Create morning and afternoon boundaries with a lunch gap

The practical answer

A lunch gap requires two separate protected windows rather than one all-day routine. Pro can keep multiple routine definitions; Free supports one saved routine plus unlimited manual focus sessions. Check for overlapping runs before assuming the gap will make every selected app available.

A setup to try

1. Write the morning end and afternoon start explicitly, leaving enough time for lunch and any necessary messages.
2. Use two Pro routines with the intended app group, or combine one Free routine with a manually started session.
3. Review the day’s active and next statuses and make sure another routine does not cover the planned gap.

How do I block social apps from 9 to 12 and again from 1 to 5?

Use two routine definitions with Pro: one for the morning and one for the afternoon. Give them names that reveal the time window. A single 9-to-5 definition does not create an automatic lunch exception, so do not use it when the gap is part of the plan.

Can I create two daily windows on the Free plan?

Free includes one saved routine. You can use that for the most consistent window and start unlimited manual focus sessions for the other period. Pro adds unlimited saved routine definitions, subject to iOS monitoring constraints; it does not remove the need to review each window.

Why is an app still blocked during my lunch gap?

Check every current boundary, including a manual focus session or another routine that overlaps lunch. Ending one occurrence does not imply that all protection has ended. Inspect the remaining run’s captured app group and the currently confirmed Always Allowed exceptions.

Should my morning and afternoon routines use the same app group?

Use one group if the distracting routes and required tools are genuinely the same. Use separate Pro groups when afternoon work needs resources that morning writing does not. Reuse should make the setup easier to understand, not conceal different requirements behind one broad label.

Can I choose Confirm for mornings and Locked for afternoons?

Pro can keep different ending modes on different routine definitions. Review the actual mode on each before it starts. When active protection overlaps, the strongest affected mode governs a weakening action, so a flexible morning label does not override a current Locked boundary.

What happens if lunch runs late and the afternoon routine has started?

The afternoon occurrence follows its own schedule and ending policy. If this happens often, change the future start time before the next occurrence. Do not assume editing the saved schedule after it starts silently changes the current run or creates a new ordinary exit from Locked.

How much gap should I leave between two work windows?

Choose a gap that fits the tasks you intend to do, such as lunch, messages and a short walk. There is no universal ideal duration. Start from your actual commitments and inspect whether you consistently run into the afternoon boundary while doing necessary activities.

Can I automatically start a focus timer at the beginning of each routine?

No. A recurring routine does not automatically start a focus timer, create a timed focus-history entry or launch the full-screen scene. The routine controls app availability; start a focus session yourself when you want that separate timer and its recorded session outcome.

Will editing the shared group at lunch change the afternoon selection?

A future occurrence uses the saved definition when it starts, while an existing run preserves its snapshot. Review the saved group before the afternoon start and check its actual selection. This distinction matters if a morning run is still active while you prepare the next window.

How can I test a split-day setup without committing the whole workweek?

Begin with a single day and Confirm to end, keeping the expected gap visible in the schedule summary. Test the work tools and the break access, then review the next start. Expand the repeat days only after the two windows behave as you intended.