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Ending the Scourge of Screen-Sucking

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Ending the Scourge of Screen-Sucking

Freedom and Anti-Social are two powerful new tools in the battle against “screensucking” — unproductive time spent compulsively visiting the same Internet websites.

If you’ve got this problem (and you know you do), Freedom is a simple software program has the power to completely block a computer’s online connection. Pick the length you want to be offline — as little as 15 minutes and up to eight hours. Confirm your selection and all online activity is blocked — web, email, Skype, everything.

If you suddenly decide that you absolutely need Internet access, there is one way to get it: restarting your computer. If you end up re-starting your computer all the time to get around the software … well, your next step is probably psychological help.

Some users might need Freedom every day; others only when a big project is due. Do your morning surfing, set Freedom’s timer for eight hours, and — presto — the temptation of screen-sucking is gone. (Of course, now I’m waiting for the version that also shuts down network access on your personal iPhones and iPads at the same time.)

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Freedom also has a more limited (but possibly even more useful) sister program called Anti-Social. By default, Anti-Social blocks the “social parts” of the Internet — Facebook, Twitter, etc. But it also allows you to create a list of websites that you’d like to stay away from. (Your correspondent has a particular weakness for ESPN.com during baseball “hot stove” season.) You can decide whether you want to block email or not.

Once you’ve got your list set up, Anti-Social works similarly as Freedom. If you’ve got a regular group of “problem sites” that you waste time on, Anti-Social will remember your list so you don’t have to type it in again each time.

The software couldn’t be easier to use. I’ve had both programs for a week, have used one or the other every day, and haven’t had to restart my computer yet. Highly recommended.

Get Freedom for Mac or Windows for only $10, or bundle Freedom and Anti-Social for only 20$. Available at macfreedom.com.

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SPONSORED VIDEO

He Doubled His Sales Goals with Wilkerson

John Matthews, owner of John Michael Matthews Fine Jewelry in Vero Beach, Florida, is a planner. As an IJO member jeweler, he knew he needed an exit strategy if he ever wanted to g the kind of retirement he deserved. He asked around and the answers all seemed to point to one solution: Wilkerson. He talked to Rick Hayes, Wilkerson president, and took his time before making a final decision. He’d heard Wilkerson knew their way around a going out of business sale. But, he says, “he didn’t realize how good it was going to be.” Sales goals were “ambitious,” but even Matthews was pleasantly surprised. “It looks like we’re going to double that.”

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David Squires

Ending the Scourge of Screen-Sucking

Published

on


_atrk_opts = { atrk_acct: “tueZg1asOv00Ol”, domain:”instoremag.com”}; atrk ();Ending the Scourge of Screen-Sucking

Ending the Scourge of Screen-Sucking

Freedom and Anti-Social are two powerful new tools in the battle against “screensucking” — unproductive time spent compulsively visiting the same Internet websites.

If you’ve got this problem (and you know you do), Freedom is a simple software program has the power to completely block a computer’s online connection. Pick the length you want to be offline — as little as 15 minutes and up to eight hours. Confirm your selection and all online activity is blocked — web, email, Skype, everything.

If you suddenly decide that you absolutely need Internet access, there is one way to get it: restarting your computer. If you end up re-starting your computer all the time to get around the software … well, your next step is probably psychological help.

Advertisement

Some users might need Freedom every day; others only when a big project is due. Do your morning surfing, set Freedom’s timer for eight hours, and — presto — the temptation of screen-sucking is gone. (Of course, now I’m waiting for the version that also shuts down network access on your personal iPhones and iPads at the same time.)

Freedom also has a more limited (but possibly even more useful) sister program called Anti-Social. By default, Anti-Social blocks the “social parts” of the Internet — Facebook, Twitter, etc. But it also allows you to create a list of websites that you’d like to stay away from. (Your correspondent has a particular weakness for ESPN.com during baseball “hot stove” season.) You can decide whether you want to block email or not.

Once you’ve got your list set up, Anti-Social works similarly as Freedom. If you’ve got a regular group of “problem sites” that you waste time on, Anti-Social will remember your list so you don’t have to type it in again each time.

The software couldn’t be easier to use. I’ve had both programs for a week, have used one or the other every day, and haven’t had to restart my computer yet. Highly recommended.

Get Freedom for Mac or Windows for only $10, or bundle Freedom and Anti-Social for only 20$. Available at macfreedom.com.

Advertisement

/* * * CONFIGURATION VARIABLES: EDIT BEFORE PASTING INTO YOUR WEBPAGE * * */
var disqus_shortname = ‘instoremag’; // required: replace example with your forum shortname

/* * * DON’T EDIT BELOW THIS LINE * * */
(function() {
var dsq = document.createElement(‘script’); dsq.type = ‘text/javascript’; dsq.async = true;
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})();

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
blog comments powered by Disqus

Advertisement

SPONSORED VIDEO

He Doubled His Sales Goals with Wilkerson

John Matthews, owner of John Michael Matthews Fine Jewelry in Vero Beach, Florida, is a planner. As an IJO member jeweler, he knew he needed an exit strategy if he ever wanted to g the kind of retirement he deserved. He asked around and the answers all seemed to point to one solution: Wilkerson. He talked to Rick Hayes, Wilkerson president, and took his time before making a final decision. He’d heard Wilkerson knew their way around a going out of business sale. But, he says, “he didn’t realize how good it was going to be.” Sales goals were “ambitious,” but even Matthews was pleasantly surprised. “It looks like we’re going to double that.”

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Most Popular