RescueTime

RescueTime MCP Server provides a FastMCP-based integration with the RescueTime API, giving you programmatic access to productivity data, focus sessions, alerts, highlights, and offline time tracking. You can connect an MCP client to fetch data, trigger actions, and manage RescueTime features from your toolchain or UI.

How to use

Connect a compatible MCP client to the RescueTime MCP Server to access productivity data and manage RescueTime features. You can request data such as daily summaries, focus-session control, highlights, and offline time tracking, then perform actions like starting focus sessions or logging offline work. Use the configured MCP endpoint to send requests and receive structured responses that integrate with your own dashboards or automation flows.

Typical usage patterns include querying productivity data for today or the last week, starting and stopping focus sessions, retrieving daily summaries, and creating highlights when you complete important milestones. Real-time productivity scores and top distractions are available if your client queries the corresponding endpoints. Ensure your client is configured to use the stdio MCP endpoint described in the installation steps.

How to install

Prerequisites: you need Python and a virtual environment, plus a RescueTime API key for authentication.

Step 1: Create and activate a virtual environment

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate

Step 2: Install dependencies and the package in editable mode

pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install -e .

Step 3: Create your configuration file with your RescueTime API key

echo "RESCUETIME_API_KEY=your_api_key_here" > .env

Step 4: Determine your installation path so you can reference it in the MCP config

pwd

Step 5: Configure the MCP endpoint in Claude Desktop using the stdio command and arguments shown below

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rescuetime": {
      "command": "/path/from/step4/venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["-m", "rescuetime_mcp.server"]
    }
  }
}

Additional configuration and notes

If you prefer to specify the API key in the client configuration instead of using a file, you can include it in the MCP server config under an env section.

Example environment variable usage in the MCP config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rescuetime": {
      "command": "/path/to/venv/bin/python",
      "args": ["-m", "rescuetime_mcp.server"],
      "env": {
        "RESCUETIME_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Security and maintenance notes

Keep your RescueTime API key secure. Do not commit it to version control. If you rotate keys, update the .env file or the env section in the MCP config accordingly.

Regularly update dependencies to receive security fixes and feature improvements. Run tests to verify integration after updates.

Available tools

get_productivity_data

Fetch RescueTime productivity data for a specified period or date range.

get_daily_summary

Retrieve the daily productivity summary, typically with an ~24 hour delay for previous days.

manage_alerts

Show, create, or modify RescueTime alerts to stay informed about activities.

create_highlights

Add a highlight entry for notable events or milestones.

start_focus_session

Start a focus session with a specified duration.

end_focus_session

End the currently running focus session.

log_offline_time

Record time spent offline or away from the RescueTime tracker.

check_focus_status

Query whether a focus session is currently active.

productive_score_today

Retrieve the real-time productivity score for today.

top_distractions_today

Query the top distracting activities for today.

latest_daily_summary

Get the most recent daily summary, typically yesterday.