Master Your Productivity: Unleashing the Ultimate App Time Management and Blocking on Android

Key Takeaways

Use Android's Digital Wellbeing tools to track and limit app usage. Set app timers to restrict the amount of time you spend on specific apps.

Utilize Focus Mode on your Android device to effortlessly block or permit specific applications. Take advantage of the option to either establish an automatic activation schedule or enable it manually.

Samsung Galaxy devices provide supplementary capabilities, including multiple Focus Modes and the flexibility to personalize settings and determine which apps to allow or block while in this mode.

How to Set An App Timer on Android

Manage your Android device usage more effectively with Android's Digital Wellbeing tools. Track how much time you spend on different apps and set limits to ensure a healthy balance. Additionally, you can temporarily block specific apps using the Focus Mode feature.

Digital Wellbeing is a built-in feature on Android that helps manage screen time. It is available on Google Pixel phones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and other Android devices. You don't need to download any additional apps to access this functionality.

With App Timers, you can set limits on the amount of time you spend on specific apps. For instance, you can restrict yourself to using YouTube for only 30 minutes each day. To access this feature, simply swipe down on the notification shade and tap the gear icon to open Settings (or open it from the app drawer).

Next, tap "Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls."

You may see some apps listed here already. If not, go to "Dashboard" first.

Tap the hourglass icon or the app name to bring up the timer menu.

Enter the desired time limit and tap "OK" or "Done."

Once your allocated time has expired, the app will automatically pause. Its icon on the home screen will appear grayed out, and you will no longer receive any notifications from it. The following day, the timer resets, and the app becomes accessible again.

Of course, you can always go back to the Digital Wellbeing app and extend or disable the timer whenever you like.

How to Use Focus Mode on Android

The "Focus Mode" feature on Android operates differently depending on the device you have. On Samsung devices, you can select which apps to allow, while on Google Pixel devices, you can choose which apps to block. Additionally, Samsung allows users to create multiple Focus Modes, similar to the iPhone. To access this feature, open the Settings app and tap on "Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls."

Tap "Focus Mode."

Select the apps you want to pause when you enable Focus mode.

You can turn it on right away by selecting "Turn On Now," or create a schedule for it to run automatically by tapping "Set a Schedule."

You can add a "Focus Mode" tile to the notification panel if you don't want to go to the Settings app each time.

Focus Mode on Samsung Galaxy Phones

Focus Mode on Samsung Galaxy devices is quite a bit different. You can create multiple Focus Modes, and instead of choosing the apps to block, you can choose the apps to allow.

First, swipe down once from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon to open the Settings.

Scroll down and select "Modes and Routines."

Select one of the pre-made modes or tap "Add Mode."

If you're making a new Mode, give it a name and icon.

To restrict apps during the mode, toggle on "Restrict App Usage."

Now select all the apps you want to be able to use and receive notifications from. Everything else will be blocked.

You can tap "Turn On" to enable it right away or select "Turn On Automatically" to create some conditions.

Samsung also allows you to enable Do Not Disturb mode alongside it, change some system settings, and customize the wallpaper when the mode is running.

With these tools in your pocket, you can make sure you're usage habits are healthy-ish. You have to hold yourself accountable, though. Usually, endless scrolling in apps is a waste of time.