A tech-savvy user shares how they cobbled together a budget-friendly setup—Home Assistant, AdGuard Home, and an $8 smart outlet—to limit mindless internet scrolling. The goal? To fight "brain rot" by automating screen time restrictions. The HN comments reveal a mix of admiration for the DIY approach and debates over whether it’s overkill or genius.

Editor’s Note: We’ve all fallen into the doomscrolling trap, but this story taps into a growing desire to reclaim focus without spending a fortune. It’s not just about the tech—it’s a creative hack for a modern problem, sparking conversations about how far we’ll go to outsmart our own bad habits.

A techie shares how they hacked an $8 smart outlet to limit their screen time, aiming to curb mindless scrolling and "brainrot." The discussion (linked via Hacker News comments) explores DIY solutions for digital wellness, with users debating effectiveness, privacy trade-offs, and the irony of using tech to fight tech addiction.

Editor’s Note: As screen time guilt grows, people are getting creative with cheap fixes—but it’s a messy, imperfect battle. This taps into bigger questions about self-control in the age of algorithmic distraction, and whether hacking gadgets is a band-aid or a real solution. Worth a read if you’ve ever felt trapped by your own devices.