Tech Tip - Windows 10 - Get Focused

Do you ever need to focus on your work and emails keep popping up and drive you crazy?  These days we are constantly bombarded with notification after notification. It gets very distracting.  Turn on (and off) your "Focus Assist" in the Windows 10 'Action Center' to stop the pain. If you have not yet updated to the latest version of Windows, this feature may still be called "Quiet Hours". Details for how to use "Focus Assist” can be found below.

As always, reach out if you have any questions.

Ever Advancing,
​Ralph

Watch the Video

I am going to start to try to create short videos for the tech tips moving forward. Check out my first one and let me know what you think. 

Turn on Focus Assist

“Focus Assist” saves you from distractions. When active, all your notifications will be muted and placed into your “Action Center” for you to view later.
To activate “Focus Assist” follow the instructions below:

• ​Click on the 'Action Center' icon on the bottom right corner of your screen. (Or swipe from the right side of the screen on touch devices such as the Surface.)

• Locate and click the "Focus Assist" moon icon. Note, if the "Focus Assist"' moon icon does not show up click “Expand”.
  • Priority Only - One click will allow only notifications from your priority list.
  • Alarms Only - Two clicks will turn on alarms only and mute all other notifications including those on your priority list.
  • Off - Three clicks will turn focus assist back off and your notifications will resume as normal. (In a future tech tip, I will let you know how to fine tune these notifications).

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Schedule Your Focus Time

If interested, you can automatically set aside time during your day that you will be uninterrupted by notifications.

• Open the actions center.
• Right-click (or tap and hold) the "Focus Assist" icon and select "Go to Settings".​
• Under "Automatic rules", toggle on and off the automatic rules to choose when to not be disrupted. 

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• During these times - Schedule your focus time throughout the day. If you know you are most productive between 9am and 12pm, why not schedule focus time then. I promise you the emails can wait a few hours.
• When I'm duplicating my display - If you are duplicating your display, Windows assumes that you are presenting. I recommend keeping this one on all the time and save yourself from a potentially embarrassing message from your significant other.
• When I'm playing a game - Maybe you are setting in for a little me time and don't want to be disturbed. It’s okay to recharge your battery every so often.
• When I'm at home - After a long day's work you may just want to log on to your computer for a couple minutes to catch up on a few last-minute to-dos. No need to get drawn down a rabbit trail that can wait until tomorrow. Note, to use this feature you will have to allow Cortona to know your location and your home address.

If you select the title or description of each of the automatic rules, you can fine tune by selecting priority only or alarms only, and for the "during these times" you can select the hours and whether to repeat daily, weekends, or weekdays.

Customize Your Priority List

What is and is not a priority varies from person to person. So Microsoft allows you to customize your priority list.

• Open the actions center
• Right-Click (or tap and hold) the "Focus Assist" icon and select "Go to Settings"

• Under "priority only", select "customize your priority list”​

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• Under "Calls, texts and reminders" you can select whether you want your phone messages to come through on your phone
• Under "People" you can select specific contacts that can interrupt your focus assist.
• Under "Apps" you can select specific applications that interrupt your focus assist ​

Turn on Quiet Hours (for previous version of Windows 10)

• Click on the 'Action Center' icon on the bottom right corner of your screen. (Swipe from the right side of the screen on a touch device such as the Surface. )

• Locate and click the 'Quiet Hours' moon icon. Note: If the 'Quiet Hours' moon icon does not show up click 'Expand'.

After clicking, 'Quiet Hours' your computer will not make any noise from notifications and the bubble will  appear. Simply click again to get the notifications back. Note: When a notification is received your 'Action Center' icon will appear solid.