In the age of constant media stimulation, we increasingly need to correct our own default behaviors and prevent distraction when using the computer and other electronic devices. One app that has helped me with this is called SelfControl—this app lets you enter a list of websites you’d like to block (or vice-versa, letting you block everything but a specific list of sites), and a given time period you’d like to block them for. This has been helpful for me when I’m trying to do work; for instance, I can block Facebook for an hour while trying to complete a difficult assignment (often, I find myself defaulting to distracting sites when trying to do work that is difficult or boring). Especially thinking about the upcoming challenge, I wonder what more nuanced ways restrictive apps like this can work to help us stay on track toward goals and be more mindful.
