The 20s Rule

Create a brief pause between an impulse and an action, helping you build better browsing habits.

Ever open your browser with a clear goal, only to find yourself lost in a haze of mindless scrolling minutes later? It's not a failure of willpower; it's a failure of the digital environment. The 20s Rule is a simple, powerful tool designed to help you reclaim your focus and build a healthier relationship with technology. At its core, The 20s Rule introduces a gentle, non-intrusive 20-second pause before you access a site you've identified as a time-waster. This isn't a harsh block or a shaming popup. It is a circuit breaker for the subconscious habit loop that pulls you into distraction. This brief pause creates a vital space between the impulse to click and the decision to act, giving you back the power of conscious choice. But this isn't just a waiting screen; it's a moment of opportunity. During the pause, The 20s Rule presents you with a single, gentle prompt designed to improve your well-being. Instead of falling into a digital rabbit hole, you can use these 20 seconds to reset your body, clear your mind, or reconnect with your intentions. Transform moments of distraction into opportunities for growth with fully customizable "nudges." Receive actionable prompts for mindfulness, posture resets, quick desk tidying, goal alignment, and even moments of gratitude. You choose which categories you want to see, and if a particular prompt doesn't resonate, simply click on it to receive a new one. This ensures every pause is a relevant moment of personal development. We understand that every day brings different challenges, which is why The 20s Rule is built to adapt to your needs with two distinct operational modes: Focused Mode (Default): For when you need maximum discipline. In this mode, the 20-second pause is non-skippable, providing a consistent structure to help you rigorously build the habit of intentional browsing. Balanced Mode: For days that require more flexibility. Switching to Balanced Mode gives you access to adaptable tools. You can grant yourself a set number of 'daily skips' to bypass the pause when truly necessary—a count that resets each day to encourage mindful use. This mode also enables the option to 'Pause The 20s Rule for 15 minutes' for tasks requiring uninterrupted access, after which the extension automatically re-engages. From adjusting the pause duration to choosing your mode and nudge categories, every setting is designed to make the tool work for you, not the other way around. This is more than a productivity hack; it's a way to retrain your mind. By building a small moment of mindfulness into your browsing habits, you begin to weaken the pull of digital distractions and strengthen your ability to focus on what truly matters. You build a healthier relationship with technology—one where you are firmly in the driver's seat. Stop fighting a losing battle against distraction. Turn mindless habits into mindful choices. Install The 20s Rule today and reclaim your attention, one intentional pause at a time.