Ask HN: How to make my macOS less distracting? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How to make my macOS less distracting?

48 pointstomcat2761 comments

I want to get into a zone solving interesting problems. Sometimes that involves think deeply on research papers, practice algorithmic questions, writing on something, building a prototype, or simply allow mind to day-dream.

I gotta say, I've been unsuccessful at consistently doing any of these things. Then one time I went to a buddhist monastery for a weekend leaving tech behind. That was a revelation. Time to time I had the urge to look at phone I didn't have, but soon felt like a blessing.

When I look at my computer, I see a device not designed to help me with these goals. I constantly check email, messages, read toxic forums which I guess is partly because of being alone and lonely. Hard to make friends after college. Seems impossible to make good ones.

I wonder what you think about getting my box in order.

View on HN

> When I look at my computer, I see a device not designed to help me with these goals. I constantly check email, messages, read toxic forums which I guess is partly because of being alone and lonely. Hard to make friends after college. Seems impossible to make good ones.

This doesn't sound like a computer problem so much as an attention / habitual problem (perhaps even addiction to the noted distractions). That said, there are numerous aspects of MacOS designed specifically for this...

1. MacOS has its do not disturb functionality, use it.

2. You can also hide your dock so you're not seeing those pesky red dots constantly.

3. Leverage the virtual desktop functionality of your OS. On MBPs, 4-finger swipe functionality makes it extremely smooth to switch between desktops and use "Mission control" to peek at your open apps for a given desktop.

Have one virtual desktop set up for browsing/communication apps (Safari or Edge + slack, discord, email, etc), then additional virtual desktops for your other, more focused tasks, e.g. your text editor of choice, design software, cad software, or whatever else.

On my 'main' virtual desktop, I use Rectangle (window position management) to have Edge on half the screen, with chat applications on the right upper/lower quarters). Then on my second virtual desktop I'll have VS Code on half the screen, and Terminal / Finder in the quarters on the right, Maximized Fusion360 on the third, etc...

Does this entire window/desktop arrangement set itself up automagically after a reboot ? Or do you have to manually arrange everything ?

I’m not 100% sure, but from memory I believe most or all apps remember their previous window placement when re-opened. I know Kitty (the terminal I use) will open full-screen if it was full-screen when I closed it.

For the most part, they seem to stay put after reboots. There might be some exceptions if an app has an auto-update or strange startup process, however.

• Option click in the top right corner of the screen to enable do not disturb.

• use Spaces and put all the chattery apps in one Space (right click in Dock > only this space)

• Hide the Dock

• Set cmd-lower right corner of screen (in screensaver prefs) to turn off screen, so you can easily create a void when you need to think

• Turn off all extra toolbars in programs, reduce visual clutter as much as possible

• Hide Desktop icons (simple Terminal command, Google it)

• Use Sticky Notes App to jot down quick thoughts — you can get in and out instantly

• Launch apps w/ Spotlight (cmd space) so you don't see cluttered Dock or Launchpad or Apps folder

• Solid color dark gray desktop so it's not a distraction

• Mute the computer

• Accessibility > display > reduce transparency makes the system more bland

• prefs > general set graphite accent color

> Launch apps w/ Spotlight (cmd space) so you don't see cluttered Dock or Launchpad or Apps folder

If you'd like to go beyond apps: https://www.raycast.com/ (I found it better than Alfred)

I am not sure what iMac has to do with it?

Do you mean how to make your macOS less distracting?

Hide your Dock, Dark Mode ( if that is your thing ), go into Full Screen Mode. Make your Apps act like a Full Screen Single purpose program.

> I want to get into a zone solving interesting problems.

I know this question is about macOS, but you could consider how to have this method implemented in your Mac. I recently installed FreeBSD on my MBP 2015 since it was quite dead anyway. The wifi on it doesn't work, I haven't tried to see if Bluetooth works, but it feels like my computer in 1998-2005. This has become my primary driver to learn new technologies.

