Dan Nainan can’t trust himself to work at his computer without clicking on distractions, so he uses an Internet-blocking program to shut down his Web access twice a day.
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I’m sorry, but try as I might, I could never, ever do this on my own, said the New York City comedian who’s struggling to finish a book. I wish I could, but I just don’t have the discipline.
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Nainan’s system of two, two-hour blocks is one example of how Americans are trying to control their impulses using technology that steps in to enforce good behavior.
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With the new year days away, many tools are now available to help people stay in line, including a GPS-enabled app that locks down texting once a car gets rolling and a program that cuts off credit-card spending. Another device monitors your workout and offers real-time voice feedback.
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Have we entered an era in which electronics serve as mother, cop and coach because we can’t manage our own desires?
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Yep, said Ann Mack, a trend-watcher for JWT Intelligence, an arm of the marketing giant. She named outsourcing self-control and de-teching as two top trends for the new year.
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The thing is we’re becoming more aware of these behaviors, and as a result, we’re trying to seek help to circumvent some of our more base impulses, Mack said. We’re bombarded more and more with temptations on a regular basis, and it’s getting increasingly difficult to deal with that.
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Tools to cope with temptation are everywhere.
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Some car owners are voluntarily using a technology developed for convicted drunk drivers — ignition locks attached to in-car breathalyzers.
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Shelley Snyder, marketing coordinator for Intoxalock, said about 1.5 percent of the company’s clients are voluntary, which includes parents imposing the setup on their young drivers.
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I know that isn’t a lot, but it is growing at a slow, steady pace,…