Stayfocused Pro 4.0.0

Overview

Have you ever noticed how much time you are wasting when working in your computer due to various distractions? Wouldn’t it be better if you were more productive in your working hours, consequently finishing sooner or getting more work done in less time? If that’s something that bothers you, then check out Stayfocused Pro developed by Bytesignals (not to be confused with StayFocusd by Transfusion Media). This helpful software will be your assistant that won’t let you get distracted while working, using the popular Promodoro Technique. The essence of this method is that you work effectively for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break to rest, and so on. But let’s see in detail all the features of the program.

Installation

Installation is really straightforward, has almost no settings and the main installation process finishes in only a few seconds; you’ll have no trouble installing Stayfocused Pro at all.

The setup package is clean, since there are no signs of malicious items such as viruses or trojans. In addition, no 3^rd-party advertised software is included in the installer either.

Supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1 (32/64-bit).

Interface

The program’s interface is very simple and doesn’t have any unnecessary options or buttons.

At the top of the window is a bar from which you can change task display options. You can filter tasks by date or by type, and sort them from the oldest to the newest and vice-versa. At the bottom left corner of the window there is a “+” button which is used to add new tasks, and at the bottom right corner there is a “…” drop-down button from which you can view a general report of your activities, open the settings window or quit the program.

Pros

Stayfocused Pro basically works like this: you create a new task that you want to perform, set the computer activities that you can use and a time limit under which you want to complete the task and save it. When you start working on the task, the program will prohibit you from performing computer activities irrelevant to the task, i.e. others than the ones you added when creating that task. After 25 minutes of working on the task, you get to enjoy a 5-minute break and do whatever you want; when the break is over, you get back to working on your task, until you get another 5-minute break. This cycle is repeated until the task is finished.

So, what kind of activities can you assign for a task? Several, actually. You can set the program so that when you’re working on a task to open particular files automatically, open websites automatically or set a specific wallpaper to display. Additionally you can choose to hide unrelated windows and desktop icons as well.

The tasks you can be scheduled for the same day you create it, the next day, some day in the future (indefinitely), or a set date. Moreover, each task goes into a specific category: Design, Email, Meeting, Phone Call, Game, Program, Write, Study, Rest or Other. Apart from the name you give to each task, you also get to add a description for it.

The program is highly customizable too. It can run on startup, activate audio alerts on events, adjust window opacity, enable clock ticking sound or show countdown timer. By default, every 25 minutes you get a 3-5 minute rest, and every 60 minutes you get a 15-30 minute rest, although these values can be changed if you wish. Furthermore, hotkeys can be assigned for actions like showing/hiding desktop icons or unrelated windows.

A report can be generated that includes a summary of all the statistics regarding all created tasks for a particular date or time period.

Cons

This program has no cons at all.

Alternatives

As I mentioned in the beginning, Stayfocused is not the same as StayFocusd (free), an extension for Google Chrome that works similarly to the former, helping you focus on your work and restricting you from spending time on time-wasting websites. Other programs with similar functionality are Cold Turkey (free), Strict Pomodoro (free), SelfControl (free, Mac OS X), Quiet (paid, Mac OS X).

Conclusion

Ultimately, Stayfocused Pro is an ideal solution for those who have a habit of wasting time during work hours. It is simple to use, has a vast variety of options and most importantly, works- but only if you’re willing to cooperate. Great program, it certainly deserves a 5-star rating.