

What tool do you use to focus? - throwaway209

What technique do you use to focus while working? in the sense methodology like GTD, ZTD, Pomodoro or softwares like OmniFocus, Things etc
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gregdetre
On the Mac, Self Control every time! It'll block access to domains you define
for a set period, e.g. news.ycombinator.com, email.

<http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/>

<http://gregdetre.blogspot.com/2009/10/self-control.html>

The only downside is that I can't seem to block reader.google.com without also
blocking all of google.com...

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justinwi
There's a really nice, and free, extension for chrome called StayFocusd that I
use.

[https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmip...](https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji)

You can mark sites you visit as "time wasters" (e.g. news.google.com,
hulu.com, HN, etc.) as well as how much time/day you should be allowed to
waste during work hours (customizable). It then logs the time you spend on
those sites and after you've reached your daily limit, it will redirect you
whenever you try to visit them.

Of course, you can work around it, but I find their redirect page wakes me out
of an almost knee-jerk reaction to waste time throughout certain times of the
day.

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gnufs
I follow Pomodoro Technique with the timer-applet on GNOME panel with work and
break presets.

Oh, and 'The Bomb Run' theme from Dr. Strangelove as the alarm sound.

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AN447
I turn off the internet if I need to do something task wise and have a shitty
computer to get stuff done on that its a really old battered mac.

Not a fan of software since i'll try override any settings etc.

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momotomo
This. Do the same thing, but with variations based on how badly I need to
focus.

\- First is a battered old internet-free linux box with a text editor and a
few basic tools for focussed work / dev.

\- Second is to sit somewhere unfamiliar in the office / home with grid paper
and a pen

\- Third, if something needs some proper, hardcore thought applied - hardcopy
whatever I need, drive somewhere with a table (cafe, park, whatever), turn off
all my devices and sit. Sit, read, think, write, repeat.

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eswat
Music (specifically stuff I’ve listened to for years so I don’t get distracted
by something new and catchy).

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maxawaytoolong
I've tried many things but nothing has helped more than turning off the
internet.

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kenkyhuang
This is more of a methodology than a tool, but I uninstall Starcraft.

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Croaky
Full-screen shell & text editor.

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booduh
Brainwave Entrainment ("music")

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retrogradeorbit
A lens.

