{"id":43754235,"title":"Show HN: I built Run for Fun to stop me from doomscrolling until I exercise","points":3,"user":"busymom0","time":1745255910,"time_ago":"13 hours ago","type":"link","content":"

Some of you might know me as the developer of HACK, the iOS and Android apps for Hacker News.

I spend a lot of time doomscrolling on Reddit, YouTube, and here at Hacker News. I also enjoy Powerlifting. So, I wondered whether I could use exercising as a way to reduce doomscrolling.

So, I built Run for Fun.

It helps you reduce screen addiction, end doomscrolling, practice self-discipline, and get healthy. You can privately and securely limit the usage of addictive social media apps and websites until you perform physical activity. When you walk, run, bike, climb stairs, and exercise, you gain screen time points to use those apps.

You can control how easy or hard it is to gain those points. You can choose which weekdays and between what time period restrictions apply. You can snooze restrictions, choose how long to snooze for, or disable the snooze button altogether.

I built it in Swift and according to Apple, is only 860 kB to download and 1.8 MB to install. I pride myself in keeping downloads small.

It uses Apple's Screen Time and HealthKit APIs. The physical activity and app usage data stays private and is not transmitted to me, the developer.

There are no ads and no subscriptions.

Free version is limited to restricting 1 app, 1 website, 1 category and all-day everyday schedule. A one time only in app purchase gets you lifetime access to restricting unlimited apps, websites, and categories, restrictions scheduled on specific weekdays and time, and custom screen time points calculation and snooze times.

Is this something you may find useful?","url":"https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/run-for-fun-screen-time/id6743376966","domain":"apps.apple.com","comments":[{"id":43754309,"level":0,"user":"busymom0","time":1745256315,"time_ago":"13 hours ago","content":"

Also wanted to add that I started researching Apple's Screen Time API after I saw this other hilarious app concept that requires you to touch grass to use addictive apps:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43158660","comments":[]}],"comments_count":1}