I have a USB wifi adapter that I can use to get temporary Internet connection. I usually use it to download PDFs of books I am using to learn, or to load a full HTML formatted book, and disconnect the adapter. This has also made me a more structured learner because I have to think of all the sites I need open before I disconnect the adapter. My learning process has never been this efficient in so long. Also, keep your phone away, or check once every 25 mins using Pomodoro app.

In the first 2-3 days, I instinctively used to open a new tab and just try visiting Twitter (I am also not logged in to any of my accounts on this machine) only to be greeted by a "no connection" screen.

Also, going through the solutions in other comments, I think the easiest thing to control is to turn off Internet access -- no additional software required.

> constantly check email, messages, read toxic forums

I think no Internet during the phase of learning is the perfect solution for this. I had very little issue with this on (non-Internet) computer applications but websites/forums are much more addictive in nature as opposed to applications IMO.

I use hammerspoon (https://www.hammerspoon.org/) and have a section in my ~/.hammerspoon/init.lua that puts things into "focus mode" where it centers my current focussed window and minimizes everything else. If I used notifications (I turn them all off all the time) I would put it into do not disurb mode during this time also. Here's a snippet that does this:

    focusTimer = nil        -- A timer for when we are in "Focus Mode"
    function focusModeOff()
        all = hs.window.allWindows()
        for _, w in pairs(all) do
            if(w:isMinimized()) then
                w:unminimize()
            end
        end
        applyStandardLayout()
        if(focusTimer ~= nil) then
            focusTimer:stop()
            focusTimer = nil
        end
    end

    -- Focus mode
    function focusMode()
        if(focusTimer == nil) then
            hs.alert("Setting focus for 25mins.")
            local focused = hs.window.focusedWindow()
            if(focused ~= nil) then
                focused:centerOnScreen()
            end
            all = hs.window.allWindows()
            for _, w in pairs(all) do
                if(focused ~= nil and w:id() ~= focused:id()) then
                    w:minimize()
                end
            end
            focusTimer = hs.timer.doAfter(25 * 60, function()
                focusModeOff()
                hs.alert("Take a 5min break. Record what you just did.")
                --TODO: Make a pomodoro recording thing
            end)
        else
            local remaining = focusTimer:nextTrigger()
            local remainingSec = math.floor(remaining % 60)
            local remainingMin = math.floor(remaining / 60)
            hs.alert("Focus timer expires in " .. remainingMin .. "m " .. remainingSec .. "s.")
        end
    end

    --focus mode
    hs.hotkey.bind({"cmd", "ctrl"}, "Return", focusMode)

Here's one macOS-specific tip: I want to use Facebook to connect with some relatives and friends, but I don't want to be drawn to it all the time. I have set up another account on my Mac, but in greyscale mode (System Preferences, Accessibility, Display, Colour Filters, Greyscale). I have logged into Facebook in a browser in that account and not in my main account, and I don't keep my Facebook credentials in my usual password manager. I find that having to go through Fast User Switching and enter a password adds enough friction that I don't mindlessly open Facebook, and the greyscale mode makes it sufficiently less fun to browse the web that it is easy for me to stop after doing what I was going to do.

I find it is the internet that is the problem. When I've had my laptop on the road and no connectivity, I have no choice but to create on the device. Fortunately too I keep a number of projects on the machine for such occasions. Photos to sort, a backlog of old magazines (in PDF form) I want to peruse, code projects, etc....

I remember the 90's, having to delete solitaire games from my computer because I wasted too much time playing them. Now with the web always there....

Also, morning walks are good. Leave the phone at home (I only take the cellular-less Apple Watch with me that is recording my "workout").

yeah, disable the router if needed

SelfControl app [0]. Give it a list of sites you wish to block, email providers, etc, and it's a bit of a pain to work around unless you really know MacOS networking deeply or cheat and search for it. You can increase the block length time with some quick tweaks.

