Looking for an app to force me to stop using my Mac at night.

[spreadseeds]

Hi,

I'm looking for an app that will force me to stop using my Mac at night. I've been going to bed late for too long because I keep working on my computer. I'd like to try a software solution that will seriously make me stop.

It would be like parental controls (the ones that come with macOS are good, but they're not applicable to an admin account). For example, I would need to lose control of the mouse, keyboard, or screen, or have my internet connection disconnected. It would also be helpful if there were no easy ways to cheat.

Finally, the app needs to be compatible with macOS Sierra 10.12 (I know, it's old).

I've already searched on macupdate and asked Bing and Bard. I've only found softwares requiring newer OS or doing not exactly that, or not doing it properly.

Thanks in advance.

 

[neutrino17]

Your Mac can shut itself down at the same time every day. The process is a little different depending on the OS version.

How to schedule your Mac to turn off and on

If you don't need to have your Mac on all the time, scheduling can reduce its active hours.

www.macworld.com

Older versions could do this from the Energy Saver panel. Newer versions require use of Terminal.

Note that a shutdown might be blocked if some open app has an open window with unsaved content.

Maybe you could just schedule a recurring alarm of some sort to display a screen size image with the message to yourself telling you to stop. Maybe you could get a movie of your mom telling you to turn off the computer. That would freak me out for sure. Probably you can get Automator to play this video every evening at the same time.

 

[spreadseeds]

Maybe you could just schedule a recurring alarm of some sort to display a screen size image with the message to yourself telling you to stop. Maybe you could get a movie of your mom telling you to turn off the computer.

Maybe I could just close that little window in one click and keep working, like I have been doing for a year now. What do you think.

 

[tonmischa]

Your Mac and other electrical equipment will not like it, but what about an Outlet Timer?

 

[bogdanw]

I'm looking for an app that will force me to stop using my Mac at night. I've been going to bed late for too long because I keep working on my computer.

You will not solve the problem with an app, especially on an admin account.
"Work Addiction: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment" https://www.healthline.com/health/addiction/work#treatment

 

[Fishrrman]

The "solution" is self-discipline.

Or, to put it another way, "knowing when to quit"...