I didn’t start this as a project.
I started this because I was tired of lying to myself.
Every night I’d tell myself:
“Today I’ll sleep early.”
And somehow… I’d still end up on my phone at 1:30 AM watching random videos on YouTube, scrolling without even knowing what I was watching anymore.
The worst part wasn’t even the time I wasted.
It was that feeling:
<blockquote>
“I literally just decided not to do this… and I’m still doing it.”
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>The problem no one really talks about</h2>
Most advice is like:
<ul>
<li>“Just have discipline”</li>
<li>“Put your phone away”</li>
<li>“Use screen time limits”</li>
</ul>
I tried all of it.
Didn’t work.
Because the real problem isn’t lack of awareness.
It’s that in that moment… your brain doesn’t care.
Apps like YouTube, Instagram—they’re built to keep you there. And they’re really good at it.
And most tools?
They’re way too easy to bypass.
<hr>
<h2>So I stopped trying to control myself</h2>
And thought:
<blockquote>
What if I just remove the option?
</blockquote>
Not reduce usage.
Not track usage.
Not show stats.
Just… block it.
Hard.
<hr>
<h2>What I built</h2>
I built a simple Android app called AppCurfew.
The idea is very straightforward:
<ul>
<li>
You pick apps you want to block (like YouTube)
</li>
<li>
You set a time window (like 10 PM → 6 AM)
</li>
<li>
During that time:
</li>
<li>
If you open that app → it instantly kicks you out
</li>
</ul>
No warning.
No “are you sure?”.
No negotiation.
Just:
<blockquote>
“Nope. Go back.”
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>How it actually works (simple explanation)</h2>
I used Android’s Accessibility Service to detect which app is currently open.
Every time the foreground app changes:
<ul>
<li>Check current time</li>
<li>Check if blocking is enabled</li>
<li>Check if app is in blocked list</li>
</ul>
If yes:
→ send user back to home screen
That’s it.
Simple logic, but very effective.
<hr>
<h2>The interesting part</h2>
The first time it worked, it felt weird.
I opened YouTube out of habit…
…and got kicked out instantly.
Tried again.
Same thing.
After 3–4 attempts, my brain just gave up.
Not because I suddenly became disciplined.
But because the system didn’t allow me to continue.
<hr>
<h2>What I realized</h2>
This is important.
<blockquote>
This is not a productivity app.
</blockquote>
It’s more like a behavior constraint system.
I’m not trying to optimize my time.
I’m trying to remove bad decisions when I’m most likely to make them.
<hr>
<h2>It’s not perfect</h2>
I can still bypass it.
<ul>
<li>I can disable the toggle</li>
<li>I can go into settings</li>
<li>I can uninstall it</li>
</ul>
And yes… I’ve tried.
That’s actually the next problem I’m working on:
<blockquote>
“How do you protect the system from yourself?”
</blockquote>
<hr>
<h2>Why I’m sharing this</h2>
Not because it’s some crazy innovation.
But because this is the first time I built something that actually affected my own behavior.
Not a clone project.
Not a tutorial.
Just something I needed.
<hr>
<h2>What’s next</h2>
Right now I’m just using it myself and giving it to a few friends.
No big launch.
No hype.
If it actually works consistently, I’ll improve it.
If not, I’ll fix it.
<hr>
<h2>Final thought</h2>
I used to think:
<blockquote>
“I just need more discipline”
</blockquote>
Now I think:
<blockquote>
“Maybe I just need better systems”
</blockquote>
<hr>
If you’ve ever opened your phone “just for 5 minutes”
and suddenly it’s 2 AM…
yeah, you know what I’m talking about.
you can access the full project here:
<a href="https://github.com/Pavan-Kumar-KN/appcurfew-android" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">https://github.com/Pavan-Kumar-KN/appcurfew-android</a>

Pavan Kumar KN

A developer built an Android app called AppCurfew to hard-block distracting apps like YouTube during set time windows (e.g., 10 PM to 6 AM). Using Android's Accessibility Service, the app detects the foreground app and immediately redirects the user to the home screen if a blocked app is opened during restricted hours. The motivation was personal: existing tools like screen time limits were too easy to bypass. The app is framed not as a productivity tracker but as a behavior constraint system that removes bad decisions rather than relying on willpower. The project is open source on GitHub and still in early personal use.

I couldn’t stop using my phone at night, so I built an app to block myself