I built a Mac distraction blocker that kills YouTube/X feeds without blocking the whole site
Source: Dev.to
The Problem
As developers, we spend hours in front of our Macs. You sit down to code, get into flow state, and then—YouTube, X, Reddit—20 minutes disappear. Existing distraction blockers (Cold Turkey, Focus, Freedom) often come with subscription pricing, easy bypasses, or block entire sites when you only want to stop the addictive feeds.
The Solution: Monk Mode
Monk Mode is a native macOS distraction blocker designed to target only the parts of sites that pull you away from work.
- Selective blocking
- YouTube: disables Home, Shorts, and recommendations while still allowing searches for specific tutorials.
- X (Twitter): removes the “For You” feed but keeps search and direct messages functional.
The core idea is that the algorithm, not the site itself, is the distraction.
How It Works
When you start a focus session, you choose a lock level. At the strictest setting:
- The block cannot be bypassed.
- No “Are you sure?” dialogs appear.
- No admin‑password override is possible.
The lock remains in place until the timer ends.
Daily Limits
Set a 30‑minute daily limit on Reddit (or any other site). Once the limit is reached, Monk Mode auto‑locks for the rest of the day—no willpower required.
Menu Bar Task System
Capture todos directly from the menu bar without leaving your current app, helping you stay in flow.
Rule Bundles
Save and switch between bundles of blocking rules with a single click:
- Deep Work – blocks everything.
- Research – allows Stack Overflow and documentation sites while blocking social media.
Technical Details
- Native macOS application, optimized for Apple Silicon.
Pricing
- $15 one‑time payment (no subscription).
- Free updates forever.
Try It
If you’re a developer struggling with distractions on Mac, give Monk Mode a shot:
Discussion
What’s your biggest distraction while coding? Share how you handle it.