You open a book and read a few paragraphs, then pause to reply to a message and check a few other apps. When you return, you’ve lost track of what you were reading and need to go back a few lines. You’ve set aside time to read, but the interruptions keep getting in the way.
What would change if you gave your book your full attention? Monotasking puts that idea into practice. We’ll explore how it can help you get more out of your reading and how Krono’s features and settings can support it.
Monotasking means focusing on one task at a time, rather than juggling several activities or repeatedly switching between them. Messages, work demands, and a constant stream of content often pull our attention in different directions. In Stolen Focus, Johann Hari explores why this happens, arguing that difficulty focusing isn’t simply a lack of self-discipline. Our surroundings and external demands play a role, too. In this context, monotasking offers a more deliberate approach: choosing what to focus on rather than responding to every competing demand.
Monotasking reduces the effort of switching between reading and other tasks. Each interruption means picking up the thread again, often by rereading what you’ve just covered. Fewer switches leave more time for the content itself.
It can also help you absorb what you read. Your eyes may be on the page while your mind is still on a conversation, leaving you halfway through a paragraph without taking it in. Setting other tasks aside gives you more attention to devote to understanding the text.
That attention also creates room for your own thinking. You can question an argument, connect an idea to your experience, or work through something you don’t understand before moving on.
To get these benefits, it helps to read in an environment with fewer competing demands. The device you use can be part of that change. Krono offers an alternative to reading on your phone or tablet, with tools to record questions and ideas as they come up. You can keep reading and note-taking on one device, with less reason to reach for your phone and get drawn into unrelated tasks.
A separate reading device can help keep books apart from the messages, social feeds, and work on your phone. Krono’s open Android system lets you use your preferred reading apps, while the built-in Read app supports common formats such as EPUB, PDF, and DOC. Bring your books and documents to Krono and set your phone aside. Each time you pick it up, you have a clear purpose: focus on what you’ve chosen to read and leave other tasks for later.
With its compact 6.13'' design, Krono makes this approach easy to take beyond home. Keep it with you on your commute or during a lunch break, and pick up where you left off.
Reserving time for reading without taking on other tasks is a practical way to practice monotasking. In Krono’s Breathing Lights settings, use Reading Reminder to choose when to read and Reading Goal to set your target duration. At the scheduled time, the lights glow to remind you to begin.
For example, set a reminder for 10 p.m. and a reading goal of one hour. When the lights glow, open your chosen book and spend that hour reading before bed, leaving messages and your to-do list aside.
Adjusting the page before you begin means fewer settings to change while you read, helping you keep your attention on the content. Krono’s built-in Read app lets you import your favorite fonts and adjust font size and line spacing. If the text feels too small or crowded, enlarge it and add more space between lines.
Paired with Krono’s 300 PPI ePaper display, which delivers crisp text and a paper-like look, your preferred layout can make eBooks and longer articles more comfortable to read.
A quick note can help you return to a thought later without turning it into a separate task mid-chapter. In Read, use annotations to comment on specific sentences, highlight important passages, or bookmark pages for another look.
For thoughts that are easier to say aloud, press and hold the Smart Dial to record them in Spark, then continue reading. When you’re ready to review your notes, use Transcribe to text to turn the recording into a transcript you can edit or develop further.
Doing one thing at a time sounds simple. But when we’re used to switching between tasks, making time to read doesn’t always mean giving a book our full attention. Monotasking encourages us to put other demands on hold and leave room for understanding and reflection.
Start with a book or article you want to read. Krono’s reminders, custom settings, and note-taking tools can help you plan a reading session, tailor the page, and capture your thoughts. Try switching tasks one less time and taking in the passage in front of you. Small steps can make focused reading part of your everyday routine.
