Forest

Forest turns focused time into a simple game. When you begin a session, you plant a virtual tree that continues growing while you stay focused. Leaving the session too early can cause the tree to wither.

It’s a small consequence, but it can be surprisingly motivating. You may be less willing to open a distracting app when doing so ruins a tree you’ve been growing for the past 25 minutes. Over time, completed sessions create a virtual forest that represents the hours you spent focused.

Besides a wide variety of trees, the app also includes timers that you can adjust for different types of work. When you turn it on, you’ll see it on your Lock Screen to remind you how much time is left and that you shouldn’t be looking at your phone right now.

Forest is also useful if you like feeling like you’re making progress. Besides the trees and your own personal forest, there are also achievements to keep you motivated, even when you don’t feel like working.