Unleash Your Potential: Embracing Focus as a Path to Success using the Freedom app

Delve Into the Features of the Freedom App and Its Potential To Transform Your Productivity.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

“Stay focused, ignore the distractions, and you will accomplish your goals much faster.”

— Joel Osteen

You know, it’s wild how just hitting that ‘f’ in the browser can kickstart a whole productivity nosedive for me. Before I know it, I’ve spent a good 3–4 hours lost in the Facebook abyss. It’s like as soon as I hit that key, boom, Facebook pops up, and there goes the rest of my day.

Successful people are successful because they have systems to achieve their goals. They are very intentional with how they spend their time. They avoid distraction and are very focused. How do we mortals achieve the same level of focus?

One of the best investments you can make is to install the Freedom app on your devices to block online websites so that you can focus on your most important work and prioritize your health, work, and relationships. It should be a crucial part of your system when doing deep or creative work.

What Is Freedom?

Freedom is a productivity app that helps you stay focused by blocking distracting websites and apps during work sessions. It features a timer for sessions, which can be set manually or scheduled automatically. Custom block lists can be created for each session, tailoring to specific work needs. Once initiated, Freedom automatically blocks notifications and designated sites or apps, enhancing productivity.

How to Use Freedom to Block Distractions On Your Computer

Freedom works seamlessly on all major platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Here’s how you can download and install it:

Signing Up

To begin using Freedom, follow these steps:

1. Visit the official Freedom website and enter your email to start the signup process.

2. Provide your email and name and create a password to complete the signup.

3. Review the pricing plans presented on the site. If you wish to try it first, click “Start my free trial now.”

4. Upon completing the trial activation.

Downloading and Installing

Once you sign up and decide on a payment plan, you can download and install the app for Windows or macOS from the dashboard.

1. From the Freedom dashboard, click Download for Windows (or macOS, depending on your machine).

2. follow the on-screen prompts to finish the installation after downloading the app.

3. Freedom stays in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (macOS) once installed. It will automatically launch whenever you start your device.

Using The App

Freedom operates in the background, and you’ll notice an icon near the taskbar or menu bar once installed. You won’t need to access the app directly for settings; instead, control everything through the Freedom dashboard in your preferred browser. Log in, and you’ll have complete control.

Here’s a brief overview of the dashboard:

• My Devices: Displays all devices where Freedom is installed.
• Locked Mode: A feature that locks all block lists during a session, preventing edits.
• My Session: This section allows you to set session timers and record each. Session history is accessible here.
• Session History: View past sessions and their details. Customize block lists for each session and choose the devices where they’re activated.

Crafting Your Personalized Block Lists

To create custom block lists in Freedom, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the My Blocklists section on your dashboard.

2. Click on Add Blocklist.

3. Give your new block list a name.

4. Input the site URL you want to block just below the name.

5. Click Add Site, then finalize by selecting Save at the bottom.

6. pick from the choices that Freedom has already laid out for you. See the diagram below.

7. finally, click Create Blocklist at the bottom of the page

You can add multiple websites at once or choose from pre-existing options. Before starting each session, quickly select your preferred block list, and Freedom will efficiently restrict access to the specified sites, including notifications.

For our use cases, we are going to create three blocklists:

1. 24-hour block list, e.g., adult or gambling websites. You may decide to have access after 6 pm for only 15 minutes daily.

2. Distracting websites, eg, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Pinterest, Reddit, TikTok, and sport. You may decide to have access after 5 pm for only 2 hours daily.

3. Achilles heel or Kryptonite list (this is the list that is your major weakness). Achilles heel or Kryptonite list could be YouTube, Facebook, instagram, Twitter, or sports website. You may decide to have access after 6 pm for only 30 minutes daily. Instagram is definitely on my kryptonite list. Whenever my wife shows me something cool on her phone from there, let’s just say she’s not getting it back anytime soon. So, I’ve restricted myself to just 30 minutes on Instagram daily to keep myself in check.

