How much more do you think you could get done in a day if you just blocked Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky? Your phone’s built-in screen-time tools help, but a physical lock would be even better. That’s the pitch behind viral devices like Brick, which can block certain apps and sites and refuse to unlock them unless you use an actual object. But this thing costs $60 when apps like Switchly and Foqos can do the same thing for free.
The core idea behind these distraction-fighting apps is that most screen-time tools are too lenient. You can set your phone to scold you if you spend too much time doomscrolling, but you can also just tap a button to bypass the nag screen. Or worse, you dig into your settings to turn off the feature for a minute, and forget to ever turn it back on.
Devices like Brick take a slightly different approach. You need an NFC block like a physical key to unlock your distracting apps. And since you can leave the device in another room, or even another location entirely, you can more effectively keep yourself from getting sidetracked. It’s a sound idea, but if you’d rather save a bit of cash, I can teach you how to make your own.
What You’ll Need
While apps like Brick work across platforms, most free apps are more platform-specific. So, what you’ll need depends on the kind of device you have. That also means the process will differ slightly for some people, but I’ll walk through the most important steps.
(Credit: PCMag / Amazon)
An NFC Tag/Printer
The physical object is the key to making this system work, so you’ll need to bring your own. Fortunately, NFC tags are dirt cheap. You can get 20 stickers, 12 wallet-sized cards, or multiple NFC keychains, each for under $10. If you really don’t want to spend a dime, you can also generate QR code tags that you can scan with your phone’s camera. You’ll need a printer, so it’s not totally free if you don’t already own one, but it could be the cheaper and easier option.
The Right App
For Android users, Switchly has worked best for me. You can set up multiple custom profiles for different purposes, such as work or studying. It can write to NFC tags or generate unique QR codes to turn profiles on or off. Switchly has a one-time, $5.99 Premium purchase that unlocks some advanced automations, but the core functionality is free.
(Credit: Switchly)
On the Apple side, Foqos is a free and open-source alternative that works rather well. You can create several custom profiles for your needs; it supports both NFC and QR code profile switching, and even has handy habit-tracking and timer features.
The best part of this DIY approach is that, since your tags and codes are much cheaper than devices like the Brick, you can make several keys for all your profiles for almost no money. It opens up a lot of avenues for tailoring your distraction management to your specific needs.
Planning Your Distraction-Free Life
When setting up your anti-distraction system, it’s helpful to think ahead about how you’ll want to use these tags or codes. For example, it might be helpful to have a tag that blocks social apps and keeps them at home when you go to work. You could also have a separate tag while you’re at work to temporarily silence apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams for shorter bursts. With that in mind, you’re ready to set up your app.
Foqos and Switchly have different workflows, but in general, you’ll need to give the app a few core permissions for things like notifications and accessibility services. These allow the apps to see which other apps you’re using, and block you from using them.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy
Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
You can then create profiles for your distraction categories. Depending on your needs, these can be very broad or super specific. A profile that limits social media apps is a good start, but you can also pay attention to what distracts you every day. If you could use even 15 minutes of quiet from Teams, go ahead and set up a profile for it.
(Credit: Eric Ravenscraft)
Now, it’s time to make your NFC tags or QR codes. The app will guide you through the process. Once you have a profile, you can create tags or codes that enable or disable certain functions. You can even create separate tags for temporarily disabling/enabling a profile, allowing you to block all social media apps with a tag you leave at home, but give yourself emergency access with a separate tag you take to work.
My advice would be to put the tags/codes in strategic places. The trick to making this whole system work is inconveniencing yourself. Here, you can get creative. I’ve already mentioned keeping the key to your social media lock at home, but it can also be less drastic than that. For example, you could leave the unlock tag in your car. If you work from home, keep the locking tag at your desk, and the unlock tag in your living room or kitchen.
Recommended by Our Editors
It really can’t be overstated how much the freedom to make as many tags or codes as you need elevates this whole system. You can, for example, create an array of codes you keep on your desk for specific needs. Personally, I’m a fan of the Pomodoro technique. Locking out distracting apps all day isn’t my cup of tea, but I can do 25 minutes at a time, no problem. And with multiple codes, I can either cut out the basic time-wasters or fully plug in by silencing even my work apps (sorry, boss).
Take It Further With Automations and Schedules
In my opinion, the simple, physical lock for your most distracting apps is reason enough to give Foqos or Switchly a try, but if you want to dive into more advanced tools, both services offer options. Keep in mind that Switchly’s advanced tools require a one-time payment of $3.49, whereas what Foqos offers is free.
Switchly lets you toggle profiles based on connections to specific Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices. This is handy if, for example, you want to block distracting messaging apps while driving by tying a profile to your car’s Bluetooth receiver. You could also disable your profiles when connecting to your home Wi-Fi, so you don’t have to enter a code or tap a tag. You can even activate profiles based on a set schedule, which seems convenient. For example, you can automatically lock out distracting apps at the start of the workday, while still requiring a physical tag to unlock them.
Foqos doesn’t have as many automation tools, but it does include a built-in habit tracker that logs the time you spend with different profiles active. This is a handy way to incidentally keep track of your hours worked. If you’re a freelancer or hourly worker, this can be an immense help toward logging your billable hours without needing a separate time tracker app. You can even set up a profile without any specific apps blocked if you want to purely track your time.
Whichever app you choose, it’s worth diving into the minutia of how each one works and exploring the more advanced settings. Devices like the Brick have a certain allure in their simplicity, but apps like Foqos and Switchly have quite a bit more flexibility, and cost a lot less. Hard to say no to that.
About Our Expert
Experience
Eric Ravenscraft is a freelance writer and tech nerd working out of the geek capital of the world, Atlanta, Georgia. He watches way too many movies and definitely has one to recommend that you haven’t seen. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram.
Latest By Eric Ravenscraft
Read Full Bio
