Should I Buy It?
Smart Focus is a Windows desktop app built with Tauri v2 and Rust. It solves a simple problem: when everything is one click away, nothing has priority. Smart Focus imposes a physical structure on your work session.
How it works
At launch, Smart Focus connects to your Notion task database and selects the next task based on your context (energy level, available time, project). A semi-transparent focus panel overlays all your screens — showing the current task, estimated time, and a running timer.
During the session:
- Only whitelisted apps remain accessible
- Distractions are blocked at the system level via the Win32 API
- The timer runs in the background, comparing actual time to estimated time
At the end of the session, data syncs back to Notion: actual time, status, and any notes.
Architecture
Frontend — Tauri interface (WebView2 + JavaScript)
- Transparent overlay panel, always on top
- Timer management, task display, app whitelist
Rust backend — Core of the application
- Win32 API integration for window control
- Allowed/blocked process management
- Notion API communication
Notion — Single source of truth for tasks
- Structured database with fields: required energy, estimated duration, project, status
- Automatic update after each session
Why Tauri and not Electron?
Electron ships the entire Chromium browser — the app weighs 100+ MB. Tauri uses Windows’ native WebView (WebView2) and a Rust backend. Result: < 10 MB, sub-second startup, minimal memory footprint.
The Rust backend also provides direct access to Windows system APIs without going through Node.js, which is required for kernel-level window control.
Key features
- Automatic next-task selection (ICE score from Notion)
- Full-screen semi-transparent overlay with adjustable Pomodoro timer
- Configurable app whitelist
- Distraction blocking via Win32 API
- Actual vs estimated time tracking
- Automatic sync to Notion at session end
Built by Thomas Silliard — personal project, in daily use since February 2026.