Show HN: I struggled to focus at work due to ADHD so I built a solution | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: I struggled to focus at work due to ADHD so I built a solution

complish.ai

65 pointssmileyao55 comments

Not to be too on the nose, but I'm a little too ADHD to sit through a video demo as the only explanation of the product. I wish you had at least enough info above the fold for me to know the basics of what it is this does.

Noted! I'll put a bit more info for those who don't like video demos.

Sorry for the pile on, but I second that. I also nope out on video explanations. For me it severely hampers my ability to recall the information presented.

With text I can actually pull the image back up in my mind and look at it (it might be a little blurry, but often times I can resolve what I'm looking for). With video that ability is mostly lost. My brain just doesn't store and retrieve that information the same way, apparently. It's like text makes it mostly intact to cold storage, but the only thing in cold storage about the video is metadata.

It’s a simple pomodoro timer. No disrespect to the dev.

We don't use pomodoro technique, but yes we keep it as simple as a pomodoro timer

Took in your feedback in, we've changed the website and added some more information.

What even is this? Please don't make me watch a video to get an idea of what you do.

I don't know if it is meant to schedule tasks, track time, interrupt you if you're distracted, or anything else. I can't even tell why it is made for ADHD. Please add some additional writing on the homepage that describes what the app does. I don't know whether it is a web app, a native app, available on mobile or just desktop.

Is this a strategy to pump up those signups using curious people who will never come back to the app once they know what it is?

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a visual person so I thought video was a good first step. I'll add a bit more information for people who prefer to read.

Took in your feedback in, we've changed the website and added some more information.

At work I have a whiteboard on which I write down every task I need to finish. Next to every task I write a small square which I put a green check mark in once the task is complete. I don't erase the whiteboard until I really need extra space so I can see how many tasks I have finished recently. It helps me focus.

Yup, i used to do this on my notebook. I've swapped to using my own tool now

at one point i had filled my office with whiteboards. it was really helpful to have a non-technical reminder of what needed to be done and what i accomplished. when the whiteboard was full, i expanded to the next one. (only half joking. actually i rewrote the accomplishments into a more condensed form, removing unimportant details, different whiteboards were actually for different projects)

but actually i think sticky notes would have been more efficient. you can collect them in the done column, letting them pile up to show you how far you have come.

I make a grid of squares to supplement my todo list. For each item on my todo list that I complete I fill in a square on the page. It's a great way of visualizing how much stuff you're getting done and it can be a surprisingly good motivator. You can even get fancier and arrange the page so that each square corresponds to a day on a calendar grid but then you need to come up with some criteria on what deserves a checkmark since you only get one.

I have ADHD, but this seems like a great product for most procrastinators, er, I mean people.

Don’t under market once you have vetted your fit with the ADHD crowd!

Go big then sell out to Microsoft to bundle. Or go really big. Productivity enhancement pays for itself, go enterprise :)

Really nice bonus would be one click access to open completion logs, by project or type.

That would add motivation too improve speed in calendar time, as well as real time.

Seriously, good work sir!

Thanks! I'm not going teams, I want to empower individuals to have a fun and more calmer workday. ADHDers get overwhelmed easily

We do, and it’s true that every system I have tried or created hasn’t worked

But they all required discipline and no dopamine payoffs, so how could they!

So I am hopeful your tool will help - once you take email sign ins :)

Of course, we are always excited and hopeful about a new system! Meta work is interesting!!

So fight anyone you need to, burn any bridge, to keep the interface dead simple as well as fun.

But you obviously know that

I just got a dopamine hit from reading this. Gotta ignore all the haters, we keeping this platform simple and effective.

Is there a way to sign up without a Google or Apple account? I have neither.

Why do I need to sign up in the first place?

We need to save your details so if you use another computer you can log in and still have your tasks and analytics to see your focus progress.

That’s a fair use case, but not required for those who want to use it on a single computer. Or especially for those who just want to try it out.

