Gallery: Learn to Ignore the Internet and Steal Back Your Concentration
01Intro and Browser Extensions
You work on the computer all day, so you've certainly felt the pull of the internet's siren song while you're trying to get work done -- it's right there, begging to take you on an endless, magical journey filled with grumpy cats and barfing unicorns. Beyond donning a powerful shock collar, there are a wide range of technological tools you can employ to take your concentration back and stay away from the time-wasting stuff. If your willpower alone can't keep you off the "fun parts" of the web during work hours, here are a collection of software tools that'll do it for you. Browser Extensions ------------------ The simplest and most direct way to a block site you can't help but visit is through a browser extension. If you're a Chrome user, the most popular option is [StayFocusd](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en). It's fairly easy to use, but requires customization. In order to function, you need to add sites to the StayFocusd block list, and you add them through an embedded browser button. StayFocusd has two different modes. The default mode gives you an allotted amount of time to browse your block list during a 24-hour period, so you can choose to browse your blocked sites for, say, 10 minutes per day. The other mode, which is cheekily called the "nuclear option," blocks your whole blacklist for a period of time you specify -- an hour, or ten hours. If you're a Firefox user, you should check out [LeechBlock](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/leechblock/), which StayFocusd is actually based on. It has most of the same features as StayFocusd, but has a handy "let me browse Y minutes every X hours," in case you still need to check Twitter or Facebook -- just not all afternoon. There are countless options besides just these two. But these options are the most commonly downloaded, and both extensions are frequently updated.
02Hosts
Edit Your Hosts File -------------------- Editing your HOSTS file is a time-honored tradition for the easily distracted engineer, and it's probably the most flexible and customizable way you can block websites and time-sucking pages. It's certainly nothing new, but it's a great DIY solution. Both Macs and Windows machines have HOSTS files. They can be found at `private/etc/hosts` for Mac and Unix-based machines, and `C:WindowsSystem32Driversetchosts` if your computer runs Windows. If you're running desktop Linux, I'll assume you know how to find your host file. A HOSTS file is essentially a text file where your computer stores DNS entries, so that every time it goes looking for a website domain name, it won't have to query DNS servers. But you can hack this process so that your computer will throw up a "host not found" when looking for Facebook, for instance. So if you would like to block Facebook, simply add this line to the HOSTS file: `127.0.0.1 Facebook.com` Facebook is whatever domain you want to block; the IP address just points to your local computer. For extra credit, you could send it to a page that tells you to get back to work. Note: on Windows 8, you can't edit your host file unless you unprotect it in Windows Defender under the Settings tab as an "Excluded File or Location." It's an advantage in some ways, because malware can't edit your HOSTS file, but it also means there's at least one extra step to complete before you can block or unblock a website. Make sure to check out [hosts-file.net](http://www.hosts-file.net/) for sample HOSTS files. The sample file provided is geared towards malware and spam, but it's still an great resource.
03Two Browsers
A Browser for Work, a Browser for Play -------------------------------------- Here's an easy concentration software solution: Keep one browser configured for work, and a different one configured for play. For instance, you could use [Chrome](https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/) for work-related tasks, and [Firefox](http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) for personal stuff. Or you could try [Chromium](http://www.chromium.org/getting-involved/dev-channel/) for getting stuff done, and [Maxthon](http://www.maxthon.com/) for wasting time on Reddit. There are infinite permutations. Another tip: Keep your work browser running under private mode. That means every time you accidentally go to Twitter or Facebook, you'll be asked to manually enter your name and password. It's a simple way to remind yourself to get back to work.
04Music Without Words
Listen to Music Without Words ----------------------------- Top-40, hip-hop, and pop music might fade into the background when you're at the mall. But if you're looking to block out the rest of the world around you, those lyrics will mess with your head -- no matter how banal. That's not even considering the fact that listening to a bunch of songs about partying while you're trying to finish a huge report isn't much fun. Both Spotify and Rdio have excellent libraries of instrumental music -- from [classical recordings](https://play.spotify.com/album/4Hv8Vy1ZYqyxiku73K6skq) to [piano](https://play.spotify.com/album/5djdMiPQzXi3714Xi6e87n) to white noise like [ocean sounds](https://play.spotify.com/artist/1AavJbrmyu2LqJRUmR05RY). You can even search for playlists that other users have made specifically for concentrating or for studying. If the spoken ads take you out of the zone, try [Spotifree](http://spotifree.gordinskiy.com/) to silence them.
05Use a Minimal Text Editor
Use a Minimal Text Editor ------------------------- If you spend all day writing -- articles, papers, stories, scripts, or just plain code -- you probably have a favorite writing environment. The best ones for concentrating are the full-screen editors that take over your whole screen. There are a bunch available for each platform. I like [Q10](http://www.baara.com/q10/) for Windows, mainly because it works and it's free. On Mac, I favor [WriteRoom](http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/products/writeroom) ($10). If you prefer working in the browser -- and there are multiple reasons why you'd want to, the most obvious of which is cloud-based syncing across devices -- try [Editorially](editorially.com). It's the new kid on the block and it's great. Try all of these in full-screen mode, which gets rid of everything else except the app and any systemwide alerts you have turned on.
06Blocklist
Get Your Blocklist Started -------------------------- Now that you've got your concentration software installed, you'll need a block list. Of course, no two block lists will be the same--I have a bad habit of checking my Fantasy Football teams even when there haven't been any status changes, but you might prefer killing hours surfing rage comics. Here's where I'd start blocking. Yes, it's all the best stuff, but it's amazing how much you can get done if you just ignore all these sites: - Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - reddit - YouTube - Tumblr - Imgur - Amazon Add to that list whatever sites you notice you tend the waste the most time on. And if you're not sure, there are browser extensions that will tell you where you waste the most time. Grab [timeStats](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/timestats/ejifodhjoeeenihgfpjijjmpomaphmah?hl=en) for Chrome, [Mind the Time](https://addons.mozilla.org/En-us/firefox/addon/mind-the-time/) for Firefox, or [Rescue Time](https://www.rescuetime.com/browser-plugin) for both browsers. [Waste No Time](http://www.bumblebeesystems.com/wastenotime/) is a good one for Safari. *Photo by Bob the Lomond/[Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/90001203@N00/1043205025/)/CC*
07Self Control
Last Resort ----------- If you're certain you have absolutely no willpower whatsoever, try [Self Control](http://selfcontrolapp.com/). This open-source desktop app for Mac OS X should only be used as a last resort. When you install it, you give it a list of sites and apps you want to block. Then, when you turn it on, nothing will allow you to access anything on your block list -- even if you uninstall the application, restart your computer, or try to edit your hosts file. It is supremely difficult to get rid of. So on one hand, if you block Gmail and you simply need to check it for a very important message, you're totally out of luck. But it's a fool-proof way to make sure you're not surfing sites you shouldn't be visiting when you're trying to get work done, even if you have a borked machine afterwards. Windows users should check out [Temptation Block](http://sourceforge.net/projects/temptblocker/), although it allows you to set a "safe word" to lift the block. It operates on the principle of "out of sight, out of mind," which has its power.
