Ahh, the freedom of freelancing. You set your own hours. You work on your own terms — within the scope of client deadlines and expectations, of course. You…
BreakTime is a simple utility that's designed to help you remember to take breaks away from your computer. It never forgets a break, running in your dock and / or menu bar (or even in the background). Let BreakTime do the hard work so you never miss a break. Mac users interested in Work breakdown structure app generally download: GanttProject 2.8 Free One may think that when it comes to project management, there is no easy way of doing things; GanttProject though will prove most skeptics wrong.
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…Oops. Sorry — just had to check out the latest Grumpy Cat meme on Facebook. And sneak a peek at my email. Which actually reminds me, I haven’t updated my LinkedIn profile in a while…
Sound familiar?
While the Internet and all its glorious tools can make a freelancer’s work easier, it also provides so very many ways in which to avoid your work altogether and get lost in an abyss of never-ending stuff: some of it quasi-work-related (hey, LinkedIn’s a networking tool!), some of it just an excuse to procrastinate.
Luckily, you can get technology back on your side with a slew of super helpful concentration apps that help you focus, block out distractions and get to work. Here are some of the top ones: (Click to tweet this list)
1. Anti-Social
If you’re always lured from your projects by the siren call of Facebook and Twitter, this app’s for you. Anti-Social eliminates the temptation to update your status by blocking these sites altogether. Mac mac macarena mp3 song download.
You can choose timed blocks from 15 minutes up to eight hours (if you’re feeling really determined), and the app “keeps you honest” by cleverly lacking a way to turn it off. That’s right — if you feel the itch and try to cheat, the only way to sneak around a timed block is by rebooting your computer altogether.
Anti-Social is made to block over 30 social networking sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Hulu and Reddit. You can also add any other sites that tend to pull you away from your work. Are you a secret Amazon shopper? A fantasy football roster-checker? Add these sites to your blocked list to have them blocked as well.
Operating System: Mac and Windows
Cost: $15 (with a 90-day money-back guarantee)
2. Concentrate
Okay, let’s say that most of the time, Facebook and Twitter are a horrible distraction for you. But when you’re doing social media management for your blog, they’re kind of necessary. Concentrate allows you to select which applications and sites are allowed and which are off-limits based on the task you’re doing. It even goes the extra mile by opening up necessary applications for you.
Let’s say that when you write, you need to access Word, your favorite online thesaurus site (we all use them in a pinch), and Pandora for a little background music. So, when you launch your “writing” action (for whatever time limit you allocate), Concentrate will open a Word doc for you (either a new one or one you’ve already saved), open up your thesaurus site and launch Pandora for you. It can also block out everything else, set your chat status to “away” and give you special messages and alerts to keep you on task.
Operating System: Mac
Cost: 60-day free trial, then $29 (with money-back guarantee)
3. Focus Booster
This app is specifically based on the pomodoro technique, a time management system that breaks tasks down into timed blocks separated by short breaks. Since its creation in the ‘80s, the technique has been done most often with kitchen timers; Focus Booster is its digital extension.
According to the rules of the technique, the app breaks your tasks down into 25-minute sessions (“pomodoros”), each followed by a five-minute break. After four pomodoros, you take a longer, 15- to 20-minute break. Mac cannot run app error is a directory.
![Mac Work Break App Mac Work Break App](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134216912/773761096.jpg)
This technique aims to keep your mind refreshed and agile as you work. If you’re the type who would plug away for two straight hours until your eyes start to blur, this more regimented system could help provide you with a little more structure and rest time.
Systems: Mac and Windows. An online version is also available if you work across multiple computers or don’t want to download an app.
Cost: Free (for now). They‘re currently crowdfunding on Pozible to keep the app free as they add new features.
4. FocusWriter
Eliminate all the sidebars and notifications that tug at the periphery of your vision and really immerse yourself in your writing with this app, which turns your computer screen into the simplest, most distraction-free blank page possible.
You can choose various themes, from a totally gray screen with black writing, to a screen over a soothing background image, to a retro green-type-on-black look. Everything else, including the app’s own user interface, which you can access by mousing over the edge of the screen, is whisked out of sight and out of mind.
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Unblock apps on mac. Features include timers and alarms, daily goals and (my personal favorite) genuine typewriter sound effects, if that helps get your inspiration flowing.
Systems: Mac, Windows and Linux
Cost: Free (with the option to donate if you so choose)
5. SelfControl
If you lack it yourself, SelfControl has it for you. Unlike other apps, this one will not allow you to get out of your predetermined timed sessions — not even by rebooting your computer or deleting the application itself. If hardcore discipline is called for, this is about as strict as it gets.
Systems: Mac, Windows and Linux
Cost: Free (with option to donate)
6. StayFocused
Aimed at websites only, but highly customizable within that area, StayFocused limits the amount of time you can spend on certain sites. You decide how many minutes per day you’re allowed to access your guilty pleasure sites, and once you’ve hit your limit, the site is blocked for the rest of the day.
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Not only can you block websites, you can also block subdomains, specific pages on certain sites, distracting in-page content like videos and images or the entire Internet itself. Better yet? If you try sneaking back on (you know, just to make sure the app is working), you’ll be guilt-tripped by a message asking, “Shouldn’t you be working?”
System: Google Chrome extension
Cost: Free (with option to donate)
7. Time Out and 8. SmartBreak
For those on the opposite side of the focus spectrum — workaholics who work too much for too long — these apps will remind you to take a break once in awhile.
