Technology can be a terrible distraction when you're trying to work. We've all had the experience of sitting down on a project, only to be distracted by our phone and all the temptations it offers.

But if technology is the villain, it can also play the hero by helping you concentrate. From focus apps that time your work in bursts, to blocking apps and to-do lists, there are a variety of tools to keep your attention where it needs to be.

Here are seven of the best concentration apps for Android.

1. Focus To-Do

Focus To-Do has a whole suite of functions to help you concentrate. Its core feature is a Pomodoro timer, which you can use to work for periods of 25 minutes. After that time is up, you take a five-minute break. This makes it easy to focus on a task in small bursts, and you know you'll have a break soon, so any task doesn't feel too onerous.

There are also task management and to-do list features so you can plan, schedule, and track tasks, as well as set reminders for important to-dos. You can see stats by day or by project and track exactly where your time is going.

Download: Focus To-Do (Free, subscription available)

2. Engross

Engross is also inspired by the Pomodoro technique, but it puts a twist on the method. When you use the timer, the app has a Hit me when you are distracted button which shows you motivational messages. The app challenges you to reduce the number of times you hit that button.

It also has a to-do list function, and an events and schedule function to keep you organized.

Download: Engross (Free, subscription available)

3. Brain Focus Productivity Timer

Brain Focus is a simple Pomodoro app that also encourages you to work in 25-minute bursts. It has a simple interface which makes it easy to remain distraction-free.

You begin by starting a work session. Then, when you need a break, you hit the Break button and go and take a walk or make a coffee. Then come back and start a new session. Once you've completed four sessions, the app will remind you to take a longer break.

You can change the ratio of work to breaks to find what fits your workflow. The ability to configure different settings per task is also useful to spend more time on stuff that's easier for you to give attention to.

Download: Brain Focus Productivity Timer (Free, subscription available)

4. Freedom

Freedom is one of the most popular distraction-blocking apps you can use to prevent yourself from being sucked into time-wasters like games or social media. It has a very comprehensive blocking strategy, listing several categories of apps and websites you can block with a single tap. Of course, you can also choose any app you wish to block directly from your phone.

Unlike some focus apps that add a list of apps or websites to block as an afterthought, the developers of the Freedom app put a lot of time into researching sites and apps that are typical distraction culprits. This way, even when you install an app later on and forget to individually add it to the block list, Freedom would have probably had it covered.

Freedom also does a good job in handling edge cases where a URL can slip past the block because it doesn't look exactly like the listed website. You activate the blocks by tapping Start a session on the homepage. For more flexibility, you can set Freedom to run at specific days and times, and assign custom block lists to your schedules.

Freedom is cross-platform and supports syncing of any settings across all your devices. Try it with the seven blocking sessions offered in the free trial.

Download: Freedom (Free trial, subscription required)

5. Forest

If you're looking for something fun and different, try Forest. When you want to focus on a task, you "plant a tree." As you work, it will grow from a seedling to a tree. The tree then continues to grow taller as you make progress without being distracted. But if you switch to another app, the tree dies off. This discourages you from playing on your phone when you're supposed to be working.

You can customize the duration of your work sessions. As you work, you'll see a beautiful and calming forest growing on your phone. Keep earning rewards and unlock different tree species to plant for a richer "virtual forest" with this gamified timer.

The Pro version makes it more competitive by letting you build a forest with friends and family. You can even earn virtual coins that help the company plant real trees in problem spots around the world.

Download: Forest (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. Space

Space is a beautiful concentration app. You can set goals for how long you want to concentrate for each day and track your daily progress. Other tools include blocking of apps and notifications, dimming your screen to make your phone less appealing, and getting reminders to stay on track.

There are profiles for different types of users as well—whether you're someone who gets distracted because you want to check the latest news headlines, or you're someone who wants to catch up with what your friends are up to on social media. You can customize the way the app works to counter your attention lapses.

Download: Space (Free, premium version available)

7. Headspace

If you struggle to concentrate, and you're looking for a more long-term solution, you could consider meditation. Meditating regularly can help you feel at peace and be more in the moment. This can make it easier to avoid distractions.

Headspace is a popular meditation app that has courses on guided meditation teaching, you how to breathe and meditate for calmness. Using this before bed or first thing in the morning can help you put aside your worries and focus on what you need to get done.

The free version of the app includes ten basic sessions, but for the full experience, you'll need to purchase a subscription.

Download: Headspace (Free, subscription required)

Focus Apps Require Sensitive Permissions

For focus apps to work properly, you'll need to grant them access to several permissions on your Android smartphone. They typically require notification access, accessibility, and administrative permissions, as well as permission to change your phone's inbuilt Do Not Disturb (DND) status.

These are among the most sensitive permissions on Android. It's important that you trust the apps you download, and only get them only Google's official Play Store.

The ultimate way to avoid distraction from your smartphone is to put it down more often. We've previously put together some of the best apps to help you fight your smartphone addiction.

Power Up Your Ability to Stay Focused

These apps can help you concentrate through a variety of methods. Some will time you as you work for set periods of time, knowing you have a break coming up. Others will block distracting apps and websites. And some gamify the experience and encourage you to stay on task.

Don't let distraction eat away your productive time, feel free to explore all these apps to see which ones meet your needs.