How to create a Workflow in Otto

Workflows on Otto are simple rules that will run on a website during a specific time . If you've enabled workflows, you will see a prompt that'll give you the option to choose what to do next.

You can create workflows that fit your routine. This short guide will teach you how to create a workflow in Otto.

Creating a workflow

Opening settings page

1. Open Otto Popup
2. Navigate to the Blocking tab
3. Select the workflow Tab
4. Click on "Create and Manage workflows"

In the settings page

It should now open a new page, where you'll see the option to create a workflow.

1. Click on the "create workflow" button
2. In the popup, you will see 3 fields

Create a workflow Popup

In this popup you'll have have to do 3 things.

1. Set a workflow duration
2. Set a trigger website
3. Select active days

This is what it'll look like.

1. Set a Workflow duration

First, you will have to select a start time and end time.

The start time is when you want the workflow duration to start and the end time is when you want it to end. The workflow will run when you visit the trigger website anytime during this period.

Things to remember

• Workflow duration can only be between 30 min and 2 hours long. Ideally a workflow duration should be around 45 min to 1 hour. Anything longer than that is invalid.
• Workflows will only trigger during the duration you set. Once the duration has passed, the workflow won't run.

2. Set a Trigger Website

A trigger website is where a workflow will trigger. Workflows will not trigger on all websites.

How do I select a trigger website

You have to think very deeply about this. What is the first website you visit during your workday? Or what is the first website you go to after lunch etc?

A workflow must be intentional and so must the trigger website.

For example: If the first website you open during your workday is reddit.com, set it as your trigger website. If you start your workday at 9:30 AM, set the duration as 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM to make it flexible. If you visit Reddit, anytime during this period you will see a workflow prompt.

3. Select active days of the week

By default, workflows are only active during regular workflows (Mon - Fri). But if you want more customisation like all 7 days of the week or only run on Mondays. You can do that as well. In the image below, I've set the workflow to only run on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Enabling/Disabling workflows

All workflows you create are enabled by default. To disable a workflow, just click on this switch button.

In the Popup

You can also toggle workflows from the Otto popup.

Workflow Prompt

When you visit the trigger website during the time you set, you should see a prompt like this. The goal of this prompt is to help you make intentional and mindful choices.

You'll have 4 options in the prompt

• Start Pomodoro
• Start Break + Focus (soon)
• Start a Task (soon)
• Skip workflow for the day

Mix and Match

You can create any number of workflows to fit your schedule. The ideal way is to reflect on where you need help and make intentional choices. Few is better than many.