
Show HN: Block yourself from the Internet until you write or code each day - jsm
http://www.blockr.me/
======
edw519
If what you're working on is important enough and you love it enough, you
would never need this.

If not, then maybe you're working on the wrong thing.

Let's stop treating the effect of poor work habits and deal with the cause:
find something better to work on.

[EDIT: I'd stay and reply to your great responses guys, but I'm not here
anymore. As compelling as this discussion is, the real-time CRUD/robot
interface I'm writing is way cooler.]

~~~
watty
This is poor advice. First off not everyone has the opportunity to work on
something important and that they love. Sure, it's ideal and probably a goal
of everyone but sometimes it takes steps to attain that goal and sometimes
people sacrifice their 8-5 hours to provide for their family.

Secondly, not everyone has the ability to get kickstarted each day to 100%
productivity. You're very lucky if you do but I don't. I use Focus Booster and
it helps but isn't a cure.

~~~
mattwdelong
I had a response written out, but took a step back to see what other people
had to say. You've pretty much summed up what I had to say in fewer words. I
absolute deplore the parent comment, which is the typical response to these
kinds of "hacks". While they're not ideal to actually solve the problem, they
may mitigate the symptoms until they can solve the root cause. To each their
own, and what works for one will not work for another. Keep on keeping on.

------
programminggeek
You know what works well? Just write some code. I use the metaphor "paint
every day" which I took from a HN comment years ago, but how does an artist
get good at painting? You paint every day.

How do you get stuff done? Code every day. Fix a small problem, big problem,
whatever. Just take steps forward every day.

It's how I got <http://reme.me> off the ground. I do something every day. In a
couple short months I built the API, site, iPhone, and Android apps all by
myself. I only get an hour or two a day maybe to get stuff done, so I just try
and do something.

Lately I've been giving myself a list of tasks and either a week or two
deadline to hit a "release", but really, that doesn't get stuff done. Just
coding something each day does.

Paint every day.

~~~
RegEx
I find this very condescending. Not all of us get to work on fun problems, but
the work has to get done nonetheless.

~~~
run4yourlives
I think you are missing the point of the OP's comment.

Essentially, he/she is saying that persistence is the key to completing the
task, and that is true regardless of whether the task is enjoyable or not.
Pound away, day after day, each and every day, and it will get done.

------
danso
StayFocusd is currently my favorite plugin for this purpose
[https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfm...](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji)

However, adding a rewards/gamification system is not a bad idea at all. I like
StayFocusd but I end up filling my time otherwise if I don't have a hard
deadline. Having goals to reach is a great incentive, enough to keep me
focused without a plugin. But the plugin provides a basic physical deterrent
effect which sometimes alone can be enough

~~~
brc
I've looked at many, many of these types of apps. Most are laughably easy to
get around. Having one that only works on one type of browser when you have 4
different types is so easy to circumvent, it's not worth doing.

------
dustyreagan
I find the whole "if you love it then you don't need this" sentiment at best
naive, and at worst arrogant.

Sometimes we all have to do things we don't want to do. This includes, at
times, working on your own project. There's nothing wrong with you, or what
you're working on, if you actively try to limit your distractions.

If your project is so awesome you never get distracted, good for you. Kindly,
take your hubris elsewhere.

------
why-el
Does this block all internet? How can you code well without resort to some
googling?

Edit: By this I mean it would be preferable if I can leave some sites up, like
SO for instance.

~~~
27182818284
I had to deal with shitty, shitty Internet once. I downloaded the docs ahead
of time when I did have a good connection. Then when you're online later, what
you still haven't figured out you attack.

It is not really that hard, I think it is just a culture shock for some to not
have the Internet nearby. It was for me.

~~~
samspot
But sometimes completely unanticipated problems come up and you need
stackoverflow... I'm not even sure how I did any work pre-internet. I know
troubleshooting took me significantly longer back then, but I was also less
experienced.

------
_sentient
I personally use the Chrome Nanny extension to block certain websites during
specified hours. This goal-oriented approach is interesting though, as it
seems to get at the core issue: "to create more than you consume".

~~~
ptrklly
I think that's a good observation about how this approach differs: it's not
just a technical hack, but a behavioral one as well--the user experience with
the tool is to simply do the warmups that they want to be doing anyway. I like
that a lot, but it still feels like the tool is missing something to really
successfully accomplish that.

------
ww520
Prepare a hosts file as

    
    
        127.0.0.1   news.ycombinator.com
        127.0.0.1   reddit.com
        127.0.0.1   twitter.com
        etc
    

A shell script to rename the regular hosts file and this one at will. Add it
in cron if you want it scheduled.

~~~
henryboston
I did this for a while but I just ended up editing my hosts file every time I
wanted to stop working. Maybe I just need to practice more self discipline.

~~~
wpietri
A workable substitute for self-discipline is to make it hard enough to do the
bad thing that either your laziness or your better nature wins out.

