Bonk

How to block a website so you can't unblock it

Free, takes under a minute · Updated

A website blocker only works if you can't undo it in a weak moment. Most blockers have a switch, and the switch is the first thing you reach for when a notification pings.

Bonk has two ways to make the block hard to undo, and both are free. Hard mode locks everything for a set time. The turn-off challenge makes you type out a silly sentence before you can switch Bonk off.

Lock your blocks with hard mode

First, add the sites you want blocked. Then:

  1. Add Bonk to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store, if you haven't yet.
  2. Click the Bonk icon in Chrome's toolbar and open the Sites tab.
  3. On the card at the top, switch from Pomodoro to Hard mode.
  4. Pick a length. Free covers 25m, 45m and 1h.
  5. Click Start hard mode, then click it again to confirm. It takes two clicks so it can't start by accident.

Until the timer ends, every site on your list is blocked, you can't remove sites or switch Bonk off, and Bonk also covers Chrome's extensions page so you can't disable it there. The timer goes by the clock, so closing Chrome doesn't end it.

Make it harder to switch off: the turn-off challenge

Hard mode is for a set stretch of time. For the rest of the day, you can add friction instead. Open the Settings tab and switch on Turn-off challenge. From then on, switching Bonk off or loosening your blocking means typing a whole sentence first. You can't paste it, and it's different each time. The sentences are things like "I have the self control of a golden retriever", which is the point. Most urges don't survive typing that.

Hard mode with a Pomodoro

If you want a focused stretch with a rhythm, use the Pomodoro timer instead. Its sessions block your list too, but you can quit one early. Hard mode can't be quit, so choose it when you know you'll be tempted.

Pick a length you can live with

Hard mode really can't be ended early, so start with 25 minutes. If you need a site for something urgent, you'll be glad it's not a four-hour lock. Bonk Pro adds 2-hour and 4-hour sessions.

What it can't do

Hard mode is built to stop an impulse, not a determined person. It only covers Chrome on the computer where it's running, so another browser or another device isn't affected. If you need those covered as well, block them there too.

Add Bonk to Chrome, it's free

Questions

Can I end hard mode early?

No. That's what it's for. Pick a length you're comfortable with, and start with 25 minutes if you're unsure.

What happens if I close Chrome or restart my computer?

The timer goes by the clock, so it keeps running. The lock is still on when you open Chrome again.

Is hard mode free?

Yes, up to one hour. Longer sessions of 2 and 4 hours are part of Bonk Pro.

What's the difference between hard mode and the turn-off challenge?

Hard mode locks everything until a timer ends. The turn-off challenge stays on all the time and only adds the friction of typing a sentence. You can use them together.

Can I add a site during hard mode?

Add the sites you need before you start. Hard mode locks the list you have when it begins.

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