About Focus Plans
A daily focus plan is a simple way to organise your work so you can concentrate on one task at a time. It helps you prioritise what needs to be done and protects time to complete it without interruptions.
By planning your day in a clear and structured way, you can reduce stress, improve focus, and feel more in control of your workload.
Who this can help
Daily focus plans can be useful for:
- Neurodivergent users (e.g. ADHD, autism): helps structure the day and reduce overwhelm
- People experiencing stress or anxiety: creates clarity and reduces uncertainty
- Fatigue or brain fog: supports memory and decision-making
- Busy or interrupted roles: helps protect time for important tasks
- Anyone managing a heavy workload: makes priorities clearer and more manageable
Tips for staying focused
- Try working in short, focused sessions (25 – 50 minutes)
- Reduce distractions by closing unused apps or tabs
- Use timers or reminders to stay on track
- Be realistic about how much you can get done – try to avoid overloading your day
- Take regular breaks to avoid fatigue
How to create a daily focus plan
List your tasks
- Write down everything you need to do today
- Include both large tasks and smaller actions
Getting tasks out of your head into a list can help to reduce the mental load.
Prioritise what matters most
- Identify up to 3 key tasks to focus on
- Mark them clearly or place them at the top of your list
Focus on what will make the biggest difference to your overall workload, or the items that are due the soonest.
Break tasks into smaller steps
- Split larger tasks into smaller, manageable parts
- Aim for steps that feel easy to start
This can help to reduce overwhelm, and allows you to build momentum by getting smaller parts done faster.
Schedule focused time
- Block out time in your calendar for your key tasks
- Use tools like Focus Assist or Do Not Disturb to limit interruptions
Protected time makes it easier to stay in the flow.
Review and adjust
- At the end of the day, check what you completed
- Move unfinished tasks to the next day if needed
Tip: Plans should aim for flexibility, not perfection.
Set up focus tools in Windows
Windows includes built-in features to help you reduce distractions and stay focused.
Turn on Focus Assist manually
- Open Settings
- Choose System then Notifications
- Turn on Focus Assist (or Do Not Disturb, depending on your version)
You can:
- Allow only priority notifications
- Set automatic rules – for example during meetings or certain times of day
Use Focus Sessions
- Open the Clock app
- Select Focus sessions
- Choose how long you want to focus
- Start the session
This uses a timer, often with short breaks, to help you stay on task.
Manage notifications
- Go to Settings
- Choose System then Notifications
- Turn off notifications from apps that interrupt your work
- Keep only the alerts you really need
Use Viva insights
- Use Viva insights to schedule focus time in Outlook or Teams
- Or you can also create meetings with no participants to block out your time – Mark it as busy to reduce interruptions from others