In today's attention economy, where social media platforms, entertainment apps, and news feeds vie for our focus, millions have turned to focus apps in the hope of enhancing productivity. These apps, designed to manage distractions, promise to help us regain control. However, a recent study from the University of British Columbia reveals a surprising twist: for neurodivergent individuals, these digital distraction blockers may actually exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and shame. The issue lies in the inflexible designs of these apps, which fail to accommodate the unique strengths and challenges of neurodivergent minds. These individuals, who make up a significant portion of the Canadian population, often struggle with executive dysfunction, time blindness, and sensory overstimulation, making it difficult to engage in focused work. The Pomodoro Technique, for instance, assumes a one-size-fits-all approach to focus, but for many neurodivergent students, focus is not a faucet that can be turned on and off at will. Instead, they may experience rare and hard-won states of hyperfocus that extend beyond the commonly assumed 25-minute focus block. Moreover, some neurodivergent students intentionally turn off their blockers to engage with distractions, a strategy we refer to as 'digital stimming'. This practice, inspired by the repetitive, soothing behaviors known as stimming often seen in neurodivergent communities, helps manage cognitive overload and ease transitions into difficult tasks. However, turning off blockers can lead to 'doomscrolling', highlighting the lack of support for a middle ground in existing distraction blockers. The shame associated with using these apps as a 'crutch' further compounds the issue. To truly empower all users, we need to move away from the all-or-nothing approach of current tools. Our research suggests three ways to re-imagine future distraction blockers: supporting curated digital stimming, using task-based rules over timers, and framing blockers as scaffolds rather than crutches. By adapting focus apps to accommodate the diverse needs of neurodivergent individuals, we can empower people to focus without making them feel guilty for needing support. This shift in design philosophy is crucial to ensure that focus apps truly serve all users, not just the neurotypical majority.