Use the Accessibility Color Filters to make your machine greyscale. Works fine. Reduces brightly colored distractions.

But... really, read Cal Newport's stuff on Deep Work and stop using a computer for a lot of those tasks.

[0]: https://selfcontrolapp.com/

Partial solution[1] that may be of interest: working in VR instead of a laptop https://simulavr.com/blog/why-vrcs-are-better-than-pcs-and-l...

There are two reasons VR computing can be less distracting than PCs/Laptops. The first is that they block out external distractions:

> VR Computers are like "high-quality, noise-cancelling headphones for your eyes". They're especially good for distracting work environments, and when you want to signal to you and your coworkers that you're "locked down and focused".

The second is that VR UX (at least for Simula) is very bare-bones and simple at this stage of its development. There aren't a ton of bells and whistles and notifications built into the OS to distract you from your core work.

[1] Working in VR isn't a total solution to distraction (it doesn't prevent you from browsing Twitter all day, etc). But it does have some nice features built into it that can make it less distracting.

The closest one can reasonably get to the late 90’ power user desktop experience is getting Linux. In my experience MacOS and Windows have just so many nags and distractions built in. They are great digital assistants and platforms but not necessarily the best tools anymore. That being said it is much easier to switch for developers than other professions.

Part of it you won't be able to fix by making changes to your device, because its you. You can take away all the distractions, but you're a human being, you will be looking for them at some point and you need to be able to stop yourself at that time.

For me, the following has helped:

* Turn off all notifications, that means on all devices.

* Leave your phone in silent mode, better yet hide the screen from your view so you don't see incoming notifications

* Log out of any social media, for me having to log in and do 2FA again is usually the barrier where I remember why I was logged out in the first place

* People have said it but set your dock on auto-hide, you can also turn off the red dots on most applications

* Tons of apps now allow you to go full screen, some writing apps are super minimal, so you really only see text.

* I use a pomodoro timer if I need real focus, there's videos on YouTube that will also just run 45 mins then have 15 minute break, though that might be too distracting an environment initially.

If you sit and don't engage your reptilian moving-about system it will engage anyway. You'll be looking for distractions in front of you. And then you'll be stuck on those, tripping out.

On the other hand if you were to step out for 15 minutes and then come back, just walking and looking around, thinking of what you'll be doing when back at the computer; then when you're back you'll have something to do. Good luck not getting stuck doing that. Because you will.

Turn off all notifications, time-box all calls and emails to twice a day, and reduce the use of color in the UI. Don't let yourself be prompted into getting stuck on something. You have your own agenda and the world around you can manage for 3-4 hours without your input. It really can. Make sure it can.

Being prepared is half the job.

Earlier I used the hosts file extensively on my devices to nuke time wasting web sites from my work zone.

On Mac I also used to use a program called vitamin-R which helped me somewhat back im the day, but it doesn't make the computer less distracting, only helps me cope with it. (Yes, it still exists, I was pleasantly surprised that it still existed when I got a Mac mini last year after being away from Macs for almost a decade. Now if someone could recreate Alarms, the visual countdown program I used until it broke on Snow Leopard I'd probably happily pay for it again.)

With reference to toxic forums, as the saying goes: it is not a problem if the submarine is in the ocean but a big problem if the ocean is in the submarine. Stick to places where your hull tolerates the pressure and where you can do something useful.

I've seen plenty of nasty posts the places I go and I can also say I and others have succeeded somewhat in flagging and smacking down trolls and (actual) nazis that at least one place that used to be ugly is now somewhat safe (i.e. no complaints anymore about Hitler dying to young after articles about the middle east).

I sometimes print out papers that I want to thoroughly understand. Read on the couch when feeling chilled out enough - reading the same papers on a computer or iPad always has more intensity, feeling like I have to finish the reading as quickly as possible, so that I could switch back to checking email or twitter…

Reading on paper does work for me! Although a challenge is its harder to look up citations, google something I don’t understand.