E.g., I don't keep cookies in the house. Instead, I go to the store if I want
some. It's pretty rare that I'll overcome my laziness enough to head out for
them. And then on the way I often come to my senses.

In this case, I might make it harder to edit the hosts file. E.g., a daemon
that puts the block back automatically unless I solve 25 captchas.

I also really like LeechBlock's option to insert a 30-second pause before
viewing banned websites. Since it cancels the countdown if the window loses
focus, I have to just sit and wait for half a minute. 90% of the time I'll
say, "But I don't even want to look at Facebook now," close the window, and
get back to what I want to be doing.

~~~
henryboston
Do they have LeechBlock for chrome?

------
lokh
Lots of people commenting if your code is fun you shouldn't have to restrict
yourself, blah blah blah. That's not the problem. The problem is how easy it
is to instantly distract yourself. _Taktaktaktaktak_ "Oh hey, I wonder if so-
and-so replied on my Facebook, let's just to a quick look.." _5 hours later_
"Oh snap, the time just flew by!"

If you're serious about blocking yourself from parts of the Internet, do it
comprehensively. Here's what I do.

Most of the advice on this page is blocking from the browser-level or OS-
level. This is easy to bypass, and you have to configure every device. You
need to work at the router-level.

Let's talk blocking. A complete blacklist is wrong, you still need some
Internet to Google or ask for help. e.g. stackoverflow.com, etc. Similarly,
whitelists don't work because you can't possibly list every site you may need
access to -- you may not know they exist yet. You need a keyword-matching
blacklist.

You need two things:

1\. WRT54GL router ($20-$50) 2\. Tomato firmware:
<http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato/>

Vendor firmware usually has access restrictions, but they usually limit it to
like 10 websites, and it usually doesn't have pattern-matching. You need a 3rd
party firmware like Tomato.

Install the firmware per instructions from its website. It's really easy. The
firmware has a page called "Access Restrictions". It does keyword
blacklists/whitelists. You can block yourself for only certain hours of
certain days. Here is an easy video tutorial from their website to guide you:
<http://www.polarcloud.com/v/screst.htm>

For example, one keyword I use is "news". BAM! All URLs with the word "news"
instantly blocked. Good. I don't need to be reading news when I should be
coding. Resources like stackoverflow.com don't usually put "news" in their
URLs, so they're safe.

There is the problem of unplugging the uplink from the router and directly
into your computer (bypassing the router), or simply reconfiguring the router
without restrictions. If you lack that much self-control, which I can
understand (as I do too!!!), I recommend locking your router in a electrical
enclosure and throwing away the key. Ok, not really. I made a cron job for the
router that changes its login password to gibberish at some hour of the day,
and X minutes prior it sets it to my normal password. Thus, I have X minutes
of access to the router per day, should I need it.

------
ptrklly
A bit of a tangent but: I like Earnest Hemmingway's advice to only stop your
work when you know exactly where to pick up again. I don't do great but when I
follow the advice I find that it helps me get into flow more quickly.

"You write until you come to a place where you still have your juice and know
what will happen next and you stop and try to live through until the next day
when you hit it again."

------
vipervpn
Ok, now that I used this app I'm totally impressed. It even continues blocking
after rebooting. Ha! Awesome.

I banged off almost 1000 words yesterday and had to shut down because of an
oncoming storm. This morning I boot up and my connection is still locked up.
My browser is saying I need to type another 1000 words if I want to get
Internet. Nice.

I think your app will do well!

------
ruswick
This seems like it would be more of a hindrance than a help. Implementing
anything to force yourself to code is a good indicator that you really don't
want to code in the first place, and is just going to encourage you to write
perfunctory code. It will probably also just make you more upset and
contemptuous towards work in general. After all, who want's to be forced to
something they don't want to do through negative reinforcement?

If you need this, there's most likely a bigger problem and you probably should
be doing something else. Additionally, even if this gets the job done, it's
going to piss you off to a large extent.

Lastly, this method is antithetical to coding in general. You most likely NEED
the internet to code. Without things like Stack Overflow, you won't be able to
solve problems as quickly and your productivity is going to go down.

~~~
RegEx
> Implementing anything to force yourself to code is a good indicator that you
> really don't want to code in the first place, and is just going to encourage
> you to write perfunctory code.

The work I do is very boring. I do Drupal development for a series of
television stations, and I'm not happy with it. But I need this job to pay the
bills, so I have to perform well. Once I start coding, I realize my job isn't
the worst thing in the world, and I'll get into a good flow. Starting, though,
is the hardest part. These self-controlling applications help give me the
start I need and don't let me give up so easily.

------
decklin
Everyone seems to be talking about the force-yourself-to-code part of this,
but I recently read something about "write every morning" and as a tool for
that this sounds appealing -- but only because my job is coding, not writing.
Sort of like stretching before athletic activity, maybe?

The only thing that worries me is I have to inspect and trust the code to not
do anything with potentially sensitive text. something local would be nice.

