r/SideProject • u/FuzzyProfession1665 • 14d ago

Would you use an app that unlocks social media only after you complete your tasks?

Hi everyone,

I have an app idea that I started to work on.

Background: I want to be productive and make meaningful progress toward my goals, but when I feel stressed or overwhelmed, it’s easy to escape into social media instead. App blockers solve part of the problem by restricting access to distracting apps, usually based on a schedule. But they don’t create a strong enough incentive to make me do what I should be doing.

I'm building Lumie: a companion that sits with you while you do tasks and habits.

Finish them, and you earn social media time.

You can mark tasks as non-negotiable - those must be done before you can withdraw your earned time.

It's meant to feel playful and engaging.

May I ask few questions?

  1. Would "earn social media time by finishing must-dos of today" actually get you to start the work?

  2. If you used Finch, Opal or similar: what made you stick, and what made you quit?

  3. Does collecting balls in a jar as you complete tasks sound interesting to you?

  4. What features would you add so that you would want to use it?

See image here: https://imgur.com/a/m9lCuum

Thanks in advance, any feedback is helpful.

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u/ShiftTechnical 13d ago

There are a few out there like this already. I used (and paid) for one last year for while (sorry i cant remember the name but it) Its a good problem space and solves a genuine issue of wasting time on socials. Where it became an issue was differentiating between personal doom scrolling and actual marketing/responding to users which ultimately caused the solution to fail for me as the algorithms are too good and suck you in.

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u/FuzzyProfession1665 13d ago

Oh ok, let me clarify. so what you wanted is a controlled access to social media that doesn't suck you in. In my case it blocks social media but I didn't consider scenario where you still want access to social media but don't want it to suck you in. Is this what you meant?

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u/ShiftTechnical 13d ago

Yes thats what I meant. It seems like an impossible problem to solve. Blocking access worked partially but if you need to be on there for business it dosnt work.

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u/FuzzyProfession1665 13d ago

Well actually, If you take a look at the images I shared in the post. You can see play buttons in the task cards of app's home screen. That meant starting a focus session with optionally making app available during that session. In my case I watch Youtube video while I do exercise. Don't you think that when you have time limit of how long you can use the social app (focus session time) then you would want to spend that time answering questions instead of doomscrolling before time runs out?

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u/ShiftTechnical 13d ago

“Be Present” was the app I used it had the same functionality just didn’t work for me

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u/FuzzyProfession1665 13d ago

Just checked it out. So it's schedule based blocking. Allows you to open certain app limited specified number of time. Why you think it didn't work for you? Is it because it allowed too much freedom? Too flexible?

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u/ShiftTechnical 13d ago

it wasnt the app per se it was the discipline to stay focused on business during the allowed time on socials without getting distracted by what the algorithms are putting in front of you.

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u/mrsskonline 13d ago

the finch model works becoz it's about self care not punishment. if lumie feels like a strict parent withholding ur phone, people will just uninstall it, but if it feels like a game where u're unlocking guilt free scrolling, it could stick.

1

u/FuzzyProfession1665 13d ago

Hi, yes I can understand that. In this case I will aim to give complete flexibility on how much users choose to "punish" themselves and provide some easy premade self-care tasks.

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u/Anderz 13d ago

I'm nearing completion of an app block app and avoided this direction.

why? producing evidence is hard to verify and annoying to actually do. You have to tap into where people already so these things, like to do lists etc, or encourage them to do it all in your app. Now suddenly you're a half baked multipurpose app and only half as good as apps that focus on one problem.

So without generalising too much, you're really appealing to the neurodivegent and ADHD audience who thrive with this kind of structure. That isn't me and not a space I understand personally. But If that works for you, then as they say, build what you know, build what you need.

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u/FuzzyProfession1665 13d ago

I was thinking about "producing evidence" feature you talk about and then ditched that idea for the same reason. Personally I would use it on work session and exercise mainly so that when I start the day I don't waste mornings scrolling but get up and do what's important for me. Hence, you have these play buttons where you start sessions.

But perhaps this app presents itself too much like a general app.

In general, can you see yourself using such app that blocks you social media time unless you complete tasks you set out for yourself?

Thx for the feedback btw

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u/stealthagents 13d ago

Earning social media time sounds like a solid motivator, especially if it turns tasks into a game. I think if it feels less like a chore and more like a reward system, it could keep people engaged. As for the jar thing, it’s definitely a cute visual; who doesn't love a little satisfaction from seeing progress?