Everyone is unique. Go through your browsing history and be honest with yourself: what constitutes something that should be blocked 24 hours a day, what constitutes a distracting website that you may need access to for only 2 hours daily, and, of course, what is your kryptonite that you may need access for only 30 minutes daily.

Crafting Your Personalized Sessions

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a session:

1. Head to the My Session section on your dashboard.

2. click on Add Session.

3. you have three options below the Add Session: Start now, Start later, and Recurring Session

4. see below for how to use the varying options.

The most important scheduled sessions that I have used to stay focused:

1. A 24-hour block session: this includes blocking access to Netflix, tiktok, Facebook, instagram, gambling website, dating, adult websites, and any other controversial websites. If you need access to a website like Instagram, you can always use a nearby relative’s or friend’s phone or laptop. I use my wife’s phone for instagram once in a while. In this session, I use the 24-hour Blocklist. Block sessions are held daily, starting at 6:00 pm and ending at 5:15 pm the next day.
2. A focus mode block session is for a deep work session (Deep Work as defined by Cal Newport: Professional activities performed in a distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value and improve your skill but are hard to replicate.) The session starts the night before by 8 pm when you are preparing to sleep till 4 pm the next day, close to when you may be done with office work. Usually, I block YouTube or other websites that provide benefits but can also be distracting. In this session, I use the distracting and kryptonite block list. Block session every day, from 8:00 pm — 4:00 pm the next day.
3. Afternoon Nap session: you should prioritize your health, and taking a nap or siesta should be a priority. Naps can enhance alertness, mood, and cognitive function, providing a quick energy boost and improving memory and learning. Strategic napping, especially of short durations, has been linked to increased creativity, problem-solving skills, and stress reduction. Naps can start between 12 pm till 1 pm or 1 pm till 2 pm or 2 pm till 3 pm. Pick one, and you should block everything on the web; nothing; you don’t have access to any website. Try to agree with your boss that 20-minute naps would improve your productivity. It should be easy to pick statistical evidence from the internet to give him proof. Block session every day, which starts 1:00 pm — 2:00 pm.
4. Sleep session: Like naps, a great night’s sleep is a force multiplier. Adequate and quality sleep is essential for overall health and is crucial to physical and mental well-being. It supports immune function, regulates mood, and contributes to memory consolidation, learning, and problem-solving. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to a range of health issues, including increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, impaired cognitive function, and compromised immune system function. It would help if you blocked everything on the web, nothing; you dont have access to any website from 1 hour before bed till the time you wake up. Remember, 7–9 hours of sleep is optimum. Block session every day, which starts 7:00 pm — 4:00 am the next day.
5. Shutdown session: A shutdown routine in the context of deep work typically involves a series of steps to wind down and conclude focused, productive work sessions. It may include saving and closing all work-related documents and applications, reviewing and organizing tasks for the next day, turning off notifications, and engaging in a relaxing activity to signal the transition from work to personal time. This routine separates work and personal life, promoting work-life balance and well-being. It would help if you blocked everything on the web, nothing; you dont have access to any website during that time. Block session every day, which starts 4:00 pm — 5:00 pm.
6. Special sessions are for specific periods with a particular purpose; as a practicing Muslim, I could easily get distracted to continue working during the day when the priority would be to perform an obligatory prayer. One of our prayers is the afternoon prayer, around 1 pm to 1:30 pm. I usually block everything on the web, nothing; I don’t have access to any website during that time. Block session every day, which starts 12:50 pm — 1:30 pm.

Conclusion

Integrating Freedom into your daily routine can be the secret ingredient to enhancing focus and overall well-being.

By crafting personalized block lists and structured sessions, you can reclaim control over your online habits, leading to greater productivity, better relationships, and improved health.

With a tailored approach, Freedom empowers you to prioritize what matters most and achieve meaningful progress towards your goals.

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