Building Recode: A Personal Solution to Smartphone Addiction and Screen Time Management
By
alhart
Crusty in the right places. Worth the chew.
Summary
The article describes the development of Recode, a screen time control app created by the author to combat smartphone addiction and endless scrolling. The author shares their personal struggle with distraction and lack of productivity, explaining that existing screen time apps were too easy to bypass. Recode's unique approach requires scanning a QR or barcode to unblock apps, creating a physical barrier that helped the author develop better digital habits and reclaim focus and productivity.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledI built Recode because I was losing myself in endless scrolling.
I felt distracted all day, drained at night, and ashamed of how little I got done.
Other screen time apps were too easy to bypass, so I built Recode for myself, and it worked.
Even in its demo version, the simple act of requiring a QR or barcode scan to unblock apps completely shifted my habits.
Over time, I reclaimed focus, confidence, and the satisfaction of being productive.
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