5 Apps to Avoid Distraction

Set these up to avoid digital distractions

In this technology-driven world, we are often distracted by the enormous number of notifications we receive and endlessly scrolling social media leading to a reduction in productivity.

Here are a few apps which can enhance productivity and prevent you from getting distracted.

1. Freedom: Trusted by professionals from Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc. Freedom is one of the best anti-distraction that helps users to “focus on what matters” and is compatible across all major platforms. It enables the user to block websites, apps and the internet. Productivity sessions can be synced across all your devices, allowing the user to create unlimited blocklists for different situations. Sessions can also be scheduled in advance. The software also has a feature of Locked Mode which stops the user from ending a productivity session before it ends. The yearly plan costs $3.33 per month.
2. FocusMe: Another leading anti-distraction software, it is compatible across all platforms except iOS. It is fully customisable and provides the user with a detailed analysis of where the time was spent. You can also create “Launch limits” for your inbox, allowing you to open it only a specific number of times in a day. It has a parental control feature that helps to keep kids safer and more focused online. This software also allows syncing across all your devices to eliminate tempting opportunities to “sneak a peek”. It also has a Force Mode that does not allow the user to end the session early; you cannot uninstall the app during that duration. It will cost you $4 per month for a yearly plan.
3. Forest: It is an app that motivates you to be productive by representing your work time with a tree, and by collecting such trees, you create a forest. Ending a session kills your tree and psychologically prevents us from completing it. You can unlock adorable trees from coins earned by staying focused. You can track your screen time and phone usage with the pro mode. You can also use tags for different activities to keep track of the time invested in each activity.
4. RescueTime: This app automatically tracks your working habits and provides the user with a detailed analysis of where the time was being spent. Accordingly, the user can achieve their focus goals. The user can feed in data to know how many tasks they have to complete in the day. The application suggests the time slot for the deep work focus session by analysing the user’s data of when they are highly productive. The app allows a 30-day free trial.

Pros:

1. Easy to use
2. Requires minimal setup
3. Provides detailed analysis, by categorising the apps

Cons:

1. Poor interface
2. The software does not detect calls and meetings
3. Dewo: An AI-based application, it closely monitors everything users do - including files they work on, websites they visit, calendar appointments they create and more. It scores the person’s work from being a complete distraction to intense deep work. When the app identifies the user’s state as deep work, it eliminates all distractions by muting notifications and switching on do not disturb mode. It also provides the user with suggestions based on the analysis done. This application is entirely free.

I enjoyed using the Forest app; I found its interface very interactive and motivating. Earning coins to unlock more attractive trees encouraged me to work more and increased my productivity. Other apps allow more control over locking websites and apps, but I require the motivation and not the overall control on my device to force me to work; opinions may vary from person to person.

You can increase your productivity manifolds by just eliminating minor distractions. The apps mentioned above can assist you in minimising them by providing a detailed analysis of where you spend your time.

Stay focused, ignore the distractions, and you will accomplish your goals much faster.