> I guess is partly because of being alone and lonely. Hard to make friends after college. Seems impossible to make good ones.

This is something you're going to want to solve eventually. You recognise these are what you long for when you engage in behaviour that distracts yourself. I would strongly recommend doubling down and solving your loneliness and belonging problem (and i realise its not easy. I struggle with it too. But you have to start somewhere and it gets better. Use the internet, use your head, solve it little at a time)

Take care of your needs and the tendency to escape reality will slowly subside and this will likely be the most sustainable solution.

Of course you're also going to want to incorporate the countless suggestions here which give you a more hands on approach to tweaking your OS and your environment to maximise focus.

Hiding the dock is very helpful for me. You can also use DND or simply close applications like Mail to avoid distractions.

Using apps in full screen mode helps also. I use spaces for web browsing, communications, writing, etc. so that I'm not constantly bombarded by irrelevant windows.

I'm glad you asked :D

Having all notifications go through the Macs native Notifications is great, because now I have only a single place to ignore. I effectively set Notifications to "off" by setting a schedule of 4:00am until 3:59am. When I want to check notifications (which is almost never) I simply enable Notifications temporarily with a shortcut on the touchbar.

The only thing that remains is non-native notifications like Java's "Update now or the world ends!". Window focus stealing is completely unacceptable, and I suspect the reason Apple does nothing to fix it is to coerse you into using full screen, which I think is grooming you for their locked down iOS-like world for the Mac.

Change your behaviour by making it harder / more involved to access the distracting apps you need:

- use slack in the browser so you need to type in its address

You can think of other creative things like:

- use automation to only allow mail when some other app is running so now you start two apps?

- run messages under a second user account?

- slower browser in a vm for social media sites?

The sky is the limit. The key is to make it still possible to use the app, just more involved, breaking the habit.

The final advice from me is to write down what you are going to do and write down the currrbt situation and the approach you’re going to take, then all that’s left to do is act on it which sets up a nice internal focus mode

1.) command + option + d to hide the dock

2.) Camouflage App to hide desktop elements: https://apps.apple.com/de/app/camouflage/id445264274?mt=12

3.) https://selfcontrolapp.com/ - to block sides like Facebook system wide for some time!

4.) https://heyfocus.com/ to play the complete game :)

Maybe the problems aren't as compelling as you'd like to imagine they are. I had this problem for a long time, always reading such and such thing because I felt like it should be important. But then I realized none of it really mattered at all, not even email mostly, and I just try and do one or two things that have a tangible value. So email stays closed, and I chat with people in moderation. The other tool I'd really recommend is SelfControl, which allows you to block everything you don't want to engage with.

Don’t connect to the internet. If you need it for reference or reading, gather it before your “work session” where you want to get in the zone. If you need Internet (ie for what you are working on) simply don’t open a browser, or if you need it for work as well, don’t open other tabs.

I always take a laptop camping, but it’s a outdoor converted (Pixel Qi display) circa ‘08 netbook. Its slow but fast enough, and I do a lot of great work on it, distraction free with no internet connection in the woods.

Having been there I found there are two side, removing distractions and mentally retraining yourself. The latter takes time.

To remove distractions I have turned off all notifications (you don’t need them), declutterd my desktop (delete unnesesry apps, remove distracting ones you still need from the dock on macOS). The biggest for me though was blocking sites like Reddit, just point them to the loop back ip in your host file, no need for clever blocking software, just pertinently block them.

read toxic forums

Harsh but fair.

More seriously, just turn the computer off. Print papers to read, write notes when you're thinking rather than typing them, and use your time actively.

I have a macOS-specific script to help me focus. I had it in mind for years, finally went and implemented it and coudldn't be happier these days, as far as productivity goes.

You might find some interesting ideas and links in the README which is quite generously verbose.

https://github.com/reducecombine/work.sh

One rule I've started using on my devices is to deny notifications when a new app first asks unless the notifications are a key part of why I'm using the software. If something comes up later where you wish you had notifications, just turn them on.

