How to Stay Focused With so Many Digital Distractions. Use These Critical Programs to Monitor and Limit Access to Social Media and Websites

The time of year has come for final exams, project deadlines, and a need to keep ourselves or our kids focused.  I started using an app called MOMENT, which monitors cell phone usage.  I could not believe how much I was using my phone (I am not telling!).  I also put the app on my children's phone.  When they saw how much they used their phones they were shocked too.  Having this data for the kids, and myself helped to set limits. The kids could see what they were doing and how long and we used this to talk about making better choices and monitoring their own usage
  
Limits do not always work so here are some easy to use programs that can block or reduce access to social media or websites.

Anti-Social: Blocks a site for as little as 15 minutes up to 8 hours.  It will not let you access a site once you block it, so you are committed to staying focused.

StayFocusd: This is a Chrome app that tracks time and limits access to websites.  You can also block an entire site for good.  

SelfControl: This one is free and for Mac users.  Can block access to websites.

Happy monitoring and blocking!