ADHDmedium

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_mode

Drop this into an automation (or a package under config/packages/) and swap the entity IDs for your own.

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