Please make sure that you select Run Immediately when setting up the Shortcut Automation and that the configured app for the Automation is selected again within the shortcut.

Otherwise, one sec won’t be triggered automatically.

Directly after restarting your device

Some users have reported, that automations would’t trigger directly after restarting their device. It might take some minutes for the Shortcuts app to kick in again.

Actually, I have noticed myself that when my phone died and then I charge it, interventions usually don’t get triggered right away after I’ve entered my passcode to unlock for the first time.

I have reported this behavior to Apple, because it sounds like a bug to me. Apple Feedback ID: FB11813927

Update: Apple got back to me and confirmed this is expected behavior:

We don't allow triggers to run for the first two minutes after the device is unlocked.

Stuck in endless loop?

It’s very likely that you’ve accidentally added an “Open App” Shortcut Action before the actual one sec Shortcut Action. Please remove the “Open App” Action and one sec should behave as expected:

Please refer to the initial setup tutorial if you’re having trouble setting up the shortcut automation.

Scheduling enabled?

You might have disabled one sec to run during some hours of the day / week. Check the intervention schedule.

one sec or Shortcuts app blocked by Screen Time?

In order to ensure one sec shows up consistently, even during Downtime hours, you need to go to the iOS Screen Time settings, go to Always Allowed apps, and add one sec and Shortcuts. That way, it will run regardless of the time of day.

Double Check 🅰️ Open and 🅱️ Closing Actions

Please double-check that the 🅰️ Open action is only ran on app open, and the 🅱️ Closing action is only ran on app close.

Error message displayed?

Open the Shortcuts app, go to the Automation Tab, and check all your Automations (for app opening and closing) to make sure you’ve selected the “⚠️ Original App to be Opened”.

This is necessary, so that my app knows which app you intended to open, and can refer to the correct one after the breathing exercise.

Open the Shortcuts app, go to the Automation Tab, and make sure that all Automations (especially for the app you intended to open right now) have the appropriate “one sec” Shortcut assigned to them.

Opening Automations should include the “🅰️ Activate one sec” Shortcut, whereas closing Automations should include the “🅱️ Log App Closing” Shortcut.

Low power mode

During low power mode, automations might be slightly delayed.

Opened app from Siri Suggestions Widget?

On earlier versions than iOS 15.4, there’s a bug with Apple that Shortcut Automations are not executed when the app is launched from the Siri App Suggestions widget. If you don’t want to update to at least iOS 15.4, the workaround is to long-press the app in the widget and select "don’t suggest" (that’s probably good anyway if you’re trying to use the app less 😅):

Using the free version of one sec?

The free version of one sec only allows to intervene one app. Please upgrade to one sec pro to configure multiple target apps.