It's a commitment device - e.g. leave your "mindless scrolling" NFC tag at home so you don't mindlessly scroll while you're out.

For those curious, this is called Focus and is pretty highly configurable after a little learning curve. You can use automations to switch modes by calendar, date/time, GPS location, connected Wi-Fi network, etc. No programming required. Programmable via Shortcuts, too!

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-a-focus-iphd62...

It appealed to me since the way I block distractions is easy for me to unblock them, too. (like HN, I unblocked it to look for commentary on the bitbucket outage and now I'm reading random articles)

If unblocking via software is easy too, this doesn't really work, but I could see giving the physical tag to a friend or leaving it somewhere in a different building causing enough friction for me to reconsider if I really want to go to the effort just to look at some news headlines.

I think its so that you can't easily toggle them off by using the phone software. for example, you are trying to get work done so you set two up: a focus one by your desk, another somewhere else where you have to get up. so you have to get up and walk over to the 2nd one to turn off the focus mode

NFC tags cost about 20 cents and they are easy to use, tied to a place, etc.

I've done a lot of thinking about cyberphysical art that used to look like

https://mastodon.social/@UP8/111013706271196029

and now look like

https://bsky.app/profile/up-8.bsky.social/post/3lbqfh7pesc2x

Notably with the QR code on the back I found people didn't understand the branding of the card and had to flip it over to know the affordances it offers which didn't work when the card was stuck to the wall, as in

https://bsky.app/profile/up-8.bsky.social/post/3lbftgz6kok2c

I researched NFC tags as an option here and bought a 100 pack and a Sony FeliCa reader but found the problem of "communicating the affordance is available" was much worse, there's no standard logo (except one that belongs to the banks that they wouldn't give me permission to use) and not much awareness. I was irritated that NFC support is limited in iPads, for instance. So I stuck with QR codes that people understand.

I was wondering that myself. At a guess, you put a tag at each focus location for the kind of focus you do at that location. At your desk, you put a tag that enables your working focus. At your bedside, you put a tag that enables your sleep focus.

Sounds cool but unnecessary.

yeah 100% you can totally just use whats built into your phone, there's actually no need for any of these apps.

I found that having this physical deterrent keeps myself accountable, that's kinda the reason I built it and showcased it

For a while I stuck NFC tags on the MagSafe charger/stands in various places (at my desk, by my bed, etc.) to swifch profiles (which can be done just using shortcuts, as others have mentioned).

It worked pretty nicely but in the end I found it not to be all that useful and I’d be frustrated by the profile change as often as I was happy with it.

The app does allow manually switching of profiles, without NFC tags, but it wasn't clear until I installed the app.

Attach that NFC tag to a 40 kg weight in the other room (and commit to carrying the weight to the phone, not the other way round ;) ), then you might appreciate the value-add. We are very physical creatures.