We all have apps on our phones that we wish we opened a little less often, like TikTok or Reddit. Cold Turkey is an iPhone app that won’t let you open certain apps until you’ve practiced a few Spanish, French, or Japanese flashcards beforehand. This will help you combat the impulsive urge to scroll and also help you learn a few words.
A quick way to overcome an addiction
The app was created by indie developer Gustavo Nascimento, an avid language learner who enjoys reviewing words throughout the day. “The problem with reviewing flashcards on my phone is that while it’s a great tool, it’s also incredibly easy to get distracted by other apps,” Nascimento said. Cold Turkey is an attempt to solve both problems at once.
Getting started is easy: download the app and open it. You’ll be prompted to enable access to Screen Time and Notifications. Make sure to enable both. You’ll also be asked which language you want to practice and which apps you want to block.
Once you’ve got everything set up, you’ll notice that the icons for distracting apps are semi-transparent. Try to open one and you’ll be told that you need to practice a language before you can open the app; a notification will also appear. Tap that notification, look at some flashcards, and you’re good to go.
