Why does nobody admit a plain old kitchen timer beats every blocker app I tried

Leo Lopez · 2026-10-23T19:35:04.205814+00:00

I tried five different blocker apps on my phone and laptop over about four months, and the one that finally worked was a $9 wind-up timer from a hardware store in Burbank. The apps were too easy to turn off, because the off switch was on the same screen I was already staring at. With the timer, I set 25 minutes, put the phone in a drawer in the other room, and when it rings I get up and walk to it. My screen time dropped from around 5 hours a day to 2 and a half in three weeks, and I did not pay a single subscription. Am I the only one who thinks the dumb tools beat the smart ones here?

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Why does nobody admit a plain old kitchen timer beats every blocker app I tried | Block It Out - The Community Guide