We are living in a world that is increasingly focused online. We work from home, study from home, and socialise from home. It’s not just because of the pandemic either, although that has certainly had a massive impact. As technology has advanced, a substantial portion of our time is spent online and more of us are comfortable working this way. However, focusing while being online isn’t as easy. Distractions such as the dreaded pop up and online ads are showing up everywhere.
How can you concentrate in your digital zone? Use our 7 tips and free yourself from online distractions once and for all.
Block Websites You Find Hard to Resist
Did you know you can temporarily block websites that you find yourself visiting multiple times throughout your day? With the help of blocking extensions, you can select the sites you find irresistible such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, and stop them from opening. When you find yourself opening a new tab and typing in the website URL, you’ll be stopped from doing so until you turn off the block list you’ve created. It’s quick, easy, and ideal for periods of work or study. This is also helpful for all parents wanting more control over what children or teens have access to while studying online.
Adblockers for Mobile are Essential
AdBlock is an excellent tool that you can use on your devices, and you don’t need to be tech savvy to use it. Blockers will make it possible for you to pick up your phone to check messages or browse without annoying interruptions. Blocking pop ups on your phone is ideal if you’re fed up of trying to click on the tiny X that appears in the corner of pop up ads in order to close the windows.
Use a Chrome blocker (or a blocker that’s compatible with the browser you use on your mobile). To disable pop ups on your Chrome browser simply follow these quick and effortless steps.
- Open Chrome
- Click on the three buttons in the top right-hand corner
- Click on the cog where it says Settings in the drop-down menu
- Scroll until you see ‘Site Settings’ and click on it
- Click on Pop-ups and redirects in the menu
- Make sure you have the button switched off to block any sites you visit from showing pop ups and/or redirects.
It really is that easy to put on a base layer of adblocker on your mobile. Activate these settings on all the devices in your home to reduce the amount of tempting distractions. This system isn’t perfect, as there are ads that will still get in your way. Luckily, you can find a more effective solution by choosing Poper Blocker, which allows you to block overlays on Chrome.
Turn Off All Notifications
Phones are great tools and can be beneficial during work. However, they can also be major distractions especially when notifications keep ringing in your ear. A simple step to take is turning your phone on silent and disabling vibrations. You’re less likely to check your phone every five minutes if it’s not giving you alerts. Go to your phone settings and select silent. Then visit your app settings and disable notifications on apps such as social networks, email, and messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Don’t forget Chrome Blockers
Once you’ve sorted out your mobile it’s time to move on to your desktop or laptop. One downside to working or studying online is that the number of distractions can become overwhelming. There’s nothing more annoying than conducting research or collaborating online when ads and pop ups are opening constantly on your screen. Thankfully, blockers are so easy to set up on your browser, you can do it in minutes.
- Open Chrome on your computer
- Select the three buttons and click on Settings
- Click where it says Security and Privacy in the menu on the right-hand side
- A new menu will open in the centre of the page, click Site Settings
- Scroll to where it says Pop-ups and Redirects and click
- Select the button next to where it says ‘Don’t allow’
You can add individual website addresses to sites you wish to allow or disallow depending on your preferences. However, selecting ‘Don’t Allow’ will be enough for casual users.
Install Adblock Extension to Chrome or Firefox
The steps above will offer you basic protection, but they’re not the be all and end all. You may still find that occasional pop-ups and ads are breaking through the barrier. Having the capability to block overlays in Chrome with a pop-up extension gives you much more control.
You can quickly install an adblock extension to provide you with more choice over what you do and don’t see. This option is ideal for everyone, whether you work or play online. To install the extension simply visit the Poper Blocker download page. Here you’ll see a button that says, ‘Add to Chrome.’ Simply click it and follow the instructions that follow.
Extensions are ideal as they run in the background. You have the option to turn them on or off as you desire. Although it’s a great idea to keep them running to stop disruptions from getting in the way of your productivity.
Combine Blockers and Pop-Up Blocker Tools
The Poper Blocker is an extension that you install within Chrome itself. It works silently in the background, protecting you from annoying pop-ups. You can even use this tool alongside other blockers you might be using. Why would you need to do this? Your current adblock tool might be amazing at stopping ads from running on the websites you visit. However, they are usually not capable of stopping pop-ups and overlays at the same time. You’ll notice if this is an issue if you find yourself still having to manually close windows, tabs and messages that pop up on your browser.
Therefore, the most beneficial thing you can do is download a pop-up blocker extension that will do the work for you. Choose an extension designed to work in harmony with your other blockers to provide you with a peaceful online experience.
Create a Schedule
Teach yourself new online habits by creating a set schedule for when you work or study online. Stop yourself from searching for distractions during these set hours using the tools above. Use a website such as Asana and create a timetable. Schedule in time for when you’re working and for when you’re free to browse as you’d like. You’ll find it easier to control your browsing impulses once you form a habit of only visiting certain websites during your downtime.
Have Control Over Your Online Experiences
Using blockers alongside a schedule and site blockers will make it easier for you to concentrate and stay focused. Learning more about how you can stop distractions from taking your attention is a wonderful place to start. Now you have the tools and knowledge to set into action. Each of the steps above are easy to set up and all of them will stop online distractions from costing you time and energy.
Don’t let the online world take your focus away from where it needs to be. You can easily start a new online habit that gives you the power to be in control of where your attention goes.