6 ms·

Show HN: I built an AI tool to help with ADHD task paralysis

32 points by aaliyajakir 2y ago

aaliyajakir 2y ago
Hey! I built this tool from my own struggles with ADHD and executive dysfunction. It helps you break down tasks into smaller steps, provides suggested responses, and recommends integrated tools such as timer and Spotify (ask it to play a song or set a timer). People with ADHD operate on an “interest-based nervous system” so they’re motivated by urgency, novelty, competition, and interest. ADHD also impairs executive functioning skills. This can make task paralysis really common, especially for unstimulating tasks. We’re a team of 3 undergraduate students who have received 50k as finalists in the Microsoft Imagine Cup. We’re being flown out to seattle for Microsoft Build to showcase our tool. Our tool is in a very early stage right now, but we’re partnering with the world’s ADHD coaching academy to improve and make a tool specifically designed for people with ADHD. We’d love people to test it out and give us any feedback (positive or negative)
- iknownothow 2y ago
  > People with ADHD operate on an “interest-based nervous system” so they’re motivated by urgency Was the decision to have a 3 day trial instead of something longer have anything do with creating urgency and capitalizing on the impulsivity of people with ADHD? I imagine people with ADHD are more likely to be excited by tools that help and they can often mistake the initial excitement with the tool actually helping manage their executive dysfunction. It's hard for me to see how anyone with ADHD will be able to judge this tool as being truly good for them within 3 days.
  - wasteduniverse 2y ago
    [dead]
  - aaliyajakir 2y ago
    It was mainly due to the token costs. With so many people trialing it, they add up fast. I think a one-use trial would be the best way to create urgency and capitalize on impulsivity (judging by my own impulsive purchases). > I imagine people with ADHD are more likely to be excited by tools that help and they can often mistake the initial excitement with the tool actually helping manage their executive dysfunction. This is a critical point I've been thinking about because I've done this many times with tools where I try it once, think it's going to solve my executive dysfunction, buy it impulsively, then proceed to stop using it, and then keep getting billed because I don't cancel it (ouch).
- ilt 2y ago
  >they’re motivated by urgency, novelty, competition, and interest. ADHD also impairs executive functioning skills. This can make task paralysis really common, especially for unstimulating tasks. this hits home so bad, I can't believe I just read that :/ All the best for your tool bud.
  - aaliyajakir 2y ago
    Thank you, I appreciate your kindness
- kduda1978 2y ago
  I’d love to check it out! I’ve been digging a very deep rabbit hole looking for something like this.
  - aaliyajakir 2y ago
    Interesting! What caused the deep rabbit hole into searching for a tool like this?
PhoenixValiant 2y ago
As someone who also has ADHD, I find the way the tasks are broken down and guided through to be extremely helpful. I also like the overall accessibility, and having things read aloud is an extremely nice touch, in my opinion, as well as having a smooth user interface overall that makes it easy to work with. While I don't have any suggestions, I will say that I believe this can be an extremely helpful tool, and that I wish you luck on your future endeavors regarding this project!
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  I appreciate the kind words : D We have a long way to go, but your support is super valuable
timvdalen 2y ago
I don't know if a 3 day trial is a good fit for people with ADHD. On the other hand, a month long trial is problematic for other reasons!
- ctippett 2y ago
  There's an interesting article that was posted just last week on this exact topic: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40274662 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40274662
shmageggy 2y ago
I'd try it if there were other sign in options. Also the back button is broken on the sign in page (FF on Android)
- twojacobtwo 2y ago
  Seconded on both accounts.
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  We can add sign in with email! hopefully that would be good
  - twojacobtwo 2y ago
