The Return of Site-Blocking Apps

03/08/15

So, as I continue my fight to regain what I once had over a year ago now, I was reminded of my using of Site-Blocker and LeechBlock and various other site-blocking apps I found online. When I abandoned them not too long ago, it was because I was using them for an inappropriate job, and thus they did not work the way I desired. But I think at one time I used them, quite accidentally, to great effect via an appropriate job.

That job was to remind me to consider better things I wanted/needed to do with my time. It was with this attitude and this tool that I was able to overcome my poor habits and replace them with strong ones.

And it is time, once again, to do the same thing, but this time with understanding of what purpose I will use these tools for. They need not completely stop me from accessing content. They need only delay access to content as a reminder that I may wish to do something else. If I don't wish to do something else, the reminder won't be annoying enough on its own to turn off, and so I'll keep it on. If I do want to do something else, it will be doing its job exactly.

This is something that my previous system lacked: personal buy-in. I had to agree with what the tool was doing for it to effectively stop me. Otherwise, I would simply overcome it, being the true master, and the tool would be all-the-more weaker at being of any help to me.

It is with this line of thinking that I once again employ a tool that has helped, hurt, annoyed, and amused me in the past. Welcome back, site-blocking.