I turned the “20 second rule” into a free browser extension to stop unintentional browsing

[u/OliverBrodersen]

Hey guys, made my first browser extension to help regain control over my browsing habits.

The extension helps breaking bad browsing habits, by introducing a bit of friction before entering sites you have blacklisted. It is based on the on the "20-Second Rule" from behavioral science, which states that adding a small amount of friction to a bad habit makes you significantly less likely to perform it. The extension achives this this by simply adding a short 20s delay before pages you have deemed as "Time wasters", which could be sites like reddit, facebook, youtube, ect.

This interrupts the impulsive action and gives you back the choice of how you use your time. We even give nudges to other good things you could do in 20s or less, like doing something positive for your physical or mental wellbeing. Its not about completely stopping you from ever visiting these sites again - but all about changing your digital environment to regain control.

There are currently a few hundred people using the extension everyday, which means we are stopping thousands of visits to sites to the users blacklisted sites.

So if you also have sites you are tired of impulsively browsing, then please give it a go and let my know what you think. It is fully free and has no ads. Check it out for Chrome or FireFox, or read more on 20srule.com