Use the Focus Now! command (from the View menu, or press Backspace) to temporarily focus your view only on the next things you should be doing (you can adjust the number of items from between 0 to 9, using the Maximum Focus Now Items field in Other Settings). When you choose this command, you are switched to Day View if you are not already in Day View, then all items except the Focus Now items temporarily disappear. Thus the Focus Now command removes the distraction of everything else you could be doing, to help you think about just these next actions.
As soon as you move away from this view, Focus Now mode ends, so when you need to see more simply head anywhere else and you'll start seeing everything again. You can also leave Focus Now mode by choosing the command again (or pressing Backspace) while already in Focus Now mode.
The title of these Focus Now items are always preceded by digits (for example, 1, 2, 3, and so on) on day views (these first three digits appear as superior figures if your Day Views Text Font has a Western script).
If undone items remain on a previous day, then 1 next to the first item is replaced by “<<ALERT: Monday has items not done!<<", signaling that the next thing you should consider doing appears a previous day's list. Set Maximum Focus Now Items setting in Other Settings to 0 to defeat the appearance of the numbers and the potential message). (pro mode only)
To change the maximum number of items numbered in this way to other than three (including turning them off entirely) you'd like from 0 through 9, user the Maximum Focus Now Items field in Other Settings). Devotees of David Allen and GTD may wish to to set this field to 1.
Related Topics
Introducing TimeTo
Other Settings
Day View