to distraction‑free work starts today
Take ten minutes now to build a simple work profile that protects your best hours.
On iPhone: open Settings > Focus > + Add Focus > Work. Customize allowed people and apps, dim the lock screen, and set a schedule by time, location, or app so activation is automatic.
On Mac: System Settings > Focus > Add Focus or create custom. Allow calls from key contacts, enable Time Sensitive notifications, and add filters for Calendar and Mail so only the right items appear.
Use Screen Time for app limits, Downtime, and a Notification Summary. Keep a small gaming profile as an intentional escape. Revisit in three days and tweak people, apps, and settings to fit your real work rhythm.
