You Don’t Need to Pay for Distraction-Blocking Software
These free iOS and Android apps create the physical friction you need to put down your phone.
The concept of using a physical barrier to block social media distractions like Instagram is an innovative approach. The physical barrier, in this case, is a small device called the "Brick," which requires users to physically interact with it to access the app. The Brick is essentially an NFC chip, similar to those found in credit cards or passports, which can be purchased for a dollar.
Alternatively, free applications can utilize these NFC chips to block distractions, in a similar way to the Brick. These apps can also use QR codes for the same purpose, requiring only a printer.
For iPhone users, Foqos is a free, open-source app that offers an easy way to configure the necessary permissions, set up a profile, and start blocking distractions. It supports NFC tags, QR codes, daily schedules, or scanning barcodes to block distractions. Foqos prevents users from deleting the app during the blocking period, ensuring that users cannot circumvent the block. Additionally, Foqos offers a limited number of breaks and has an excellent privacy policy, ensuring no data leaves the device.
For Android users, Switchly is a more feature-complete app that requires a bit more setup time. It offers similar features to Foqos, including blocking apps and URLs, using NFC chips or QR codes, and scheduling. Switchly also allows users to block specific features within certain apps. Another option for Android users is Lock, which is more polished than Switchly but only supports NFC chips. While there are also multiple free options for blocking websites on computers, the phone remains the primary source of distractions.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
