Break 5 is a simple tool that comments out lines in your /etc/hosts file for 5 minutes.
Sometimes is hard to get stuff done when procrastination is only a single click away. The more tech-savvy of us have started adding productivity draining websites to the /etc/hosts file in order to block them.
However every now and then you need to unblock them: someone sends you a link, you need to authenticate with facebook, or just just need a break.
Simply run Break 5 from spotlight and do whatever you have to do. After 5 minutes the sites will be blocked again and that’s how you know it’s time to get back to work.
You can get the app here. But you will have to right click the app and select open for the first time, since the app is not code signed.
Simply add #break and #/break above and below the sites you want to be able to unblock with Break 5 in your /etc/hosts file.
##
# Host Database
#
# localhost is used to configure the loopback interface
# when the system is booting. Do not change this entry.
##
127.0.0.1 localhost
255.255.255.255 broadcasthost
::1 localhost
fe80::1%lo0 localhost
#break
127.0.0.1 reddit.com
127.0.0.1 www.reddit.com
127.0.0.1 twitter.com
127.0.0.1 www.twitter.com
127.0.0.1 facebook.com
127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com
#/break
Icon design by Siggi Eggertsson.