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Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

touchgrass.now

81–90 of 287 posts

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#81
Fun idea!

I am always astounded how hard it can be to break doom scrolling as a habit DESPITE knowing how much better I feel when I can't / don't do it.

When I don't do it, I will often spend my time doing something personally productive, but even if I do nothing at all instead, it's still better – my head is clearer, I can think so much better; I feel more content and optimistic about life in general; time goes slower.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#82
Very cool concept! I wanted to make a similar thing a few years ago, but for a slightly different purpose: force myself to walk more. I built an iOS app called Geostreaks [1] with a simple mechanic: pick an outdoor location (for example, a nearby park) and “check in” there every day.

I couldn’t justify the yearly developer fee though, so the app has been removed from the App Store a few years later :(

1. https://appadvice.com/app/geostreaks/1482655198

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#84
post #71

Very nice, but why does it require iOS 17 ? Jailbreakers are stuck on iOS 16 (and some are stuck even lower than that.. )

I can't speak for this app, but every time I use SwiftUI, it turns out some basic thing I want, like the component or API method that is perfect for my app, was introduced in the latest iOS/macOS release. Every single dang time.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#85
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whimsical doesn’t make money and we are a society of sellouts.

Is it possible that we're not as comfortable as we were a decade ago? I'll admit to having no aspirations to make that next killer app, but that's because I'm fairly financially secure, not wealthy by any means, but a decent paying job with a pension, and I know that's a privileged position the days.

People always say this but it tends to be the poor broke art kids who create some crazy cool shit for the hell of it that eventually becomes commodified.

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#86
post #3

This is going to be rough up north where I am, too much snow.

Same problem here... Trying to think of some substitutions: 1. Touch snow 2. See the sun while outdoors. 3. Say hi to someone in person. 4. Text a friend or family member. 5. Touch a tree. I think touch a tree would be the most direct substitution. Something to be said for a social substitution too though, but it probably doesn't match the initial intent of touching grass.

Besides, depending on your location, touching a tree might also be more hygienic than touching grass (e.g. if you happen to be in an area used for dog-walking).

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#87
Damn I love this! how was the process of getting approval from the app store? Wondering if you had to send videos instead of having reviewers touch grass. I launched Foqos earlier this month: https://github.com/awaseem/foqos and the review was brutal plus the form you need to submit to get permissions for Family activity

Re: Show HN: I built an app to stop me doomscrolling by touching grass

#90
post #8

This is a hilarious concept and would probably genuinely help. Nicely done! I used to have a similar issue with hiding inside all the time (during Covid times, of course) and to motivate myself to go outside, I started an Instagram of tiny little plants growing in cracks in the pavement. I tried to add a new tiny plant every day or two, which meant that I had to wander further and further afield to find a suitable sp…

I'm a connoisseur of plants growing in cracks in the pavement, mind sharing a link?

https://www.instagram.com/ct_thelittlethings/ :)
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