Sometimes you don't know what to do. This is my method for focusing on what matters, making progress.
I created this app because I felt stuck. I was at a place in life where what I should do even on a daily basis wasn't clear. Maybe you know this feeling too.
At one particularly low point, I tried writing a few things to do the next day on an index card. Over time, I started taking notes on those cards. It was working, but it was messy. I was getting some things done, losing track of a lot and still struggling with direction.
I decided to solve what I could solve at that moment and built my index card workflow into an app. This one.
More than an app, this method is based around five guiding principles
Simple: The method has to be simple. I don't need yet another thing to do every day.
Focused: This method must help me focus. That's my core problem. That also means no distracting animations, whirling text, or any of the other nice-looking but ultimately distracting features.
Firm: I need something to not only keep track of my work but make me feel accountable, if only to myself.
Flexible: Everyone makes mistakes. As an extension to the Firmness of the method, it must be Flexible enough to allow for missed days, missed tasks, and other times that life gets in the way.
Accessible: I have to be able to use this from anywhere, whenever I need it.
These five principles are what the method I built for myself are based around. By extension, these are also the five principles that go into designing this app and how it helps you stay on task.
The workflow is simple. You start by writing down up to five things you want to accomplish. Preferably, you have no more than 3 but sometimes you need to be flexible.
These tasks should be the most impactful things you can do to accomplish a goal in your work or life. They should be actionable with some end state that you can point to and say, "yes, I did that." Open ended tasks should be avoided and scoped down to be actionable.
With your first day set, repeat this loop:
Go through your day focusing on the tasks. Pick one as soon as you start in the morning and do it. Keep doing these tasks until you are done with your card.
At the end of your day look back at what you did. If you finished everything, great. If you finished nothing, don't worry. You'll do better tomorrow.
If you had unfinished tasks, decide if you want to do them or not. Copy those to tomorrow. If you have space, decide what other tasks you want to do.
Commit to doing this the next day. Repeat the loop.
Keep using this loop to make progress. Even if you're not sure where you're going yet, you will at least get somewhere. When you're lost in the fog, you won't get out unless you move forward, learn, and adapt.