How to use Sidekick Time Limits
Take control of your time by putting strict restrictions on distracting sites
If you’re reading this, it’s likely you are ready to take control of your time. And huzzah and kudos!
More and more, people are getting distracted by technology. The better technology gets, the stronger the pull towards consumption is. The stronger the pull, the more distracted we are and the more time we lose.
Did you know about three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online?
If you’re interested in reading more about this time period we call “The Golden Age of Distractions,” feel free to check out this page.
In this blog, we’ll talk about how to use Sidekick’s latest feature, Time Limits, to take control and protect your time.
Time Limits
What is ‘Time Limits’?
Time Limits is a feature that will limit your time spent on any of your Blocklist sites.
When you reach your limit, your site will be blocked. You will have 3 unlock attempts in which you can unlock your limit for an additional 5 minutes. To unlock, you will be prompted to complete 2 steps designed to incorporate intentionality and pause.
Let’s walk through an example:
I have Reddit on my Blocklist. I turn on Time Limits and set a limit of 15 minutes.
I use Reddit as I normally would. After 15 minutes of usage, I hit a blocked page.
I decide I want to use my first unlock attempt for 5 more minutes of Reddit time. To unlock this attempt, I need to complete 2 steps.
The first step asks me to set my intention. I respond to the following question: Why do you need to access this site?
The second step invites me to pause. I complete the task of entering a randomly generated sequence of 20 characters.
After these 2 steps, I unlock my first attempt. After another 5 minutes, I am again prompted with the blocked page and shown I have only 2 more unlock attempts. After that, I will no longer be able to access Reddit until the following day when my limit resets.
How do I set up Time Limits?
You can set up Time Limits in 4 steps:
- Go to your Blocklist and ensure your list is up to date.
- At the bottom bar, you will see a Time Limits setting. Click the toggle to turn the setting on.
On first time usage, this setting will automatically assign a 15 minutes limit to each of your blocked sites.
3. To edit your Time Limits, click the edit button on the top right corner of ‘My Blocklist.’ Adjust the Time Limits for your blocked sites accordingly.
Pro tip #1: Adding a limit of 0 will set a hard core ‘no entry’ to a Blocklist site. Use this for any sites that you have a STRONG temptation for.
4. Save!
Pro tip #2: You can lock your Time Limits setting. This will make Time Limits stricter in 2 ways:
1. You will have 0 unlock attempts. After the first lock, you will not be able to access your blocked site until the next day when your timer resets.
2. You will need to complete a task to turn off your Time Limits setting. The task will be to manually enter a randomly generated sequence of 20 characters.
This setting is perfect for those who:
- Want to be firm on their internet usage.
- Cut an internet addiction.
- Avoid doom scrolling at all costs.
Pro tip #3: Chrome Extensions don’t always automagically update. So please, try manually updating your Chrome Extension. If time limits is still not working, check out FAQ for next steps!
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when I leave and come back to my blocked site?
When you leave your blocked site, your timer will stop. Your timer will only run when your blocked site is active.
Does it count if my blocked site is just open in a tab?
No. Having a blocked site open in a tab will not count as your timer. It will only count if the tab is open and active.
For example, if you have Netflix open in another tab, but you’re currently on your Google tab, the timer will not run. When you enter the Netflix tab, your timer will start.
Is this how Time Limits will be for forever? What if I have suggestions?
Please x3000 tell us your suggestions! This is the first iteration of Time Limits. We want to improve and continue to improve so that we can better serve you. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please email me at allison.thesidekickapp@gmail.com. Thank you!
I’ve updated my extension, but Time Limits is still not working. What should I do?
Sorry about the troubles! After updating your extension, try the following:
- Restarting Chrome
- Turning on and off the Time Limits setting.
If Time Limits still doesn’t work after this, please reach out to me at allison.thesidekickapp@gmail.com and we’ll sort this out personally!
Can I schedule a downtime so I can’t access these sites after a certain time period?
A setting to schedule your downtime is coming soon! It will function almost identically to that of Time Limits. I hope you will look forward to it :)
Thanks so much for reading. Again if you have any feedback, bug reports, or suggestions on how we can improve, please reach out to me at allison.thesidekickapp@gmail.com.
🥳 Time Limits is available! Here’s to our healthy relationships with technology. What’s the first site you’re placing a limit on?
Interested in Sidekick? Visit our website to learn more. Sidekick is currently in Beta — we’re always looking for people like yourself to try it out and let us know what you think!
We need your help to give power back to our most valuable resource, time, and put it where it matters — our goals and dreams. Head to our website to get started.
