Clockwise Is Shutting Down — Best Alternative for Deep Work

Clockwise was a genuinely great tool. It created Focus Time on your calendar by intelligently rearranging meetings, giving teams millions of hours of uninterrupted work time. If you used Clockwise, you probably loved it.

On March 27, 2026, Clockwise is shutting down. Salesforce acquihired the team, but isn't keeping the product. All user data will be deleted. One week's notice.

If you valued Clockwise for deep work and focus — and you were frustrated that those Focus Time blocks were always empty — Locu picks up where Clockwise left off.

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The Gap Clockwise Never Filled

Clockwise was brilliant at creating Focus Time. But it never helped you use it.

Think about it: Clockwise moved your meetings around to carve out a 2-hour Focus Time block. Great. But then what? You'd open that block and... stare at your task list in another app. Check Slack. Get pulled into a "quick question." The Focus Time existed on your calendar, but nothing protected it or guided your execution.

Clockwise scheduled focus. It didn't deliver it.

That's exactly what Locu does:

• Focus Sessions — Work in structured 90-minute sessions on one task at a time, with full context and zero distractions
• Distraction Blocking — Apps and websites are blocked during sessions. Slack goes to DND automatically. No willpower required
• Task Integration — Pull tasks from Jira, Linear, or create your own. Your focus blocks aren't empty — they're filled with your actual work
• Session-Based Time Tracking — Every focus session captures time naturally. Export clean timesheets for clients

Clockwise gave you the time. Locu gives you the focus.

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What Clockwise Users Are Losing

Let's be honest about what made Clockwise valuable:

• Focus Time holds — Automatic 2+ hour blocks carved from your calendar
• Flexible Meetings — Meetings rearranged to consolidate free time
• Slack integration — Auto-synced calendar status and DND
• No-meeting days — Protected full days for deep work
• Auto-decline — Incoming meetings rejected when they overlapped focus blocks
• Team analytics — Meeting load and focus time dashboards

These were real, useful features. Not all of them map 1:1 to Locu — Locu isn't a calendar optimizer. But the outcome Clockwise users wanted — more deep work, fewer distractions, better focus — is exactly what Locu delivers, through a different (and arguably more effective) approach.

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Feature Comparison

The pattern is clear: Clockwise optimized your calendar. Locu optimizes your execution. They're complementary philosophies — but if you're an individual contributor who ships, execution is what moves the needle.

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Who Should Switch to Locu

• You valued Clockwise primarily for deep work and focus, not calendar logistics
• You're an engineer, freelancer, or maker who needs to ship, not just schedule
• You were frustrated that Focus Time blocks were empty — no tasks, no structure
• You want distraction blocking during focus time (apps, websites, Slack)
• You work in Jira or Linear and want tasks synced into your focus workflow
• You need time tracking built into your work sessions, not a separate tool
• You want a desktop app that works offline, not a Chrome extension
• You're an individual contributor, not managing team-wide calendar optimization

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Switching from Clockwise

The hard truth: there's nothing to migrate. Clockwise is deleting all user data with no export path.

The upside: starting fresh with Locu takes less than a few minutes.

Setup:

1. Download Locu (macOS, Windows, or Web)
2. Connect your integrations — Jira, Linear, Slack, Google Calendar, or Apple Calendar
3. Pull in your tasks and prioritize your day
4. Start your first focus session — experience distraction blocking and structured execution
5. At end of day, review your work history and focus insights

What you'll immediately notice:

• Focus time has content — your actual tasks, right there
• Distractions are blocked by default — no willpower needed
• Time is captured per session — no separate timer app
• Slack goes quiet during sessions — the DND Clockwise users loved, but deeper

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Pricing

Clockwise charged $6.75–11.50/user/month. Locu starts at less — and with code CLOCKWISE you get 40% off:

• Monthly — $7.20/month $12/month
• Annual — $6/month ($72/yr) $10/month
• Lifetime — $178.80 one-time $298

That's less than Clockwise's cheapest team plan — and you're getting focus sessions, distraction blocking, time tracking, and engineering integrations that Clockwise never had.

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The Honest Take

Most individual contributors who loved Clockwise loved it for one reason: it promised deep work. And that promise was only half-delivered. Clockwise cleared the time. But it couldn't help you focus, block distractions, manage tasks, or track what you actually shipped.

Locu completes that promise. Plan your priorities in 5 minutes. Work in focused 90-minute sessions with one task, full context, and zero distractions. See exactly where your time went. Ship consistently.

Clockwise gave you the time. Locu helps you use it.

Ready to switch from Clockwise?

Protect your deep work with focus sessions, distraction blocking, and zero interruptions.

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