What NGUMU does
NGUMU: Screen Time Control is a productivity extension for Chromium browsers — Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Brave — that combines four things most people otherwise juggle separately:
- Focus timers: Pomodoro (25/5), 52-17, 90-20, 20-20-20 and fully custom cycles.
- Intelligent website blocking: blacklists, whitelists and curated presets for social media, video streaming and news.
- Break enforcement: a full-screen overlay at break time, plus a pre-break "blink warning" that prompts you to rest your eyes.
- Analytics: focus minutes, session counts, daily and weekly goal progress, and long-term history in the popup dashboard.
It also includes tab management to curb multitasking, a multi-language interface, dark mode, and a privacy-first design: session data lives in local browser storage and no personal information is collected.
Step 1 — Install and pin
- Open the listing for your browser and add the extension.
- Click the puzzle icon in the toolbar and pin NGUMU so it's one click away.
- Open the popup once to initialise your local storage.
Install NGUMU free → — Chrome, Edge and Brave.
Detailed screenshots and a post-install checklist live on the install page.
Step 2 — Choose the right cycle
| Preset | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Pomodoro 25/5 | You struggle to start, or the work is admin-heavy |
| 52-17 | Standard knowledge work with meetings around it |
| 90-20 | Deep work: writing, coding, analysis, study |
| 20-20-20 | Long screen days where eye strain is the limiter |
| Custom | Your day has a fixed shape (e.g. 45/10 between classes) |
Commit to one preset for a full week before judging it.
Step 3 — Configure blocking properly
The single biggest setup mistake is blocking too much. Do this instead:
- Enable one curated preset that matches your leak — social, video or news.
- Add 2–3 personal domains to the blacklist. Be honest about which they are.
- Whitelist your work tools so nothing legitimate gets caught.
Because rules apply while a focus session is running, your evenings stay unpoliced — which is why the setup survives past week two.
Step 4 — Set a daily and weekly goal
Pick a number you can hit on a bad day, not a good one. Four 52-minute sessions is an excellent knowledge-work day. The dashboard tracks progress toward the goal and builds a streak.
Step 5 — Run a session
- Open the popup, confirm the preset, hit start.
- Blocking activates and tab management limits distracting tabs.
- Near the end of the work interval, the blink warning appears — look away, rest your eyes.
- The full-screen break overlay takes over. Stand up. Leave the screen.
- The next interval starts and the cycle repeats.
Step 6 — Review weekly
Every Friday, open the dashboard and answer three questions:
- Did total focus minutes go up or down?
- Which day collapsed, and what happened that day?
- Is the cycle length right, or were you consistently interrupted mid-interval?
Adjust exactly one variable per week.
A 7-day starter plan
| Day | Goal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Install, pin, run one 25/5 session |
| 2 | Enable a curated blocklist, whitelist work tools |
| 3 | Two sessions, take both breaks fully |
| 4 | Try 52-17, set a daily goal |
| 5 | Three sessions, no break skipped |
| 6 | Review the dashboard, adjust one setting |
| 7 | Export a backup and lock in the routine |
Troubleshooting
- A site I need is blocked → add it to the whitelist rather than disabling the preset.
- I keep skipping breaks → shorten the focus interval; skipped breaks usually mean the interval is too long for the task.
- The streak broke and I lost momentum → lower the daily goal until it's boringly achievable.
- I want deeper analytics and longer history → that's what Pro adds, alongside extended timer options and more granular blocklist control.
Where to go next
- The science behind why blocking works
- How to reduce screen time without losing productivity
- NGUMU vs StayFocusd
Frequently asked questions
Is NGUMU free?
Yes. Core timers, blocking, breaks and analytics are free; Pro unlocks advanced analytics, extended timer options, granular blocking and persistent session history.
Which browsers are supported?
Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Brave.
Does NGUMU collect personal data?
No. Session data is stored locally in your browser and no personal information is required to use the core features.
Can I back up my data?
Yes — export a JSON backup from settings, and import it to restore stats, streaks and tasks.
Can I change cycle lengths mid-day?
Yes. Switch presets or set a custom cycle any time from the popup.