Show HN: I Made the Hardest Focus App
my problem is that i could not avoid social media entirely as i post actively because i’m involved in marketing and branding.
I tried the usual, app blockers & time limits, but i always find myself hitting “one more minute” like a junkie.
i’m not looking for a complete social media absence or deleting everything as these radical solutions don’t fit my lifestyle and needs and i tend to come back needing even more.
the ideal solution for me would be that when i decided to focus on something for specified time i SHOULDN’T reach out to my phone instinctively and needed a wrist slap every time i did so.
three weeks later i put out the first version of the @hardestfocusapp - it’s built on a simple, physical truth: to focus, you must disengage.
the core mechanic of the app is a commitment device.
focus starts not with a button tap, but with a physical act of disengagement with the phone itself that adapts to any situation:
- keep it face down on a desk for deep work.
- put in the pocket while walking or commuting.
- lock the phone for long and uninterrupted focus.
this makes the act of disengagement itself as a trigger for start of focus.
the consequence is just as real.
picking up the phone triggers a 5-second warning siren duel.
failure to put it back will erase all the progress made, using the concept of Loss Aversion - a powerful motivator that makes the fear of losing progress more compelling than any virtual reward.
it’s not just an app blocker, it became my phone blocker.
now when i’m focusing, i’m not on my phone every other minute trying to escape from the thought I could not confront, the warning siren is so loud, it feels like a slap on the wrist and i immediately put the phone away.
now i’m not just running away from the thoughts, I’m confronting them and planning ahead
1. If I buy a subscription and end up not using it, I've wasted money. 2. If I buy a subscription and end up using it, that means I should have just bought the lifetime purchase. So now I've wasted money. 3. If I buy a lifetime purchase and end up not using it, I've wasted money. 4. I don't want to waste money. I'll find a free alternative or build my own. 5. Exit app store, no sub or purchase made.
Talk about loss aversion...
I've found I'm better off paying extra for a shorter duration until I've validated that I'll be using my subscription in 3/6/12 months from now. E.g. recently with Duolingo I ended up only paying for it on a monthly rate for about 4 months, and that wasn't even because I'd quit learning, I'd just found a much better app.
My problem is there is no such thing as a lifetime subscription anymore. More like "until the company gets acquired and the new parent company gets bored or until I get bored, whichever comes first".
I get the problem you’re describing, but are you sure about these numbers? Screen Time has been broken since iOS 18 and reports really large (and totally random) numbers. I gave up using Screen Time after repeatedly seeing that an app that I open everyday for two minutes (I know this) shows up as 45 minutes, one hour and so on.
It’s good to pay attention to one’s use of a smart device, but I’d recommend not relying on iOS Screen Time reports.
About this app though, I have stopped buying apps that don’t give long enough trials. So this one is not for me. I’d suggest making the trial seven days (at the minimum).
For those who know the "tough love" approach won't be effective for them or their family members, I recommend checking out the gentler, less-aggressive approach of an iOS/Android app at the top of Apple's charts right: Hank Green's "Focus Friend". https://www.yourfocusfriend.com/
https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/run-for-fun-screen-time-focus/...
It’s a good concept, I just installed dumbify, i’ll see how that goes first.
It seems like there is a lifetime option? The pricing doesn’t seem to indicate that. I don’t think I’d pay monthly for this limited set of features.
Everyone should read it. Anyone skimming this, take note. This dude’s app description in the app store absolutely wins the internet for today.
Advice to the developer, in the screenshots the concept is a bit vague. If you could somehow get a hook into the screenshots that leads people to read the full description (not an automatic action for most people) that would help a lot.
“…profits from your failure by selling you toys instead of tools” is rather profound to think about.
I already cut my social apps usage to 2 hours per day, which is a huge success.
Now I want to stop myself from diving head-first into Instagram the moment I wake up. If only I can make these apps accessible only from 10am to 02pm.
Any suggestions?
(I tried parental control but it requires having only one logged-in account which I can't fulfill.)
[1] https://github.com/berbyte/sinkzone
I tried blocking Facebook on my phone using both the parental control option AND adding `facebook.com` to the deny list.
Somehow, the app is still chugging along totally unbothered.
On my laptop, I block undesirable websites using `/etc/hosts`. This creates friction and my lazy ass bails out most of the time from pursuing the desire to check on instagram.
On my tablet, none of the social media apps are installed.
These of course aren't bulletproof solutions but I think a little of willpower is necessary for any solution to really work.
Gave me a very good laugh.
Looking forward to launch!
This is baby tutorial level.
Look into iOS device management.
Let users let you manage the device.
If they don't put it back in their pocket, wipe the device.
Yeah.
They can restore from iCloud, but come on.
You talk big talk, be big stick.
https://focusfriend.me/