one sec | screen time + focus 4+

This app is really really amazing and I’m glad it exists. It is already helping me to reduce certain compulsions to open certain apps, and prevents me from staying on each app too long.

There are some bugs or potential features though:

- “I don’t want to open this app” could pop out a bit earlier or maybe immediately so we can cancel right away. I know we can just navigate away from the app though but this would be a nice feature.
- PIP intentions don’t seem to show up for apps, only for Safari. Not sure why, am I doing something wrong or is this a known bug?
- video previews of the interventions (or an in-app simulation of the intervention)
- ensure that all interventions support features like Healthy alternatives. Eg I think that the circle tracing one doesn’t support this feature of Healthy alternatives. Along with this, some documentation such as a matrix of interventions and features, with checks/crosses, would be nice.
- morning countdown could work for other apps than just the delayed apps. Eg I don’t want to make it hard for me to use Telegram or WhatsApp but I may want to stop myself from using them in the morning when I wake up (I have friends in the East so they send me messages while I’m asleep so there is lots of temptation to reply to them when I wake up). But they shouldn’t be intervened any other time of the day.

My absolute worst habit is switching mindlessly between social media apps, literally closing twitter and opening instagram, then closing instagram and opening twitter on a loop. I probably pick up my phone every 15-20 mins on total impulse, as soon as my brain stops having an active thought process. This has absolutely cut that down - just that second to think about whether I actually have a reason for opening the app or if I did it out of habit, and being able to see my open rate immediately after so I am encouraged to keep the percentage low... I’ve tried lots of things to keep screentime down but this actually works!! I would love to see an update that lets you do the same thing for games (my second worst habit is playing dumb puzzle games when I’m watching TV). Overall, WELL worth the 99p 💯

The concept is simple yet effective. It prevents mindless use of apps of your choice. I chose to try this out with Facebook. It makes opening the app a bit of a nuisance, things like rotating your phone three times, following a circle on screen with your finger or waiting six seconds while you breathe in and out. Usually even the thought of having to do the exercise just to scroll through an app you don’t actually have any good intention of using prevents you from opening the app. My usage of Facebook has dropped 74% in a week. I would highly recommend this app.

I’m getting more work done and focusing on my studies and workday much better. The impact it’s having is invaluable.