Focus Automation

Automate Raycast Focus sessions from your calendar. When a time block on your chosen Google Calendar begins, Focus turns on by itself and blocks your distractions.

How it works

Connect a Google Calendar, pick which one to watch, and you're set. From then on, the moment a block starts, Raycast either asks you to begin a Focus session or starts one automatically (your choice). The session runs for the length of the event, minus a short buffer so it ends a few minutes before your next thing.

Setup

1. Run Set Up Focus Automation.
2. Connect your Google account (read-only).
3. Pick the calendar to watch. A calendar you keep for focused work is ideal.

The setup screen then shows your next upcoming trigger, so you can confirm it's working.

When connecting, Google may show an "app isn't verified" screen. Click Advanced at the bottom, then the link to continue to the app. The extension can only read your calendar.

What triggers a session

• Any event 15 minutes or longer on your chosen calendar
• Your Mac is awake and Raycast is running
• The session starts when the block starts and runs for the event's length, minus a 5-minute buffer

When it won't start a session

Focus Automation runs quietly in the background, so it helps to know its limits:

• Events shorter than 15 minutes, and all-day events, are ignored
• If your Mac is asleep when a block begins, nothing fires. It catches up if you wake within a couple of minutes; otherwise that one is skipped
• If Raycast isn't running, nothing fires. Turn on Launch Raycast at login (Raycast Settings → General) so it's always ready
• Each event triggers only once

What gets blocked

Each session automatically blocks Raycast Focus's built-in distraction categories: messaging, social, news, streaming, shopping, gaming, travel, sports, and email. Nothing to configure.

Preferences

• When a block begins: Ask first (default) or Start automatically. In Ask-first mode a prompt appears; click Start, or it skips itself after 30 seconds.

Privacy

Focus Automation is read-only and local.

• It uses two narrow Google scopes: read your calendar list and read events. It cannot edit your calendar or touch anything else in your Google account.
• It reads only event titles and times.
• It runs entirely on your Mac. The only network request is to Google Calendar, to read your upcoming events. There are no third-party servers and no analytics.
• Your Google sign-in is stored securely in the macOS Keychain through Raycast.

Requirements

• macOS with Raycast, including the Focus feature
• A Google account