Focus Pocus
A pomodoro and timeblocking productivity app
Grad school was a demanding time where I developed a pen-and-paper productivity system to myself keep up. I hope that by sharing that system with others, it will help them achieve their goals no matter how difficult. Focus Pocus is mobile app (to start) implementing that system and enhancing it in ways that only software can.
I'm a software developer but totally new to mobile and web development. I'm using Flutter so I can develop a cross-platform app. I'm focusing on iOS and Android first, but a web app will be coming soon.
I'm excited to be here in the community of motivated founders. I've been lurking for a while. It feels great to be a real part of the IH community now that I have my own (baby) product.
9 Comments
OK -- now i have context -- you are digitalising a manual process, and of course improving in the process.
The ugly -- I have coached people with focus/ time management for a bit now, and the proposed time management solution would not work fm, or my coachees. That does not mean solution is not viable.
The good - cross platform tool. Using a simple idea to develop skills. All great.
How many of your friends in your university days used the same system? Were you the only one?
When we digitalise a manual process we often miss a key point. Manual processes often succeed as they are tactile. They allow our brain to pause, to breath. So often the benefit is not the actual 'doing of the process' but the fact we switch momentarily. it is the same as going for a 5 min walk. That moment of pause, enables processing time within, decluttering... and often ideas spring forth.
Work out what your manual process actually gave you.
I have a few friends that use similar systems.
Oh that's interesting. Can you tell me more about how the app is incompatible with your system?
Yes, I do have two friends in the iOS Test Pilot now. They have been great for feedback, but I'm running out of suggestions from them.
What would be an acceptable amount of effort? And how do you see the benefits?
really. gosh.. Are they actually using it? truelly? or just being friends and helping out.
Your 2 question tells me you don't get the real issue. Please address the earlier questions I asked rather than asking broad irrelevant questions. They are irrelevant as no acceptable effort, and the benefit is the purpose of the app e.g. focused, or time management disappears.
Looking at the backend, it appears that they're using it.
And really? No acceptable level of effort? What about all of the people who practice the pomodoro technique or use time blocking. They spend some amount of effort (minimal, but some) either starting a timer or blocking off time on their calendar, yet people highly recommend these techniques.
What productivity techniques do you advise for your coachees? Are pomodoro and time blocking banned because they require effort?
do you have these user interviews, of their methods they used?
if so I can listen to them and see the missing
Sorry, I don't have recordings, something I want to implement. Bit new to customer interviews
From what I gathered, they were all familiar with the pomodoro technique, and were using that. They set up templates for common activities and durations. Then each time they open the app, it's just one tap, and their timer is running
ok.
Pomodoro only works for a subset of humans. This subset will be niched to industries I suspect but have not validated this sense. My coachee are well passed such practices. They have tried these tactics and failed. As the root cause is typically not sorted a tactical measure.
Now back to your app. Let me be blunt (and hopefully this time you can actually hear it versus be reactionary). Your app is way way off base.
Then you have the possibility to have an app that citizens naturally resonate with.
In the meantime, please ensure you have researched to the nth degree. all apps using this method. Please note, I have not bothered to do this research.
Fm, you app is current in bucket of --- cool technical idea with NFI of human. One can only go up from here.