Productivity Setup

This guide helps you set up NextDNS Blocker for a productive work environment, blocking distractions during focus hours while allowing reasonable breaks.

Overview

Goal: Minimize distractions during work hours

Strategy:

• Block social media and entertainment during work
• Allow access during lunch break
• Full access in evenings and weekends
• Moderate unblock delays for friction

Configuration

Complete Example

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "settings": {
    "timezone": "America/New_York",
    "editor": null
  },
  "blocklist": [
    {
      "domain": "reddit.com",
      "description": "Social media - breaks only",
      "unblock_delay": "30m",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "12:00", "end": "13:00"},
              {"start": "18:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "08:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "twitter.com",
      "description": "News/social - evenings only",
      "unblock_delay": "30m",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "18:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "10:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "youtube.com",
      "description": "Streaming - limited access",
      "unblock_delay": "30m",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "12:00", "end": "13:00"},
              {"start": "19:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          },
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "10:00", "end": "23:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "instagram.com",
      "description": "Social media - high friction",
      "unblock_delay": "4h",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "12:00", "end": "22:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "domain": "tiktok.com",
      "description": "Time sink - weekends only",
      "unblock_delay": "4h",
      "schedule": {
        "available_hours": [
          {
            "days": ["saturday", "sunday"],
            "time_ranges": [
              {"start": "14:00", "end": "20:00"}
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ],
  "allowlist": [
    {
      "domain": "github.com",
      "description": "Work resource"
    },
    {
      "domain": "stackoverflow.com",
      "description": "Work resource"
    },
    {
      "domain": "docs.google.com",
      "description": "Work documents"
    }
  ]
}

Understanding the Schedule

Weekday Structure

00:00 ─────────────────────────────────────────────── 23:59
       BLOCKED │  LUNCH  │    BLOCKED    │  EVENING  │
       ────────┼─────────┼───────────────┼───────────┼──
       00-12:00│12:00-13:00│   13:00-18:00│18:00-23:00│

Weekend Structure

00:00 ─────────────────────────────────────────────── 23:59
       SLEEP  │         AVAILABLE                    │
       ───────┼──────────────────────────────────────┼──
       00-08:00│           08:00-23:00               │

Customization

Adjust Work Hours

If you work different hours, modify the blocked periods:

// Early bird (6 AM - 3 PM)
"time_ranges": [
  {"start": "11:00", "end": "12:00"},  // Late morning break
  {"start": "15:00", "end": "22:00"}   // After work
]

// Night owl (11 AM - 8 PM)
"time_ranges": [
  {"start": "14:00", "end": "15:00"},  // Afternoon break
  {"start": "20:00", "end": "01:00"}   // After work
]

Add More Sites

Common additions:

// News sites
{"domain": "news.ycombinator.com", "unblock_delay": "30m", ...},
{"domain": "cnn.com", "unblock_delay": "0", ...},

// Shopping
{"domain": "amazon.com", "unblock_delay": "30m", ...},
{"domain": "ebay.com", "unblock_delay": "30m", ...},

// Other social
{"domain": "facebook.com", "unblock_delay": "4h", ...},
{"domain": "linkedin.com", "unblock_delay": "0", ...}

Adjust Friction

Site Risk	Recommended Delay
Low (news)	"0"
Moderate (social)	"30m"
High (addictive)	"4h"
Very High	"24h"

Setup Steps

1. Install NextDNS Blocker

brew install nextdns-blocker  # or pip install
nextdns-blocker init

2. Apply Configuration

# Copy template
cp examples/work-focus.json ~/.config/nextdns-blocker/config.json

# Or create from scratch
nextdns-blocker config edit
# Paste the configuration above

3. Set Your Timezone

nextdns-blocker config set timezone America/New_York

4. Validate

nextdns-blocker config validate

5. Test with Dry Run

nextdns-blocker config push --dry-run -v

6. Install Watchdog

nextdns-blocker watchdog install

7. Verify

nextdns-blocker status

Tips for Success

Start Gradual

Begin with few sites and shorter blocks:

1. Week 1: Block 2-3 sites during morning
2. Week 2: Add afternoon blocking
3. Week 3: Add more sites
4. Week 4: Increase delays

Use Panic Mode

When deadline pressure hits:

nextdns-blocker panic 120  # 2 hours of focus

Review Weekly

Check what’s working:

• Are you attempting many unblocks?
• Which sites cause most friction?
• Are schedules aligned with actual work patterns?

Don’t Overblock

Leave legitimate work tools accessible:

• Documentation sites
• Development tools
• Communication (Slack, Teams) if needed

Troubleshooting

”I need access for work”

Add to allowlist:

nextdns-blocker allow important-work-site.com

“Schedule doesn’t match my hours”

Adjust and test:

nextdns-blocker config edit
nextdns-blocker config push --dry-run

“Too restrictive”

Reduce friction gradually:

1. Increase available hours
2. Reduce unblock delays
3. Remove some sites from blocklist