Blackout Setup

During Blackout, we're going 30 days without digital distractions.

Think of this guide as cleaning out the junk food before starting a diet.

Foundations

If you find yourself reinstalling, try Freedom to block them.

Beeper centralizes DMs from Instagram, X, LinkedIn, etc. without the noise of their mobile apps

Notifications put control of your attention in others' hands.

Go to Settings → Notifications to disable alerts for apps.

My Notifications Setup:

Unsubscribe from newsletters and other distracting emails.

For more of a challenge, removing email from your phone is helpful.

Undistracted hides feeds and noise on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, etc.

YouTube

We recommend Freedom to block websites and apps.

Demo of configuring website blocking with Freedom

When the urge comes to Google something, write down the topic/question in a document for the research period post-blackout.

None of these felt important to research post-blackout.

If news or distractions sneak through, adjust your systems and keep going.

Ask a trusted friend or family member to be your eyes and ears.

We've found emergencies (e.g. family in the hospital, natural disasters, urgent work) find us regardless of our setup.

Everything else—news events, social drama, non-critical work updates—can wait.

Brick adds a physical barrier to using your phone.

Use Empty New Tab Page for a blank new tab page.