social media blocker !
i’ve heard rumors that mae looks at this sub some and i wanted to recommend to them (and anyone else trying to limit their socials/screen time) the app opal!
in february of this year, i deleted all socials on my phone for the month. it did wonders for my attention span, the hobbies i actually WANT to spend time with, and my sleep. my month detox really helped break the addiction i had formed. unfortunately, it just isn’t practical for me to be completely offline permanently. it’s how i learn about events happening in my city and frankly, a girl likes to post! so i needed a different solution for the long term.
introducing opal! this app will block apps of your choosing for time periods of your choosing. like the iphone “app timers,” it prevents the app from opening when you click on it. but unlike the timers, where you can turn them off with a quick button, you have to open opal, go through a quick breathing exercise or math game (depending on your setting preferences), and then take a break for 1-15 minutes maximum. so if you do need to access your blocked apps, you can do so at any time. there is a pro version that provides meditations and other addiction breaking resources, but i have found the free version does everything i need it to.
currently, i have a 9-5 work block, a 9:30-11 pm night block to keep me from doom scrolling into putting off my bedtime, and a weekend 7 am to 10 am block to keep me from scrolling in bed until ive wasted away my morning. its transformed my relationship with my phone & my social media.