Taking this approach has radically changed how distracting my computing environments are.

Somewhat related, but I'd recommend you to read Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. I was already underway of doing some of the things he proposes before finding that book because I also felt that this machine I have grown up with is actually eating my precious time away. He proposes very concrete steps and I've pushed things a bit further for myself after reading it.

Have you considered therapy? It sounds like you might benefit from it.

If that's a bit too much, maybe try pomodoro or similar techniques. Basically create small achievable goals for yourself; "I'm going to read 10 minutes without distraction", "I'll practice one question" etc. After you could reward yourself with a 5-10min distraction break.

Also maybe try mindfulness.

I was thinking to install Ubuntu, to get rid of addictive stuff, make it harder to go beyond bare bones writing, coding and reading.

"I constantly check email, messages, read toxic forums" Isn't all of that on ubuntu?

Have you tried blocking software and websites?

Yes, install Ubuntu. On a Mac, even if I turn off Messages, messages still come through[1]. In addition, non-stop reminders or calendar items or upgrade messages that I try to dismiss but keep coming back.

In Ubuntu, you will need to turn off their App Store equivalent, then nothing else disturbs me when I don't want it.

Meanwhile, Windows 10 actively tries to sabotoge your life.

Also, try a Raspberry Pi. Most websites are so painfully slow that is it's not feasible to use, plus Pi should be enough for most coding.

[1] Need to turn Messages off in notifications, but there are times I do want to be notified - major pain keep having to go into settings instead of just turn on or off the app.

Yes, spend your time maintaining a Linux distro on the desktop instead. Everytime it breaks, you won't have time to surf any toxic forums.

There's a lot of things to pick at desktop Linux for, but maintenance is not one of them, especially not on a mainstream fixed-release distro like Ubuntu. Once you're set up, you're good to go, and you have full control over what you want to change.

Until what you seek is not in the package manager or there is an old version that is not solving your specific issue. I use Arch btw.

I also use Arch btw, pretty much exclusively for over a decade. Rolling release has that maintenance cost, though. It's way lower than people make it out to be, but it's still there.

That's not exactly the whole truth though. There are tons of issues with desktop Linux lurking in the background, waiting to bite you. Even something as simple as changing one your monitors might land you in deep trouble, or a printer that somehow doesn't work.

Of course, but that's true of everything you can use. Linux has the same excellent printer stack as macOS. Never had any issues with monitors.

I think the biggest difference is that if something goes wrong, the availability and simplicity of documentation is way worse than Windows/Mac for the most part. The upside is that sometimes the level of access you have to bits and pieces lets you fix stuff that wouldn't be possible on other platforms. For the average user that's pretty irrelevant, though.

I don't really buy the general concept that Linux is boobytrapped any more than other OSes.

Hahahahaha. Every time it breaks, you go searching for help and end up reading either holy war about this or that technical detail or a dick-measuring contest.

A lot of solutions here involves diving deeper into tech. I don’t think this is a good idea since you will start going down a similar rabbit hole.

This is a focus problem. Everyone have a different way of solving this. For me, the best way is to write what I want to achieve on paper and start doing it right away. I don’t do anything else until I cross out all of them.

I think every computer should have a paper and pencil mode. Where it reduces all its functionality instantly to that of a piece of paper and pen (well maybe a keyboard instead of a pen.) Once it that mode it should stay there for at least 30mins or x mins without a way to force it out of that mode (well at least not without a serious amount of work.)

$ defaults write com.apple.finder QuitMenuItem -bool true

then quit the finder... forever : p

Seriously changed my relationship to mac os. As semi-non-voluntary mac user from 199X to present. It used to be a love-hate relationship. Now macs are just aesthetically appealing unix hardware vectors.

Idunno Im sure some other HN entities have smarter thoughts on this.

