Deep work
Deep work mode for Chrome.
Lock the browser to one tab for as long as you need. No blocklist. Just the work, the timer, and a focus wall.
The requirement
What deep work needs from a browser.
Cal Newport defined deep work as professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit (source). The operational requirement is uninterrupted 60–120 minute blocks.
- One thing on screen. Not a list.
- Interruption cost is 10–20 minutes per switch.
- Browsers are bad at this by default.
The mechanism
Anchor to the work tab.
OneTabFocus collapses every non-focus tab into a single 'Hidden' chip. Tabs are not closed: audio keeps playing, drafts are preserved, scroll position is preserved.
- Name your session — “Draft Q3 strategy memo.”
- Focus wall replaces every new-tab attempt.
- Restored exactly when the timer ends — colours, titles, order.
Session lengths
Pick a block. Earn the next one.
- 60 min
Single block. Good for a bounded task — one PR review, one section of a memo.
- 90 min
Aligns with ultradian rhythm (Kleitman, 1980s). Two of these in a morning is a strong day.
- 2–4 hr
Long-form writing, research, hard debugs. One block, undisturbed.
For ADHD + time-blockers
Low entry friction. High exit friction.
OneTabFocus inverts the default browser dynamic. Three clicks to start. A five-second hold to leave.
Deep work mode
The browser, made for one thing.
Free to install. Pro unlocks unlimited focus time, Pomodoro, and the heatmap.
- 7-day Pro trial on install
- No card required
- Works on day one