    Any idea on a timeline for this? I was hoping to try it, but it looks like the only options are sign in with Google or Microsoft.
dartos 2y ago
Since it’s paid I have to ask. What’s the difference between this and chatgpt with a prompt? Is the subscription just a subscription to a prompt?
- jimbobthrowawy 2y ago
  No comment on this business, but the "subscription to a prompt" thing reminds me of that thing Joel Spolsky said about businesses that basically just monetize the pivot table feature of excel.
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  So we're continuously beta testing with ADHD coaches, psychiatrists, and people with ADHD to understand their specific use cases. This allows us to create a tool designed for ADHD, adding things like guided conversations through suggestion buttons and integrated tools specific to starting tasks. Right now, we have timers and music as our first tools but our future plans include an entire toolbox of tools specific to task initiation and executive dysfunction. Our ultimate goal is an AI utilizing your specific 'user manual' with effective strategies and systems for you and then giving you tools specific to those strategies when you need them. I.E. A timer may work for one task, but it then loses its novelty, but website blockers and classical music work effectively for the next so it applies those tools without the extra micro-steps of setting up that infrastructure yourself.
jondwillis 2y ago
Disappointed that it is a chat interface, i.e. something I have to reach for, instead of it reaching for me.
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  I was thinking of experimenting with different ways to have the tool 'reach' for you. I was thinking if you had a todo list with tasks and it notices the ones you're avoiding, then it can send you a text with the task placed into the chat, and then provide you a list of suggestions to help you start getting into the task. So like you see a text like "Hey, I know you need to send that email out. Here's a question: X. Here are some suggested responses: A, B, C" so it's emulating the chat interface but it begins with SMS or even a Discord message. Thoughts on that?
jononomo 2y ago
I have to sign in with Google just to get a mere 3-day free trial without any idea what it is?
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  Hmmm does the initial landing page with the animations not show a good proof of concept of the product?
  - mutant 2y ago
    No. And animations and graphics lie
StackTopherFlow 2y ago
The signup page breaks the back button. I had to close the window to come back to this post. Also 3 days is too short for a trial.
- tonetegeatinst 2y ago
  Same issue, but I'm on mobile using Firefox, in case that helps the OP's dev team troubleshoot.
andycowley 2y ago
I use https://goblin.tools/ https://goblin.tools/ for this and it's free. Also has a few useful features like tone analysis and recipe suggester
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- ilt 2y ago
  I just went through this and astonished how feature rich it looks on first glance. Thanks so much for sharing this!
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  Definitely heard of that tool but it doesn't work well for my struggles with task paralysis - do you find it being useful for getting unstuck?
N3cr0ph4g1st 2y ago
goblin.tools FTW
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  for some reason, that tool just doesn't work for me. I think it's because once I generate the list, it's not personalized to my specific scenario so I have to edit it a lot and then it doesn't guide me through it, it just gives me a list of things to do. For me, a lot of the times, I know the list of steps I have to do, but I just don't want to do it - so the chat interface helps me chunk it into the very next steps and make it more specific to my context.
liminal-dev 2y ago
This looks great, but the web interface doesn’t scale correctly on Safari (using 100vh instead of 100dvh?) - any plans to fix the web UI, or for a mobile app?
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  thanks for the input :DD We'll definitely fix the web UI and we're working on a mobile app, but we're focusing our resources on iterating the main concept right now so it's not our main priority.
mutant 2y ago
First thing, sign up. No explanation, no demo. Just harvest data.

