Safari browser extensions you never knew you needed

Staying on track and remaining focused online can be a problem in today's realm of news, cat videos and social media. However, extensions such as WasteNoTime can become critical tools to stay productive. The Safari extension allows you to set time limits on specific website visits -- such as Facebook or YouTube -- and automatically blocks these websites when your time is up.

AdBlock peddles its extension with the phrase "40 million users can't be wrong," and I happen to agree. The free, donation-based extension is a handy way to declutter your online experience by blocking adverts across the Web. Users can choose to block automatically, or allow ads and pop-ups on specific domains and pages. It is worth noting the extension sometimes doesn't differentiate between payment gateways and adverts, and so if you come across online payment issues, don't forget to pause or disable the extension temporarily.

Streak is another productivity tool which can clear the dross from your Gmail inbox, allowing you to focus on what matters. If you have simply too many emails to take on at one time, the extension's "Snooze" feature allows you to archive messages, sending automatic follow-up reminders after a specific period of time has passed. You can also categorize your emails, organize events and schedule emails.

HoverSee, once known as HoverZoom, is a handy extension which allows you to enlarge images and preview videos without fully loading them up. Once installed, the Safari extension allows you to perform these functions simply by hovering your cursor over the content you wish to view. The extension works with sources including Google images, links to YouTube videos and links to image galleries such as Flickr.

If you're meant to be working or want to rapidly hide your browsing activities from friends or family, the PanicButton extension is a good choice for Safari users. Once installed, it takes no more than the click of a button to hide all of your tabs rather than having to close them all. Users can also set up a password-protected vault to prevent these Internet tabs from being opened by anyone but yourself.

DuckDuckGo is a search engine which collates data from web pages but gives equal importance to results. The engine also does not track users, giving individuals a little more privacy on the Web. The search engine now also offers DuckDuckGo for Safari, a browser extension which gives you results from the engine even when you are browsing other websites.

Grammarly, or Grammarly Lite, are handy Safari extensions if you are writing content for the Web or if email communication is often used in your place of work. When active, the extension checks your spelling and grammar in real-time -- and also offers alternatives, dictionary entries and a thesaurus.

Sessions is a great way to declutter your Safari browser and improve memory usage rates. The extension allows users to take a 'screenshot' of their browsing session before starting afresh, which remain stored for viewing in the future. The extension also continuously monitors your open tabs so they can be restored in the case of a crash or closure of the browser.

If you're like me and find little more irritating than the iTunes store's interface, NoMoreiTunes is an essential Safari extension. Instead of being forced to search via Apple's iTunes store, the extension acts in tandem with Safari to act as a search engine for content -- but blocks the redirect code which automatically pushes Apple store web pages to iTunes. Instead, you can run a search via Google and a small button will appear which gives you the option to view the page in iTunes if you wish.

The ClickToPlugin Safari extension is a must-have if you are on limited bandwidth or autoplay content on web pages irritates you. The plugin prevents Flash, Silverlight and Java content from loading automatically -- and instead leaves a placeholder which can be clicked upon if you wish to view the content.

The Web is full of content, ranging from videos to articles -- and time is often limited. If you find articles you would like to read later, whether or not you have Internet access at the time, you can use Pocket and the service's accompanying extension to save these articles, sync them to your devices and access later.

The LastPass service, available in free and premium versions, is invaluable for those who have difficulty remembering their account passwords. Sign up for a LastPass account and the accompanying extension accesses username and password combinations stored in a secure vault -- filling in forms automatically and saving you the hassle. In addition, LastPass can be used to generate complex passwords which are more difficult to crack -- and saves them so you do not have to remember the combinations.

Finally, Stylish is a free extension for those bored with the look of their browsing experience. The extension can be used to toggle different styles for domains, creating global themes for every website you visit or tailoring designs for your favorite websites.