Time Out reminds you by gently dimming the screen and showing you a message. You can take normal breaks (10 minutes after 50 minutes of work) or micro breaks (short pauses of 10 seconds every 10 minutes if you’re really doing something stressful). Once the break is over, your screen fades back in, and you can get back to work.
SmartBreak is aimed more at the ergonomic benefits of break-taking. Rather than using set break periods, it actually monitors the amount of work you’re doing (are you typing away like a fiend, or just pecking?) and reminds you to take a break based on when it thinks you need it. While this could get disruptive if you’re just looking to take breaks now and then, it’s great if you suffer from the repetitive stress injuries, back and neck pain, and eye strain that come from long hours in front of a computer.
Systems: Mac (Time Out); Windows (SmartBreak)
Running mac apps under python 3. Cost: Free (Time Out) (with option to donate) ; $19.95 (SmartBreak) ($5 discount if you share or tweet about the app)
9. Sound Curtain and 10. White Noise
These are both mobile apps, but the idea behind them is a great one. While other apps focus on blocking out visual distractions and computer applications that can drain your focus, these smartphone apps help block out the distractions of a noisy work environment. It’s best if you have a headset to really get the full effect.
Sound Curtain masks noise with white noise and harmonic sounds — and if you have a mic on your headset, it will automatically adjust its volume, pitch and tone according to the level of noise around you.
White Noise mimics the sound of an untuned TV from back in the day when we still had static channels — not so jarringly that it’s a distraction in itself, but more as a means of absorbing ambient noise and “insulating” your mind. Do apps on mac have to be approved.
Systems: iPhone (Sound Curtain); Android (White Noise)
Cost: $4.99 (Sound Curtain); Free (White Noise)
Did we miss any good ones? Share your favorites in the comments!
https://powerfulwinning958.weebly.com/blog/console-window-dev-c. The human brain wasn’t built to go at full steam for hours on end. Studies have shown that performance suffers when you spend prolonged periods focusing on the same task. Brief mental breaks can help you stay focused, as well as give your mind the freedom to wander (which is necessary for creative and complex problem-solving).
Entrepreneurs, knowledge-workers and freelancers are responsible for their own break schedules. This means it’s up to us to figure out when it’s time to step away from the computer. Fortunately, there are plenty of websites and apps to help us create better, healthier and more focused work habits. Here’s a sampling:
Apps for the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management strategy. Created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, this method of working separates time into work phases and break phases. You work for x minutes, break for y minutes, and repeat.
The frequent breaks help keep your mind fresh, while the focused work blocks create set time limits that encourage you to complete tasks faster. For example, if you have a dedicated work block that’s 25 minutes, you are more likely to dive in and get a task done in those 25 minutes (rather than spread it out the over an hour).
The concept is simple, yet very effective. You don’t need a fancy app to help… a simple timer app will do. The name “Pomodoro” comes from kitchen timers, which were often the shape of tomatoes. You can find many free timer apps to help you create your pomodoros; note that for trademark reasons, most apps won’t actually bear the name Pomodoro. Try out a few and find an interface that appeals to you. Mach 3 for mac download.
- Focus Keeper Free (iOS, Free)
- Focus Keeper Work and Study (iOS, $1.99)
- Flat Tomato (iOS, Free)
- ClearFocus (Android, Free)
- Focus booster (online/desktop, Free trial & monthly subscriptions starting at 2.99/month)
- PomoDoneApp (Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, integrates with popular tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, Basecamp, and Slack)
Apps to Get You Moving
You’ve probably read that too much sitting is bad for your health. Research on the matter is mixed, but some studies have linked sitting for long periods to a range of health concerns. Either way, getting the blood circulating is critical for a healthy body as well as a clear mind.
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There are many apps and browser extensions that walk you through some basic exercises and stretching. For example:
![Mac Work Break App Mac Work Break App](/uploads/1/3/4/2/134216912/596928063.jpg)
- StretchClock Break Reminder (Firefox add-on, Free) Reminds you to take a break from the computer and guides you through some basic stretching and yoga exercises.
- Wherever Workout (Android) Offers basic exercises and complete workout routines to add throughout the day. The app covers a variety of scenarios…whether you are in a hotel room, the office, or a cramped space like sitting on an airplane.
- Stand Up! (iOS, Free) This app is pretty much a work-break timer, but does encourage you to stand up and move during the break time.
If you’re not a fan of any apps or their routines, just opt for a change of scenery and take a walk outside. The fresh air will clear your head and help you work through any complex challenges.
Apps to Help You Relax
Meditation has had a very positive impact on my life; dedicating a few minutes to meditation in the morning and throughout the day gives me greater clarity and positivity as well as a calmer mindset. If you’re just starting out with meditation and find it difficult to shut out external and internal distractions, try one of these apps or websites:
- Calm (website, iOS, Android, Free with in-app purchases to unlock some features) A simple mindfulness meditation app that walks you through a meditation break (you set the duration) with nature sounds and narration.
- Meditation Made Simple (iOS, Free) Free meditation app from hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons
- Ananda Premium (iOS, $2.99) Helps with both meditation and sleep. You choose the session length and theme (conscious thinking, meditation, etc.).
- Breathe2Relax (iOS, Android) Teaches a stress management skill called diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing). This kind of breathing has been used for centuries to activate the body's relaxation response.
No matter what kind of app you choose to use, it’s important to appreciate that frequent, purposeful breaks can boost productivity and focus while working. Find the time to chat with a co-worker, tune out with some music, go for a walk or do some deep breathing exercises. These are all important tools for recharging your brain.