# One Sec

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/one-sec/

10 people recommended One Sec in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 12 months, in 4 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

7 of the 10 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “I made my phone slow on purpose”.

**Verdict:** People recommend One Sec as an effective way to cut back on Instagram and other social media by pausing before opening apps. Some critics say the habit change faded after a month or so.

Summary written by Claude from 12 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Effective at cutting social media use (3 comments in the sample): "Really helped curb my Instagram usage down from about ~15 minutes per day" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48363122)) "It’s extremely effective and I highly recommend it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48359966)) "Plugging the thing that finally got me off IG." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49665740))
- Favorite among screen time apps (2 comments in the sample): "Huge fan of One Sec - I think I've tried every screen time reducing app out there and it is my favorite." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48363431)) "There is a great habit-breaking app called “One Sec." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48363592))

## What people warn about

- Habit returns to normal after a month (1 comment in the sample): "One sec broke my habit for a month or so but then it got back to “normal" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48362905))

## Other website blockers people recommend

- [ScreenZen](https://hackerapproved.com/p/screenzen/): 9 recommend, 1 mixed, 1 criticize
- [LeechBlock NG](https://hackerapproved.com/p/leechblock/): 7 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize
- [UnTrap for YouTube](https://hackerapproved.com/p/untrap/): 7 recommend, 1 mixed, 2 criticize
- [SelfControl](https://hackerapproved.com/p/selfcontrol/): 6 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "One Sec", https://hackerapproved.com/p/one-sec/ (10 recommend, 1 mixed, 1 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.