Have you ever spent too much time on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest when you should have been editing, answering emails, or getting other work done on the computer?? Yeah, me too! I am so guilty of sitting down to get busy and think “I’ll just check Facebook for just a minute.” 30 minutes later I have spent the whole time on some social media site and got zero work done. Bummer!!
I was able to attend Bloggy Boot Camp this weekend in Chicago. It was amazing! Seriously, amazing!! Tiffany and Francesca put together such an outstanding conference that I actually cried when I was thanking them. Yup, I cried. Besides a ton of useful and concrete information that was shared one of the speakers, Heather of The Extraordinary Ordinary, talked about ways to find balance. She mentioned this amazing app you can install on your computer and I just have to tell you about it.
As soon as I got home I downloaded the Freedom and Anti-Social app. These apps are EXACTLY what I need on my computer. Let me explain what they do.
Get these
Freedom app – When you need to sit down and edit and remove all the distractions that the Internet brings, turn on your Freedom app. Basically you tell the application how long you want it to keep you off the internet. I realize this may sound silly to some of you with self control but I do not have it! Ha! I would start with 30-45 minutes. Maybe you need to make sure you don’t hop on so you can give your kiddos your undivided attention or like I said, edit some pictures. Either way, this temporarily prevents you from getting on the Internet. If for some reason you need to override it you can enter a password and get back on.
Anti-Social app – This is the one I have used almost daily since getting back. Since I often need to be online to type posts or answer emails, I do need something to keep me off Facebook. You can activate this app so it keeps you off social media so you can get other work done on the Internet. This truly works.
I don’t know if it is psychological or what but I fill a million times more productive when I know I can’t check social media even if I wanted to :)
So next time you need to get some work done, edit images, or just get away from the computer consider getting one of these apps to help you achieve what you want. There is a small fee and I am not being paid or get any money for this post. I just honestly wanted to share this fantastic app that can hopefully help you to be more productive!
Can’t post without an image.
What tricks do you use to get your work done?
I am soooo guilty of sitting on Pinterest forever! I have this sick little voice in the back of my head that tells me that I might miss the pin of my life if I “x” out Pinterest! I’ll have to check these out…. they need an app that keeps your iPad turned off too….haha.
Ha! I know, Pinterest is totally addicting :) I promise I find the pin of your life I’ll let you know! ha! Yes, sometimes you just need to hide your iPad :)
So, is this why you haven’t been around as much? ;) Haha! I should just turn my computer off when I’m not using it!
Ha ha busted!! You know if I don’t turn you guys off I would never get anything done :)
I remember Heather mentioning Freedom, but I must have been distracted when she mentioned Anti-Social! Going to install that tomorrow.
I find that giving myself blocks of time {2 hours} to NOT work on either of my blogs and just focus on kids, etc. makes it more balanced. I can’t check the computer at all before I drop my boys at PreK, or it just sucks me in. I do get 2.5 hours each afternoon to work though, but it still isn’t enough.
So excited you have so much info on this site. I’m choosing between two Nikons for my belated blog/Christmas/birthday gift to myself. I will be back. Often.
Hope Claire slept in the Ergo on the flight home…
Nicolette
Hey Nicolette!!
She talked about Freedom and found Anti-Social on the Freedom website. I believe they were created by the same person :) I love the idea of blocking out time for the kids. I definitely need a better schedule so the kids get my undivided attention :)
How fun you are getting a new camera for Christmas/blog/birthday gift :) Let me know if you have any questions! I love shopping he he
Claire did sleep good until we landed and then she lost her mind he he Oh well!! Great to have met you at BBC!!!
It is so hard not to jump back and forth between FB, Twitter and whatever else I’m doing online. Plus, my iPhone will beep every time I get an email so I’ll want to check. Not good. I’ve just been trying to be more mindful of what I’m doing while on the computer.
So jealous you made it to Bloggy Boot Camp. I’ve supposed to go a couple of times and still haven’t made it. One of these days…
I love and hate my iPhone . . . I need to turn it off sometimes just so my family gets all of me.
Yes, I had to turn off all the dinging from my phone or I would NEVER get anything done :)
Oh, if you get a chance to go to a Bloggy Boot Camp you should TOTALLY go!! It’s amazing!! It’s it crazy how social media can rule our day if we aren’t careful! :)
you might just be a genious :)
He he I would agree if I had actually invented them :)
This is my 3rd fall season for my small little business. As I get a bigger client base I also struggle with managing my time. I have never “worked from home” before. Plus . . I get side tracked so easily with emails, blogs, pinterest, facebook . . the list goes on and on. Thank you so much for these tips. I have been tinkering with the idea of adding a blog . . . yikes! What is wrong with me??!!
Ha ha I think we all have a problem of adding too much to our plate. I’m just a guilty :)
Hi Courtney, love this thank you I will look for one for Windows, had to bring my HP on deployment and leave the MAC at home! :)
I hope you can find one for you HP! Hope the deployment is flying back! Stay safe!!
Thanks for sharing these! I am going to go look into them now :)
They seriously are amazing! :)