Without the syncing, I imagine all of it can run client side without server resources.

Ya I think if its to test out the app, no sign up would make sense but once users become power users, it would be ideal to sign in.

I stick with tools where I can save and sync my own details. They are mine, after all.

No, currently we are using Clerk. Later on I'll enable signing up with just email.

Took in your feedback in, we've added sign up with any email.

This is fantastic! Just used it to knock off five quick tasks. I don't have ADHD (to the best of my knowledge), but I do love a running timer to help me focus.

It reminds me a lot of an old tool put out by Harvest (time-tracking software) called Harvest Gardener. I used that tool every day until they sadly took it offline.

The big differences: Gardener showed you the entire list at once (not just a single task), and let you enter times for each task in advance (not as the task popped up). One other slick feature: you could enter the estimated time right on the task by nothing it in parentheses, e.g. "Pay electric bill (:05)"

A visual timer really helps gets things done. Ya we go with one task at a time so it doesnt get overwhelming and you can decide how long to work on a task when it pops up. That parentheses feature is pretty cool, im curious if that is more convenient or just clicking a button when it pops up

Some advantages of the parenthetical time entry: 1) more granular control over time; I can easily enter (:02) or (:10) without going to a second-level menu to access the slider; 2) I can estimate times for all my tasks in advance, which makes it easier to plan breaks; 3) my workflow isn't interrupted by having to choose a time before moving on to the next task (admittedly, you've made this pretty easy with your 3 default buttons, but still, I find it distracting)

Suggestion: keep the buttons, but put them inline with task entry and also implement parentheses.

Regardless, I'm really enjoying this tool. Thanks!

This looks very cool and I would definitely give it a try, but Google/Apple sign-in only is a dealbreaker.

Thanks for the feedback :D

Took in your feedback in, we've added a sign in without google or apple. Use any email

I went back to register and I still don't see an option, just "Continue with Google/Apple". Is there a different signup link to register with email?

Jumped on, saw like 5 words, no content and ADHD'ed right out of there.

Assuming its ai based on the url, I hope its better than the last AI tool I used for ADHD, which couldnt even integrate with a calendar, it would simply send me messages to update my calendar which let me tell you, adding one more boss / customer needing my attention isnt helpful.

Its not an AI product, we pivoted away from AI. Thanks for the feedback, I'll look to add more content

This looks great in its simplicity. Excited to try it out.

Also, i like how the first thing on the landing page is a quick video showing us what to expect. So often its lacking!

Yup! I think it depends person to person, I'm very visual so I always prefer video, some people on this thread mentioned they're readers so I should cater for both

If its free, why are you asking people to sign up? Just put it behind some captcha like thing to avoid what ever you are trying to control in the first place.

We need to save your details so if you use another computer you can log in and still have your tasks and analytics to see your focus progress.

A guest mode would be appreciated to evaluate the app.

Thanks for the feedback

people who don't want to watch the video:

it's a pomodoro timer, but your "win" (with confetti) if you do the task in less time.

I'd probably forget to use this tool.

But this looks really cool, would use this if I didn't need to sign up and if it was open source.

Thanks for the feedback

i watched the video

yea i agree the video should also have a landing page format, but please dont remove the video!

thank you for making this

Thanks for the feedback. Ya ill add some more sections to it.

And you are very welcome!

Took in your feedback in, we've changed the website and added some more information.

the video was to fast for me. i had to slow it down to half speed to be able to see what was going on, and that still was to fast at times. i also missed a narrative of what was happening on the screen. voice or subtitles with that would be nice.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll slow it down

Took in your feedback in, we've changed the website and added some more informatio n.

I like how simple the concept is. Excited to give it a try.

Thanks! I hope you'll find it useful

Just tried it. Great job on keeping the UX simple and straightfoward.

Why isn't this open source?

this is awesome and i think much needed these days.

i'll be adding this to findcool.tools

Thanks!!

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