Common social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Stumble Upon, and Pinterest are the type of sites that many teens feel are a black hole they can be sucked into if they give in to the temptation.  They know that once they start down that path, they may not be able to get back before it’s too late to do the work they originally went on the computer to do.

Advertisers also work hard to attract teenagers. To do this they know they often have to distract us and constantly change our focus.

However Charlie Stigler and Steve Lambert have created an app to have exactly the opposite effect.

Selfcontrol is an app used for Apple’s Mac computers, but with similar apps such as Qustodio for PCs, our will power is put into our computer’s hands, or keyboard. Selfcontrol and Qustodio are free apps available by simply typing into Google “download self-control.” Ironically, the app literally forces you to gain self-control.

Once downloaded, Selfcontrol asks the user to create a list of websites he or she feels are too much of as a temptation. Once the user has identified his or her irresistible sites, Selfcontrol requires the user to set a time limit from 15 minutes all the way to 24 hours. Once the password is typed in, Selfcontrol blocks all listed sites from access for the amount of time set.

Because our generation knows it can so easily become focused on things we know we shouldn’t be focused on, many teens have turned to Selfcontrol to take away the distraction and allow them to focus on one task at a time.

Selfcontrol creates the perfect option for banging out a paper due the next day. Aside from the problem of procrastination, students can use the site to sit down and write their English paper out, without getting distracted for possibly hours.

“It used to take me hours to write an essay or even do something that did not involve my computer because of the distraction,” confessed senior Christine Farawell, “But when I downloaded Selfcontrol like a year ago, it made things so much easier to focus and helped me get my work done much quicker.”

Most students agree with Christine. Although some students feel the restrictions can be frustrating at times, it has actually helped them accomplish their work quicker and it allows them to put in a bigger effort.

With the distraction problem out of the way, computer developers should now focus on an app that prevents procrastination.