How to get less distracted and code more!
I, like every other programmer out there easily get distracted while working on their project/study and don't remain focused like they should. A minute passes by and my phone is bombarded by texts by friends, emails from the university or maybe post notifications from Instagram. Not to forget, even Youtube has become a mere source of distractions for programmers nowadays.
This has become more of a challenge in the last couple of years as after the pandemic everyone has been working from their homes and programming is something where people can easily get distracted and sometimes can get boring too.
For a month, I have been following some methods to keep distractions out of my way. In this blog, I will be sharing insights on the best methods.
For Laptop/PC
Working on a computer has not been an easy task for me as I can easily go over to websites just to pass over my time like YouTube, Instagram, and many others. Recently, many companies have launched their own versions of software keeping an eye on this. Following are some of the software that I have personally on my Windows PC.
1. Cold Turkey (Windows): One of the most recommended application which also has a pretty decent privacy policy. The software asks you to fill out a list of websites that you want to block while you are working. Once you start your laptop, you can't visit any of the websites that you opted in the list. And yes, it even works if you shut down the browser and the PC.
2. Focus (Mac): Although this application is available for Mac only, for now, they are soon planning to roll out a Windows version too. Along with the websites, it also helps in blocking applications from the desktop.
3. Browser plugins: There are numerous plugins that are available on the chrome and firefox extension store that blocks the websites that you find to be distracting. Some of the famous plugins are BlockSite, WebNanny, and WasteNoTime.
For Mobile Phones
There used to be plenty of mobile applications on my mobile phone prior to using certain apps which are now notifying me how much time I use on many games, social media apps, etc. Following are some of the best applications to use on mobile phones to avoid distraction:
1. Forest (Play Store): I HIGHLY recommend this app to everyone who wants to put their phone aside while programming. With each hour without a phone, you build a virtual forest in the application which later with coins received for each hour can be used to plant an ACTUAL tree in the forests of Amazon and Africa. It blocks all the applications that you list out for them and will not allow until the counter reset or you will have to pay them 10 USD to unlock.
2. Freedom (Play Store/App Store): This application again is the same as Forest and blocks all the applications that are distracting and lists out the apps that you spend the most time on and suggests you block them if not productive.
Extra Tips:
Set timers for 5, 10 minutes of break between each coding hour so as the dopamin level stays normal.
Keep all electronic gadgets except for your working station away from you. Keep the mobile phone under the bed or maybe in a drawer.
Conclusion
I am not perfect and neither my methods are. These are just some methods that I have tried to boost my productivity and avoid distractions. Cheers!
