This is maybe a weird request, but I’m looking for a way to send myself some information at a specific time in the future. Basically, it’s because I’ve got a few sites that are huge distractions for me at the moment, and I can’t stop checking my accounts, responding to messages, etc. My willpower is so low, and I’ve got a lot of important work right now and it’s starting to really mess up my life.
So my plan is to change the passwords to my accounts to a long random string, then save that string somewhere that I can’t access for X days. I imagined a simple way would be to use a site that would send me an email on a date, and the content of that email would be my random passwords. But my web searches only seem to find pages telling me how to schedule my own emails, which isn’t what I need.
Any advice / suggestions?
(also, in case anyone is thinking it, the sites I’m trying to block access to are all linked to the same email account, and I’m also going to change its password, so I won’t easily be able to reset them).
Edit: FutureMe is exactly the site I was thinking of, thanks lemmings!
It may not be exactly what you’re looking for but I used to send myself time capsule emails through this website called FutureMe a few years ago. Unsure if it’s still up and not going to check, but it might be worth looking into for you
Perfect! That is exactly what I was looking for! I was sure that something like that existed, and I’m glad it’s still going. Thank-you!
i mean, you basically just described a calendar app…so…a calendar? Most calendar applications/services are capable of sending email reminders.
Yeah, it’d need to be a calendar app that could send a reminder, but not let me see, edit or change that reminder until the set date. Otherwise, I’d just look at the reminder and get the passwords…
I wouldn’t do that, because if the site breaks or there’s some delivery problem, you lose access permanently.
Maybe something like a safe with a time lock.
googles
Apparently some people market them for specifically this reason.
One such example:
https://www.amazon.com/Vaydeer-Container-Unwanted-Temptations-8-35×3-15×6-07/dp/B0BGPKQD17/
Thats cool! I actually have a time lock safe thing, and I do use it to stick my phone away for a few hours sometimes to help focus (I’ve got adhd, perhaps surprising no-one) but it has a maximum of 24 hours. 365 days is hardcore!
Can you block these sites on your router, hosts file, or firewall? Maybe all of them to make it a PITA to undo it?
Or print the password, fold the paper, freeze it in a block of ice.
I actually really like the ice idea! Simple but effective!!
Make sure the ink on the paper doesn’t run in water! Good luck!
I don’t know of any specific sites for this, but if you can’t find one you could always print the passwords and keep them in the care of someone you trust.
You may want to consider that as a backup either way, in case the site you use breaks and you can’t reset your email password.
A laudable goal that’s very important. I’m not aware of any service but, like a number of people suggested, if you make it inconvenient enough to visit these sites it could very well curb your addiction each time you’re tempted. I’ve found anything over a couple of minutes to by pass is enough to sour me on the idea of it
Someone suggested router changes to block them, I’d like to add to that, if your router supports it, setting specific hours of the day these sites are able to be used might be enough.
You could still password protect the router interface and make that inconvenient to get at in some way also.
Just make a bitwarden account, add the new passwords there, and give the master password to someone you trust. Then they change the mater pass and when the day comes they can tell you this new password and you’ll be able to access all your saved passwords again.
That’s a good idea. Maybe social accountability is better than finding an tech solution.
Not if they die.
Gmail has a feature to send email at later dates. , when you write email , just next to send button there is arrow , with which you can set any time and date for that email.
GMail has an option to snooze an email until a later date. It disappears from your inbox, (but could still be accessed from the snoozed folder) and then shows up again on the requested date.
Yeah, I thought about snoozing or setting a date on an email, but if it’s something I can look up myself I’ll probably just do so…
I probably wouldn’t trust any free reminder site with all my most important passwords
Do you have a friend or parent who can schedule an email from their account? If you don’t trust them with your passwords you could also just encrypt the whole thing first. I did something similar to this with screen limit settings while my girlfriend had the password, and it made me never want to access them badly enough to ask her.
One other thing that’s worked well for me - a kitchen safe timer. I lock up my phone in one at work and get so much more done. You could also theoretically lock your passwords in there too (from minutes to 10 days)
Anyway, congrats on procrastinating by exploring ways on not procrastinating
It’s actually one of the things I like about lemmy. I don’t feel like I get hooked in the same way as other sites, because there’s less of an infinite scroll. So getting some advice and entertainment, but not losing 12 hours a day!
And I think getting my partner to have some of my passwords might be a good idea. But it doesn’t work for me if it’s screen time locks and stuff like that. Last time I tried that (locking with a long unmemorable password and leaving it at home) I just factory reset my device to get it back working…
The timer safe sounds like it would work! Thanks!
There are probably some applications or even hardware for people that enjoy chastity.
Can you just have separate desks, one for work, one for distractions? Forbid distractions at the work desk, and set times you have to be there?
That’s good advice in general, and thanks for saying it? I’m sure some people benefit from that kinda structure. But ‘forbid’ is sadly not a power I have over myself. And it’s not just work time, I’ve spent hours every morning and night this week, and all day when I’m doing work or just trying to shower or cook food and I’m constantly stopping to check my indox and reply to messages and update my feed. Simple shit that should take ten minutes end up taking an hour because I can’t stop getting distracted.
But it’s particularly bad combo of stress, adhd, and the addictive design of social networking apps. I can just about manage two of the three, but this week has been real bad.
Sounds a bit like how I used to use facebook.
I disabled my account to stop it.
Yeah, that’s my long-term plan. But I can’t bring myself to do it right now. I feel like I have a month or whatever without posting, relalise I’m happier without it, I can then close my account. Right now I feels too big a step!
If there are conversations you need to have, move them to text or discord. Then you have no reason to keep it active.
Don’t wait for a sign. It’ll never come.
Most email clients can do this.
You could probably also just use the calendar on your phone to send a notification or reminder. You can add details, notes, photos, videos, etc to those.
