Do the thing, then scroll. Habits First helps you reduce your screen time: distracting apps stay blocked until your habits are done for the day.
No accounts required and no subscriptions, forever. Willpower shouldn’t cost a monthly fee.
HABITS SUPPORTED
- Walk 10,000 steps, or any number you like
- Work out 45 minutes, with any fitness tracker that syncs to Health Connect
- Meditate 10 minutes, with any meditation app that saves to Health Connect
- Use an app you pick: read or use Duolingo for 20 minutes
- Built in Pomodoro timer or manual habit check off
- Review your Anki flashcards (Habits Pro)
- Listen to audiobooks on Audiobookshelf (Habits Pro)
- Read pages in KOReader (Habits Pro)
- Finish a game on Chess.com (Habits Pro)
- Push commits to GitHub (Habits Pro)
- Earn Duolingo XP or keep your streak (Habits Pro)
- Webhooks: send a number from your own script or app (Habits Pro)
- More coming
A block can ask for one habit, all of them, or any two of three.
HOW IT WORKS
Habits are automatically tracked via integrations such as Health Connect. Apps you select are blocked until you finish your habits. When you're done, the block lifts on its own. Some integrations update when you open the app. If a block uses timed unlocks, each finished habit banks one: tap “Use 1 unlock” on the block screen to start it.
WHY IT WORKS
The idea is based off the Premack Principle: things you do often can help reinforce things that you do rarely. By habit stacking a difficult habit before an app you often use, you also hijack the addictive nature of distracting apps and turn that motivation towards your daily habits.
WHEN IT APPLIES
All day until your habits are done, on a schedule, only in certain places, or near a device you pick. Habits First helps you wake up into a calm phone screen, only unlocked after you finish your most important habits of the day.
PRICING
This app will never have a subscription fee. The core app is free forever: Health Connect goals, app timers, schedules, places, commitment locks, and as many blocks as you like. One small one-time purchase adds habit widgets, NFC tag unlocks and the extra integrations. More will be added in the future (feel free to request them).
SYNCING
You can make an account if you would like to sync your habits and blocks across devices. This is not required.
Created by @reysu on YouTube
Accessibility Service: Habits First uses Android's AccessibilityService API only for optional website blocking, and you choose to turn it on in Android Settings. It reads your browser's web address (and on-screen labels in web apps) and checks open windows, only to detect and block sites you've chosen. It never acts for you or stops anyone from uninstalling or disabling apps, and your data stays on your phone and isn't collected or shared.