I'd recommend talking to a therapist. If you're behaving in a way that you find self-destructive, a therapist can help. Good luck and I wish you the best in your efforts

Lots of options out there. I’ve found the iOS focus option helpful, as well as groups with fellow ADHDers. Counseling, meds, meetup groups. All the boring, standard stuff.

I think that the first line of defense should be you rather than a macos app.

A self discipline is something that needs to be built up and exercised over time.

What you need is Self Control: https://selfcontrolapp.com/

It’s called self discipline! When I am working and focused on something I ignore everything else… no mails, no massages no notifications!

Your question is completely wrong. Instead you should ask:

How to stop my mind from being a monkey jumping from one distraction to another?

The answer is simple - meditation

I use the Freedom App for my phones, tablets and laptops

Not iMac specific, but if your focus issues are similar to mine maybe some of the typical ADHD hacks might help. I think a lot of other folks I know (especially SWEs) that I know do things like this, but everyone has their own system that kind of works for them.

- Get rid of as many of the notifications as you can. Quit or log out of desktop email, discord, messages, whatever. Stuff shouldn't intrude when you're trying to focus. The relationship I try to have with social media is that I check it, it shouldn't check me.

- Instead of cutting distractions completely out of my life, I set aside specific times and places for them. I usually browse forums and things for about 30 minutes while I sip coffee in the morning, and then I'm done until just before bed. I find that making that place means I don't really get the urge to check the forums intruding into my workday. Sometimes if there's high drama or if I'm having a really pleasant interaction it might intrude, but I try to keep that confined to lunch.

- When I'm at work, I check Outlook near the bottom of each hour to see if there's anything I need to deal with, and when I'm done I close the program. This frequency works for me because nobody typically emails me about something that needs to happen asap, your mileage might vary. I usually leave a single, less-distracting "work channel" open. In my case, that's Zoom. If someone needs to message me on this, it's a work thing and it's not really a "distraction" to me. Nobody really messages me for fun on it, anyway.

- At home, when I'm working on classwork using my own computer, I just "get rid of" everything. Shut off all the desktop notifiers. Since Chrome's logged in to all my gmail/twitter/whatever accounts, I switch to Firefox to get stuff done. I haven't put the Bitwarden add-on to Firefox, so it's just mildly more difficult to log in and get distracted. While the barrier isn't really that much higher, it's just enough that I have to think twice before letting myself get sidetracked. Opening reddit and finding myself logged out is enough to remind me that I did this on purpose, and taking any more steps to pursue that distraction just feels like losing which is usually enough to dissuade me. I think there's "focus" software you can use to enforce your rules if you need a higher barrier?

- I do Pomodoro splits when I have trouble motivating myself to focus. It's easier to make a small promise to try for 25 minutes than it is to make the large promise to focus for a few hours. A lot of the time I find that it just takes getting started to actually get interested, and then I don't need the crutch to keep going. I use a physical timer for this because it's less to fiddle with on my computer i.e. alt-tabbing, using the computer at all if I'm trying to read a textbook, etc.

- I try not to put my phone on the desk when I'm working & I don't wear a smartwatch. I gave the smartwatch thing a shot a while back since people were saying they were less distracting than a phone but I found the notifications really intrusive and distracting. The phone's usually in my pocket on do not disturb at work, with a few specific people who I usually do want to talk to allowed through. I'm okay with getting a little distracted if my girlfriend texts me at work.

A bad workman always blames his tools.

A good workman has opinions on his tools that are deep, and profoundly negative. Also always.

So maybe not a good heuristic, and not a helpful thing to quip.

I'm not going to stop giving advice because someone doesn't like it.

What is your advice then? It's not clear. That's what I didn't like.

What does one do, where does one go?

You did not say nothing.

Can't read between the lines? That's a shame.

You mean can I guess at what number you're thinking of?

With the appropriate amount of shame, no, I can not.

Please clarify your position in a legible manner if you have one.

Maybe, but the workman of old didn't have tools that were pretty much engineered to distract them. Focus is a real problem for a lot of people, and some people are really easy to distract.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com