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Notion Second Brain VS SelfControl

Compare Notion Second Brain VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

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The #1 monitoring employee software for clear insights into how your team works. Get real-time and historical data. Understand productivity at every level. featured
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  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

Notion Second Brain logo Notion Second Brain

Streamline your productivity with this Second Brain template for Notion. Manage tasks, boost focus, save and organize unlimited knowledge.

SelfControl logo SelfControl

V2 updates! - Custom time interval for distraction free mode - Ability to turn off ' always on' mode - Improved UI -- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.
  • Notion Second Brain Second Brain 3.0
    Second Brain 3.0 //
    2025-03-12
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Notion Second Brain features and specs

  • Centralized Knowledge Repository
    Notion Second Brain allows users to consolidate all their information, notes, tasks, and resources in one place, reducing the need to switch between multiple apps.
  • Highly Customizable
    Users can tailor Notion to their specific organizational needs with a variety of templates, databases, pages, and custom properties.
  • Integrations and Compatibility
    Notion offers integrations with other tools and services, enhancing its functionality and making it compatible with a variety of workflows.
  • Collaboration and Sharing
    Notion allows for easy sharing and collaboration with team members, enabling multiple users to contribute to the same workspace without issues.
  • Multi-Platform Access
    Notion is accessible across different devices and platforms, ensuring users can access their Second Brain from anywhere.

SelfControl features and specs

  • Effective Website Blocking
    SelfControl blocks access to distracting websites based on a customizable blocklist, helping users stay focused.
  • Timer Functionality
    Users can set a timer for how long they want websites to remain blocked, ensuring focused work periods without distraction.
  • Free to Use
    SelfControl is open-source and free to download and use, making it accessible to anyone without financial barriers.
  • Easy to Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly set their preferences and get started.

Possible disadvantages of SelfControl

  • Mac-Only
    SelfControl is only available for macOS, excluding Windows and Linux users from using the application.
  • No Undo Option
    Once the block period is set and started, it cannot be undone even by restarting the computer, which could be an issue if access to blocked sites is needed unexpectedly.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The app primarily focuses on website blocking, lacking additional productivity tools or features like app blocking or usage analytics.
  • No Scheduled Blocking
    SelfControl does not offer the ability to schedule block sessions in advance, meaning users must manually start each session.

Analysis of SelfControl

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SelfControl is a highly recommended tool for individuals looking to enhance their productivity by minimizing digital distractions. Its open-source nature and no-nonsense approach make it a popular choice among students, freelancers, and professionals alike.

Why this product is good

  • SelfControl is considered a good application because it effectively blocks distracting websites, helping users focus on their tasks without getting sidetracked by online distractions. It's simple to use, efficient, and highly customizable, allowing users to specify which sites to block and for how long, ensuring a tailored productivity experience.

Recommended for

    SelfControl is ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying, remote workers who want to avoid procrastination, freelancers who require discipline in managing their time, and anyone who needs a simple solution to reduce digital distractions during focused work periods.

Notion Second Brain videos

+ Add

My Ultimate NOTION SECOND BRAIN Template For Productivity

SelfControl videos

+ Add

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - SelfControl Review - Block distracting websites

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Notion Second Brain and SelfControl)

Notion Second Brain

SelfControl

Productivity
24 24%
Productivity
76% 76
Time Tracking
0 0%
Time Tracking
100% 100
Task Management
100 100%
Task Management
0% 0
Project Management
100 100%
Project Management
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Notion Second Brain and SelfControl. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SelfControl seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 75 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Notion Second Brain mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Notion Second Brain yet. Tracking of Notion Second Brain recommendations started around Mar 2025.

SelfControl mentions (75)

  • My 30-Year Quitting Addiction
    There is a free and open source app called SelfControl for macOS. It allows one to block access to any site one adds to the list in the app for the amount of time the user chooses. Attempt to use multiple browsers, restarting one's machine, deleting the app, etc. won't get around the block either. It's been super helpful for me, so I thought I'd just throw it out there. https://selfcontrolapp.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • App to prevent distractions at work
    It is SelfControl. It is open-source and free. You select the website you want to block and the time. The moment you click the button no matter what you do, you can forget about accessing those websites until the time is over; there is no cancel button. Restarted mac won't work, you can delete the app no luck. Source: over 1 year ago
  • App to prevent distractions at work
    The SelfControl app lets you specify web sites that will be blocked. When you run the app, you specify a countdown timer, during which time those apps will be inaccessible. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Finals season
    - https://selfcontrolapp.com/ this is free app. block off all social media and time wasters .. Only for mac. if there is nothing to be distracted... IMO I eventually be bored and I was able to get into the zone... Not right away... But I told my self... Today I study... And I stay in the study room. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Looking for the right app
    Apps I have tried and are not enough: - https://heyfocus.com/ - https://freedom.to/ - https://selfcontrolapp.com/ - https://www.forestapp.cc/ - https://www.rescuetime.com/. Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Notion Second Brain and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Second Brain - Capture & organize everything in Notion.

Cold Turkey - Cold Turkey is a free productivity program that you can use to temporarily block distractions so that you can get your work done!

Notion - All-in-one workspace. One tool for your whole team. Write, plan, and get organized.

Focus App - New Tab page that gives you a moment of calm and inspires you to be more productive.

Ultimate Brain for Notion - The Ultimate Second-Brain Notion Template

Freedom.to - Freedom is a productivity hack that lets you block apps, websites or the entire Internet on iPhones, iPads, Windows and Mac computers.

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