Do you struggle to stay focused online? <\/p>\n
There's an app for that, and its designers hope it can help social media addicts be more productive. <\/p>\n
Fred Stutzman said he came up with the idea for Freedom while in graduate school. <\/p>\n
\"There's always information coming at you, information that could gab your attention,\" he said of the distracting nature of the internet. \"But the reality is, we need to get work done.\" <\/p>\n
Freedom allows users to select sites and apps they want to block and for how long. When users attempt to open them, they'll get a quick reminder that they could be doing other things. <\/p>\n
Durham-based Freedom now has about 350,000 users around the world, and the service is growing. <\/p>\n
To those who scoff at the idea of needing an app to control the urges to check social media, Stutzman says it's not that easy. <\/p>\n
Big tech companies are hard at work designing better ways to get website users hooked. <\/p>\n
\"It's really not a fair battle, for you to expect to turn on and turn off when you want,\" he said. \"It just doesn't work that way.\" <\/p>\n
Raleigh-based productivity expert Marcey Rader teaches clients both individuals and businesses how to de-clutter their mind, body and inbox, one bad habit at a time. <\/p>\n
Online time wasting is just one of the habits she battles against each day. <\/p>\n
\"And I don't even like social media, but it gets you sucked in,\" Rader said. <\/p>\n
Rader recommends site-blocking options to her clients and she believes taking time to eliminate distractions can pay off. <\/p>\n
\"Having something like that, like Freedom, sets you up for success,\" Rader said. \"It saves you from yourself.\" <\/p>\n
Freedom starts at about $2 per month, and it works on computers, tablets and smartphones. <\/p>\n
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Excerpt from: <\/p>\n
Find 'Freedom' from online distraction with Durham-made app - WRAL.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do you struggle to stay focused online? Continue reading