I am pretty good at focusing on the job at hand, most of the time. Unfortunately, though, I still have websites that I shouldn’t visit that I do visit (some of them way too often, and they are almost imprinted in the muscle memory).
In order to solve this issue I use on all my computers StayFocusd (on Chrome). It is an extension that allows you to block specific websites for a while (or even forever) and it syncs between multiple Chrome installs on different computers. I actually have some sites that I will be able to read in 13241. Soon…
The extension is pretty simple to use: you have a list of blocked sites, of allowed sites and you can use either to block all but the allowed ones, to allow all but the blocked ones or to block all :D I actually did this by mistake and I had to uninstall the extension, since Chrome considers the extension options as being another website – albeit local, not world wide web (this is the way Chrome is built).
If you have bad self-control with the websites that you read, I think StayFocusd is a good option for you to try.
I used to have the same browser focus problem :)
Before becoming an avid Chrome user, I tracked down the two websites that ate most of my browser time: Facebook and Twitter, so I cleared the cookies for both of them and If I wanted to use the sites I had to login every time; that made me use them a bit less. After a while Facebook added two step sign-in so I forced myself into logging in with the password and the mobile generated code every time and that made me use Facebook even less.
But one good thing I discovered after using Chrome a lot is that you can add multiple users. So I gave up all the hassle with logging in every time, I set up a work-mode account and kept only that account open when I was coding.
It took a bit at first as I googled a lot of code, plugins and stackoverflow from the main account, so google was already accustomed with my habbits, but eventually it caught up.
About multiple users in Chrome: here and here.
Nice work flow! Didn’t know about the multiple users for Chrome, but it’s something worth using.
‘Mindful Browsing’ is the equivalent extension for Safari. It works really well.
Thanks a lot, Oliver! :)
Hi, Bobby!
Thanks for sharing!
I think the tool is nice and might even help improve proficiency, depending on the goals.
I have developped myself a tool called “WebInfoMan”, way back in 2004 and it allows me to build a database with sites, add PR, a short review (or long :) , up to 3MB ASCII text) and add a rating. So, when I need something, I search inside the database. On search engines, wether I find it useful or :( , I add an entry. Pretty simple. The browser already sucks some 500 MB of RAM o adding gadgets, is quite out of hand for me, since I only have 4 GB.
It sounds as a pretty good tool for bookmarking :)
Your guess is right! :)
Initially, all I wanted was to have links to sites on my computer and the ability to launch whatever site I need clicking a button. Than the project evolved since my needs also did…
I think I have a screenshot somewhere on FB, or my blog…
Yeah… Here it is:
WebInfoMan (standing for Web Information Manager)