This is cool! I like that it's lighter weight to change settings than w/ Self Control (which I'm also a fan of). It'd be cool if there was a setting that stopped letting you visit a site after you've been there X times per day or spent X hours browsing it.
Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
41–50 of 123 posts
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#42Maybe this is the wrong thread for this comment, but I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. Anyone else find they procrastinate for reasons another than a habitual need to check e.g. reddit/HN? I find for myself, it's very rarely that I'm procrastinating without any reason, but instead that I'm actively avoiding whatever it is I think I should be doing for any number of reasons. The list includes: * I don't have a clear…
I know your first 2 points too well.
Most people would advise you to, calmly, break the task at hand into small tasks/steps. Personally, my problem is that the tasks are too high level (maybe an epic), which makes them overwhelming. By breaking them into easy-to-do-steps that forces you to plan your solution (1st point) and understand the problem (2nd point). You should break them into SMART goals (you've probably heart about this concept already). By having a list of really really small items you get a feeling of progress every time you tick an item off the list; that progress should keep you going! Starting is the hardest part, there's some inertia to it; so make the item so small you'll have no excuse not to do it. Remember: if you still feel confused about an item/urged to procrastinate you probably didn't break it down enough.
The sensation of ticking off items is what should get you going; that's what gives you the sensation of progress and that enables the feedback loop. Physically ticking off the item (pen and paper) is even better. So actually write your list (on paper or digitally using Trello, Todoist, etc.), don't just "think it"; that's key.
Meditation is also good to sharpen your focus.
P.S.: I'm also a procrastinator; there are good days and there are bad days; there's no cure. This is the kind of thing that is managed.
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#43Maybe this is the wrong thread for this comment, but I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. Anyone else find they procrastinate for reasons another than a habitual need to check e.g. reddit/HN? I find for myself, it's very rarely that I'm procrastinating without any reason, but instead that I'm actively avoiding whatever it is I think I should be doing for any number of reasons. The list includes: * I don't have a clear…
* I've hit a hard problem and not sure what to doRe: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#44the irony of seeing this top on Hacker News is delicious
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#45Question to extension devs: When Chrome warns me that an extension can "read all the websites I visit" does that mean it can also send that info to an external server, or just that the sandboxed extension on my local machine can read that data?
Not the developer, but I've made extensions – there is a sandbox in the form of CSP, but if an external server is included in the policy, there are no restrictions.
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#46I noticed I can visit same websites (twitter, reddit, HN) few times in the span of 5 minutes. And I don't usually even notice that, it's like a habit. To help me break the loop I made this extension. It only has basic functionality right now, and I want to add some form of statistics, and maybe more in depth personalization tools. Apart from that, I also plan to port it at least to Firefox, but may look into Edge and…
FYI Opera and related browsers may "just work".
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#47Maybe this is the wrong thread for this comment, but I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. Anyone else find they procrastinate for reasons another than a habitual need to check e.g. reddit/HN? I find for myself, it's very rarely that I'm procrastinating without any reason, but instead that I'm actively avoiding whatever it is I think I should be doing for any number of reasons. The list includes: * I don't have a clear…
You are not alone, friend. I share the struggle and for the same reasons. Taking the next step is sometimes harder than taking the 10 that follow. Self Management is a lifelong process.
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#48Maybe this is the wrong thread for this comment, but I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. Anyone else find they procrastinate for reasons another than a habitual need to check e.g. reddit/HN? I find for myself, it's very rarely that I'm procrastinating without any reason, but instead that I'm actively avoiding whatever it is I think I should be doing for any number of reasons. The list includes: * I don't have a clear…
Absolutely true for me as well. Often what feels on the outside like procrastination is, I think, just providing idle time for my brain to work out a way forward.
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#49Maybe this is the wrong thread for this comment, but I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. Anyone else find they procrastinate for reasons another than a habitual need to check e.g. reddit/HN? I find for myself, it's very rarely that I'm procrastinating without any reason, but instead that I'm actively avoiding whatever it is I think I should be doing for any number of reasons. The list includes: * I don't have a clear…
For me it's "This task needs time to process, but not enough time to focus on and complete another task, so let me check something. Oh crap its been an hour"
Re: Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination
#50Maybe this is the wrong thread for this comment, but I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. Anyone else find they procrastinate for reasons another than a habitual need to check e.g. reddit/HN? I find for myself, it's very rarely that I'm procrastinating without any reason, but instead that I'm actively avoiding whatever it is I think I should be doing for any number of reasons. The list includes: * I don't have a clear…
You could try the "Pomodoro", a timer that has you focus for 25 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of relaxing or distracting yourself. Repeat. It assumes you are actively avoiding your work, and apparently it is a type of brain trick that has some support in brain science. It's advocated in the "Learning how to Learn" Coursera course, which uses brain science to teach learning strategies.
I recently stopped taking Adderall as therapy for ADHD. While it made me excellent at learning, the toll it took on my ability to feel pleasure and do anything not work related made it a double edged sword. Pomodoro has really helped me avoid distraction despite being much more distraction prone than I was on stimulant medication.