Phocus Space is a handy pomodoro style timer on Alexa designed to help you complete tasks while minimising distractions. On Alexa, it’s known as a Skill, if you’re not familiar with Skills you can check out our other guide here.

The pomodoro technique involves planning out what tasks you want to complete and then using the timer to help you maintain optimum focus over a series of four work sessions. It also ensures that you also take regular breaks to avoid fatigue and other issues like eye strain.

Phocus Space will aid you in your productivity whether it is studying, work, or some You Time.  It works across all the Amazon Alexa Echo smart speakers, including the devices with and without the screens. If you have a device with a screen we’ve added a fun animated graphic during the introduction.

You can choose between a 25 minute focus session and a 5 minute break or a 50 minute session and a 10 minute break. There are four work sessions and 3 breaks in each choice.

Each audio track begins with a brief introduction and alarm, followed by silence for the remainder of the time period, allowing you to focus on what you are doing.

New User #

1. Say “Alexa, Open Focus Space” to open the skill.
2. Alexa will welcome you and ask if you “Would like to start a 25 minute focus session and a 5 minute break?”. 
3. Say “Yes” if you would like to start a 25 minute focus session and a 5 minute break.
4. Say “No” if you would like the next option. 
5. Alexa will be asked you “would like to start a 50 minute focus session and a 10 minute break?”.
6. Say “Yes” if you “Would to start a 50 minute session and a 10 minute break?”.
7. Say “No” and you will be asked to come back when you have made a decision on which session length you would like to do and are ready to begin your tasks.

Returning User #

1. Say ‘Alexa, Open Focus Space’.
2. Alexa will greet you and ask if you’d like to continue the previous focus session.
3. Say “Yes” to continue with the previous session.
4. Say “No” if you would like to return to the options at the beginning and choose to start a new session as described above.

Inside the Skill #

1. To move to the next focus session or break, say “Alexa, next”.
2. To go back to the previous focus session or break, say “Alexa, previous”.
3. To pause your current focus session, say “Alexa, pause”.
4. To resume the audio, say “Alexa, play”. 
5. To end the session and leave the skill, say “Alexa, exit”. 

You can also visit the Phocus Space listing page in the Amazon Alexa skill store as an alternative way to enable the skill in your Amazon account.

We’d love it if you could leave us a review about your experiences of using Phocus Space in the Amazon Alexa skill store and if you have any feedback for us, you can also contact us here.

Follow us on our social media (see links at the bottom of the page) to stay updated on new functionality and also the chance to vote on what should orbit the Phocus Space planet next!!!