One thing I’ve noticed about most screen-time apps is that they focus on restricting behaviour.

Few seem to focus on helping users choose an alternative action in that moment.

So instead of simply saying “don’t do this”, what if technology helped people do something they had already decided was important? e.g. Calling or messaging someone or simply going for a walk.

I’ve been exploring this idea through a small side project. I’m building in my spare time for personal use with Codex.

It’s still early, but the concept is simple: when opening a distracting app, create a moment of pause and suggest more intentional alternatives before continuing.