Body-Double in a Box
Starting is the wall. This is the run-up.
The problem
Once you've started a task you're fine. Getting started is the impossible part — so it doesn't happen.
What it does
One button starts a 25-minute focus block: a calm lighting scene, the phone to Do-Not-Disturb, a timer, and a spoken kick-off and break. Pomodoro and body-doubling without any faff.
You'll need
- input_button.focus_start + input_boolean.focus_mode helpers
- A 'focus' scene + smart lights
- A media player and a DND switch
The payoff
Tasks actually get started. That's the whole battle.
The YAML
alias: "Angry Dad — Focus Mode (Body-Double in a Box)"
description: One button starts a 25-minute focus block — scene, Do-Not-Disturb, timer, break nudge.
mode: restart
triggers:
- trigger: state
entity_id: input_button.focus_start
conditions: []
actions:
- action: input_boolean.turn_on
target:
entity_id: input_boolean.focus_mode
- alias: Calm, focused lighting
action: scene.turn_on
target:
entity_id: scene.focus
- alias: Silence the phone and start the block
action: notify.mobile_app_dads_phone
data:
message: "Focus block started. 25 minutes. Just start — you can do anything for 25 minutes."
data:
push:
interruption-level: passive
- action: switch.turn_on
target:
entity_id: switch.phone_dnd
- alias: Work timer
delay: "00:25:00"
- alias: Break
action: tts.google_translate_say
target:
entity_id: media_player.office_speaker
data:
message: "That's twenty-five. Stand up, look out a window, drink some water. Five minutes."
- action: switch.turn_off
target:
entity_id: switch.phone_dnd
- action: input_boolean.turn_off
target:
entity_id: input_boolean.focus_modeDrop this into an automation (or a package under config/packages/) and swap the entity IDs for your own.
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