The automation section contains the events that start and stop the counters in the interruptron. First, you can assign a time after which the interruptron assumes you are not working. This happens if you are not active on the mouse/keyboard.

Note that when the computer goes into standby/hibernation the interruptron counters are stopped.

Second, you can select where you want to save the log files. The interruptron saves a different file per day. They are CSV files, you can look at them using a text editor or excel. In fact, if you want to calculate any more advanced summary statistics, you can simply open your files in excel and plot them/summarize them any way you want. Note that there are many things you can do using the built-in graphical capabilities.

Third, you can select how the red counter will behave with time. This is a central feature, so we suggest you play around with the different values. The red counter blinks after a certain number of minutes. This is a ‘mild’ way to let you know that your unscheduled rest –interruption!- is taking a bit too long. If blinking doesn’t catch your attention and you still persevere doing whatever it is you are doing that is not work, you can make the red clock grow. The next parameter will control the growth rate. Note that the red counter WILL grow until it covers the entire screen (effectively preventing you from doing any activity on your computer unless you press the start key and go back to work)! In the next parameter what you control is just how fast this will happen. It may take 5-7 ‘grows’ to cover the entire screen. If you make the red clock grow at say a pace of once every three minutes, then it may let you work for about 15-20 minutes before the entire screen is completely covered with the red clock. In any case, seeing the red clock growing triggers all your guilt mechanisms. You should be pestered enough to go back to work long before the red counter uses up all your screen real state.

Fourth, you can ask the interruption to enter interruption mode as soon as you use any application of your choosing. Browsers and music programs are typical places where one goes instead of working. Did you realize that changing your music is actually an interruption? Mail programs (when checked compulsively during the day) are also sources of interruptions. The time management gurus all recommend to cut back in the number of hours/occasions you check mail. The most conservative ones recommend you check mail only once a day; the most radical ones (e.g., Tim Ferris in his book “The four hour workweek” recommends to cut drastically to maybe once a week (although this certainly requires organizational changes). He even promotes a “National email-free day” to raise awareness on how wasteful it is to use email the way we do these days.

You can add and remove items to the list of programs that will be interruptions. You can do that by pressing the add item button or pressing the “Set application to interrupt” shortcut (see Shortcuts section). You must get the application you want to mark as an interruption into focus, then press the shortcut. The interruption will search for the path to the executable that generates that window. This process may take a while (seconds at most). After that, you will see that the red clock is ticking when that application has focus. Once you leave that application, the interruptron is smart enough to start the work counter again. This kind of automation alone can save you many hours a week. At the very least, it’ll make it painfully obvious when you are wasting your time.

In the picture, I have selected the three main browsers (Opera, Firefox, and Internet explorer) as interruption-generating programs. I have added Winamp too, because when I’m fiddling with playlists I’m not working. You could add email programs, games, chat programs etc depending on which application sucks the most time out of your day of work.

Since most interruptions nowadays come from the high connectivity that the web enables (IM, mail, tempting websites) I often go offline when I have to concentrate and do effective work (like writing this help file). In fact, writing is one activity that requires one to be shielded away from interruptions. Somehow, programming, email, etc is a lot easier (for me at least) and I can tolerate interruptions better (e.g., I can listen to music at the same time I program).