With more and more content uploaded on the internet every minute, it is easier for one to be distracted easily by the internet. Within a brief moment, 2 hours have already passed and you wonder how did 1 click lead to an internet rabbit hole. But don’t lose hope. I will mention some useful applications on your computer that can boost your productivity. I hope that some of these applications/extensions are new to you and can help you. After using these applications, I am more focused and check distracting activities once a week in a controlled manner.
StayFocusd:
This chrome extension is a good starter. After using the maximum amount of time allowed per day for the blocked sites, StayFocusd blocks the websites. You are not allowed to extend the amount of time once it is used up. There is also a nuclear option that blocks all websites except for allowed websites. I don’t recommend nuclear option because it is very inconvenient for assignments that require using a search browser and academic websites. During the weekends, I would use Stayfocusd to limit the amount of time I spend on distracting websites such as YouTube (ex. 10 minutes). StayFocusd helped me be more
Cold Turkey:
This app helps you block websites on ALL browsers. You can make customized lists that each have different timers. For instance, I have a list that is blocked for a month and another list that is blocked for a week. After the timer goes up, you can reset the timer. The premium version can block distracting applications and block the entire internet.
After using Cold Turkey, I stopped seeing the point of going on social media websites because I saw them as a distraction rather than serving any meaningful purpose. I also curbed my habit of reading blogs and articles. Indeed, there is some very good content that offers helpful advice. However, there are times when reading blogs or articles adds more noise to the background.
Another application Cold Turkey released is Cold Turkey Writer. I found this very helpful when writing essays for summer programs. Cold Turkey Writer doesn’t let you leave the application until you type for x amount of minutes or x amount of words.
Rescue Time:
Rescue Time gives weekly reports and a productivity rating based on the type of websites and applications you use most frequently. They have categories for websites and applications based on how productive they are. You can change the categories for the websites/applications if you think it is more productive/distracting than the default category.
Remove Recommendations YouTube VK Facebook:
If you think you watch too much YouTube, I would say this is the most helpful extension. For me, the extension ended my tendency to waste time on YouTube. Before, I would spend more time on YouTube because of the recommendations on the homepage and the side of the main video. This extension hides recommendations, comments, playlists, and trending videos. By hiding recommendations, I use YouTube differently compared to before. Before, YouTube was a website when I was bored and wanted to relax. In that case, YouTube was entertainment. Now, I only watch a couple of video channels that I think are meaningful and helpful. The extension taught me to use YouTube with clear intentions and purpose. Links for all extensions:
StayFocusd: http://www.stayfocusd.com
Cold Turkey: www.getcoldturkey.com
Rescue Time: www.rescuetime.com
Remove Recommendations: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/remove-recommendations-yo/hfnghnjkcpgagjbiheidccjnneoipbmb?hl=en
The Roar 