If you have ever picked up your phone to check the time and found yourself scrolling much later, Sabbath Space was built for you. The iOS and Android app pairs with a physical NFC tag that blocks distracting apps and notifications until you scan again, leaving only the apps you choose.^1^3
The tag adds friction that built-in screen time limits do not, because you can leave the tag behind and turn your phone into a distraction-free device.^1 You can set a Sabbath mode for rest, a devotional mode for time with God, or a work mode that keeps social media out of the way.^3 The Play listing describes the physical tag as an NFC keychain that locks selected apps until you scan again.^3 Core features are free; additional features use a subscription.^2
Erick Vargas created Sabbath Space after he found his own screen time averaging 6.5 hours a day.^4 On the site's About page he says that time left him with anxiety and a feeling of never having enough, and that the choice sharpened when his newborn son arrived: waste more than six hours a day, or invest that time with his family.^4 He calls it a project built for his family that the Vargas family wants to share with others.^4 Carrie Bock identifies Vargas as a Christian entrepreneur and the creator of Sabbath Space, and notes that after using it his screen time decreased by 81 percent.^5 The homepage makes the same 81 percent claim.^1
Sabbath Space presents itself as more than an app blocker: a tool to help you fight tech addiction and focus on your relationship with God, your family, and your community.^2
