Ask HN: Which internet/website blocker do you use to stay focused?

Posted by nathan_phoenix on Monday August 02, 2021 @01:22PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I find it a bit hard to stay concentrated when I know that procrastination is just one new-tab away. Currently I use Cold Turkey to help with that, but always wanted something more customizable. As such, would like to know what the good folks of HN use!

(Btw, if anyone knows of a internet/website blocker which has an API or similar that would be amazing. Ideally, I'd like to chain my time-tracker to it so that it only enables select websites after I invested X time for something productive.)

( 5 comments | 4 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Which internet/website blocker do you use to stay... by legrande on Tuesday August 03, 2021 @08:43AM (#28048477)

My strategy is having a dedicated hard-drive with a custom OS that I boot into, and this allows me to stay in a specific context (e.g coding) for a number of hours.

Then when I feel like being distracted and doing some mindless scrolling, I boot into another OS that's tailor made for that. Then it's hard to confuse contexts, and you don't mindlessly switch into distraction mode. Sometimes friction is good.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Which internet/website blocker do you use to stay... by a_lifters_life on Wednesday August 04, 2021 @05:46AM (#28059089)

I like this simple yet effective method

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Which internet/website blocker do you use to stay... by helph67 on Monday August 02, 2021 @06:46PM (#28043658)

Don't use it myself but `Erase Distractions' for FF claims "helps you defend your attention without having to block the site and go cold turkey" https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/erase-distrac...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Which internet/website blocker do you use to stay... by phekunde on Monday August 02, 2021 @06:58PM (#28043746)

I use this: https://switchoff.neocities.org

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Which internet/website blocker do you use to stay... by bississippi on Monday August 02, 2021 @01:25PM (#28039707)

Just pull the plug. Turn off WiFi or Ethernet for 15 min work blocks see if that works. Better than installing crapware and teaches you self control at the same time.

[ Parent | on HN ]