------
Scottopherson
Do commitment devices like this actually work for anybody? I've never known
anyone who struggled with procrastination or any other vices that prevent them
from getting work done and had their problems solved by a tool like this.

The pomodoro technique seems like it would be more effective for motivating
you to work since it immediately rewards your efforts with a short break from
your tasks.

------
engtech
I saw it on HN a while ago, but I've been liking morphine: regulate
distractions

You configure the websites to block, and when you try to access a blocked site
it lets you create a 1, 3, 5 minute window to access the site.

really good for a 5 minute break.

[https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fbnpehpbojenlldmfc...](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fbnpehpbojenlldmfcopeajkichnnjpo)

------
lukifer
This is cool, nice job. I'm currently working on something similar: a Chrome
extension to gamify internet self-control with a configurable mana bar. Tools
that allow people to give themselves "bright lines" to guide their own
behavior are a good thing.

------
justhw
But you can always uninstall the extension. Can we discipline ourselves, is
the question.

~~~
dreeves
Yes, but you may need to enlist a third party. (Discl: my startup --
<http://beeminder.com> \-- is such a third party!)

------
damienfir
If you really like coding or writing, you shouldn't need to force yourself to
do it.

~~~
jemka
Although I think you're baiting, I'll bite.

I really enjoy eating, but if I'm caught up in something I don't always
remember to do it. Sometimes I'll go hours past my regularly scheduled meal
times. Then I'm sitting at my desk wondering (only for a short time) why my
stomach hurts. Oh ya, food.

While this is a extreme example, the logic still applies to coding/writing or
anything else. Sometimes the tasks you should do are side tracked by other
tasks. And if you're deep in thought, you might not have the internal alarm to
switch to something more of a priority. Hence external alarms.

~~~
benthumb
It's interesting you bring up food. Everything goes much more smoothly when
I'm fasting: I'm way more focused, and the problems that do crop up, I feel
I'm able to negotiate more effectively. I tend to look at it as a kind of
perverse karmic trade-off, but that's just me...

~~~
lawn
Let me just counter that with my experience. I can focus better and I get
things done much better when eat regulary and when I eat well (no fast food,
not too much fat etc). If I eat to late or if I only eat a sandwich for
breakfast the whole day can become ruined and if I completely skip a meal I'll
be worse off for a day or two.

But that's just me.

------
RegEx
SelfControl[0] is an OS X application that lets you set up a black list. It's
free, and works great for me.

[0]: <http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/>

------
nkeating
Per usual on HN, I think people take simple, fun utilities like this way too
serious and try inject some philosophical ideal about loving your work blah
blah blah. They dont get it. I like it. Good job.

------
wavesounds
My email address is longer then 30 characters so I had to use javascript to
input it. Still doesn't look like it worked though not sure if your no longer
accepting new users or if my hack didnt work.

------
mistermann
I want this but at the OS level (windows in my case) with white lists.

~~~
charliepark
If you had contact info in your profile I'd send you this privately, but
that's exactly what we've built with <https://monotask.com>. The pro version
is free for another few days. Free version will be free forever.

Not trying to threadjack, so if anybody has questions, etc., would love for
you to e-mail me directly at charlie@monotask.com.

~~~
CJefferson
I'm guessing 'Mac and PCs' means 'Mac and Windows', and you don't support
Linux? You seem to send a windows exe to linux users.

~~~
charliepark
Sorry about that. Yes. We're working on a Linux version, but wanted to iron
out some kinks in the other two first. If you e-mail me, I'll let you know as
soon as we have something for you. I'll update that copy on the site, too.

------
mvip
I prefer to just use a tool that simply removes distraction instead, like
Quiet (<http://wireload.net/products/quiet/>).

~~~
oofabz
If only it worked on my coworkers.

------
jherdman
Concentrate (OS X): Pricy, but absolutely invaluable for me
<http://getconcentrating.com/>

~~~
nXqd
a long time ago, I've stopped using and finding productivity app like this.
Just look around when I really have free time. Instead of playing around with
this, completing the most important things, others tasks will take care of
themselves.

------
rimantas
I use this: <http://bumblebeesystems.dyndns.org/wastenotime/>

------
vipervpn
Awesome app. I'll check it out. But I wish it wasn't a browser plugin. Too
many browser plugins are bogging up my browsing experience.

------
Jazear
Can you allow specific site exceptions? I'd like to check specific coding
education sites and my local server.

Other than that issue, great app!

------
verganileonardo
If I download the Extension without an account I see a giant error page with
lots of debug information at /write/.

------
yamalight
what if i need to search for a solution to something or find out if it's a bug
in IDE or it's me doing something wrong? doesn't seems like a very good idea
to me personally. just learning to focus on your target would probably help
more

------
mmaunder
I occasionally do this with my hosts file. But not right now...

------
a3_nm
The Internet != the web.

------
abhi_mehta
can u also provide bitbucket integration?

