Become More Productive With These 5 Browser Extensions
Staying productive is challenging and it is especially difficult online, where every website you visit is engineered to hold your attention for as long as possible. Using the extensions I listed below will help turn your internet browser into an ally in your battle for productivity!
Speaking of staying productive, here is a TL;DR section!
- Tomato Clock: A simple timer that can help you stay focused for set periods of time. Firefox, Chrome
- Notes: A note pad inside the browser. Take notes along side anything you’re watching, reading, etc. Firefox, Chrome
- Distraction Free YouTube: Browse YouTube with no side panel, no recommended videos, no comments section and more! Firefox, Chrome
- Ad Blockers: Block those pesky ads so you only see the information you want to see. Firefox, Chrome
- BlockSite: Blocks websites of your choice. Firefox, Chrome
This extension is based on the famous time management method, the Pomodoro Technique. With this convenient extension, you can set a timer for 25 minutes for focused work as well as set a timer for breaks. If you find that it is difficult to stay focused for 25 minutes, you can modify the time and set it to any duration you want. The other great thing about this extension is that it has a stats section where you can track the time you spent being productive. If you decide to implement the Pomodoro Technique, I highly recommend you use this extension to track the time.
2. Notes
This extension is simple but very useful! It allows you to takes notes in the browser. If you are watching a lesson on Udemy or reading an article and need to make a note of something; you can do that without having to leave the browser! Like most students right now, all of my lessons are online so this browser notepad comes in very handy when I need to quickly jot something down.
This is my favorite browser extension. Like many other students, I spend a lot of time on YouTube watching various tutorials and lessons. Going onto YouTube is risky though. You go on to find an educational video on some topic but instead you end up watching funny cat videos for an hour. YouTube is a treasure-trove of distractions. Its user interface is designed to be as addictive as possible. The home page on YouTube is filled with videos specifically curated to your preferences and interests. Even if you resist the temptation to click on one of the videos on your home page, the sidebar suggestions and the auto-play features are there to distract you further. This is where DF YouTube can help! This browser extension allows you to block certain sections on YouTube. With it, you can block the sidebar section, the recommended section, the comments section and more! If find yourself getting absorbed into watching YouTube videos you had no intention of watching, this extension is perfect for you.
If you are not using an Ad Blocker browser extension, get one right now! Internet ad revenues in the US alone totaled $57.9 billion for just the half year of 2019 and the most important factor contributing to this growth is targeted advertising. Companies use the information that was gathered from their users to provide relevant ads; so the reason you are seeing an ad for that new MacBook is because a few days ago you visited Amazon and looked at MacBook prices. Trying to get work done online with targeted ads bombarding you is like being in a bakery while you’re on a diet; eventually something will catch your eye! Targeted advertising is very effective and I personally find it very distracting; hence I have been using ad blockers for several years now. (They even block YouTube ads!). I highly recommend you try using this extension, you won’t regret it!
5. Block Site
Do you ever find yourself spending way too much time on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter during the time that you should begetting work done? This extension might be perfect for you. Block Site allows you to create a list of sites that you want blocked and each time you attempt to visit those sites, you will be re-directed to a different site. You are able to permanently leave a site in your list or set a timer for how long you want a certain site to be blocked. You can also change the site that you want to be re-directed to or stick with Block Sites default option, which is usually a funny image with guilt-inducing text like “You put Facebook.com in your list of blocked sites for a reason…”. I highly recommend you use this extension, it is highly effective. Now, each time you try to visit a site that you blocked, let that funny image serve as a reminder for you to get back to work!
Thanks for reading, I hope these extensions help you stay productive!