32 points by aaliyajakir 2y ago

Hey! I built this tool from my own struggles with ADHD and executive dysfunction. It helps you break down tasks into smaller steps, provides suggested responses, and recommends integrated tools such as timer and Spotify (ask it to play a song or set a timer). People with ADHD operate on an “interest-based nervous system” so they’re motivated by urgency, novelty, competition, and interest. ADHD also impairs executive functioning skills. This can make task paralysis really common, especially for unstimulating tasks. We’re a team of 3 undergraduate students who have received 50k as finalists in the Microsoft Imagine Cup. We’re being flown out to seattle for Microsoft Build to showcase our tool. Our tool is in a very early stage right now, but we’re partnering with the world’s ADHD coaching academy to improve and make a tool specifically designed for people with ADHD. We’d love people to test it out and give us any feedback (positive or negative)

iknownothow 2y ago
> People with ADHD operate on an “interest-based nervous system” so they’re motivated by urgency Was the decision to have a 3 day trial instead of something longer have anything do with creating urgency and capitalizing on the impulsivity of people with ADHD? I imagine people with ADHD are more likely to be excited by tools that help and they can often mistake the initial excitement with the tool actually helping manage their executive dysfunction. It's hard for me to see how anyone with ADHD will be able to judge this tool as being truly good for them within 3 days.
- wasteduniverse 2y ago
  [dead]
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  It was mainly due to the token costs. With so many people trialing it, they add up fast. I think a one-use trial would be the best way to create urgency and capitalize on impulsivity (judging by my own impulsive purchases). > I imagine people with ADHD are more likely to be excited by tools that help and they can often mistake the initial excitement with the tool actually helping manage their executive dysfunction. This is a critical point I've been thinking about because I've done this many times with tools where I try it once, think it's going to solve my executive dysfunction, buy it impulsively, then proceed to stop using it, and then keep getting billed because I don't cancel it (ouch).
ilt 2y ago
>they’re motivated by urgency, novelty, competition, and interest. ADHD also impairs executive functioning skills. This can make task paralysis really common, especially for unstimulating tasks. this hits home so bad, I can't believe I just read that :/ All the best for your tool bud.
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  Thank you, I appreciate your kindness
kduda1978 2y ago
I’d love to check it out! I’ve been digging a very deep rabbit hole looking for something like this.
- aaliyajakir 2y ago
  Interesting! What caused the deep rabbit hole into searching for a tool like this?

PhoenixValiant 2y ago

As someone who also has ADHD, I find the way the tasks are broken down and guided through to be extremely helpful. I also like the overall accessibility, and having things read aloud is an extremely nice touch, in my opinion, as well as having a smooth user interface overall that makes it easy to work with. While I don't have any suggestions, I will say that I believe this can be an extremely helpful tool, and that I wish you luck on your future endeavors regarding this project!

aaliyajakir 2y ago
I appreciate the kind words : D We have a long way to go, but your support is super valuable

timvdalen 2y ago

I don't know if a 3 day trial is a good fit for people with ADHD. On the other hand, a month long trial is problematic for other reasons!

ctippett 2y ago
There's an interesting article that was posted just last week on this exact topic: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40274662 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40274662

shmageggy 2y ago

I'd try it if there were other sign in options. Also the back button is broken on the sign in page (FF on Android)

twojacobtwo 2y ago
Seconded on both accounts.
aaliyajakir 2y ago
We can add sign in with email! hopefully that would be good
- twojacobtwo 2y ago
  Any idea on a timeline for this? I was hoping to try it, but it looks like the only options are sign in with Google or Microsoft.

dartos 2y ago

Since it’s paid I have to ask. What’s the difference between this and chatgpt with a prompt? Is the subscription just a subscription to a prompt?

jimbobthrowawy 2y ago
No comment on this business, but the "subscription to a prompt" thing reminds me of that thing Joel Spolsky said about businesses that basically just monetize the pivot table feature of excel.
aaliyajakir 2y ago
So we're continuously beta testing with ADHD coaches, psychiatrists, and people with ADHD to understand their specific use cases. This allows us to create a tool designed for ADHD, adding things like guided conversations through suggestion buttons and integrated tools specific to starting tasks. Right now, we have timers and music as our first tools but our future plans include an entire toolbox of tools specific to task initiation and executive dysfunction. Our ultimate goal is an AI utilizing your specific 'user manual' with effective strategies and systems for you and then giving you tools specific to those strategies when you need them. I.E. A timer may work for one task, but it then loses its novelty, but website blockers and classical music work effectively for the next so it applies those tools without the extra micro-steps of setting up that infrastructure yourself.

jondwillis 2y ago

Disappointed that it is a chat interface, i.e. something I have to reach for, instead of it reaching for me.

aaliyajakir 2y ago
I was thinking of experimenting with different ways to have the tool 'reach' for you. I was thinking if you had a todo list with tasks and it notices the ones you're avoiding, then it can send you a text with the task placed into the chat, and then provide you a list of suggestions to help you start getting into the task. So like you see a text like "Hey, I know you need to send that email out. Here's a question: X. Here are some suggested responses: A, B, C" so it's emulating the chat interface but it begins with SMS or even a Discord message. Thoughts on that?

jononomo 2y ago

I have to sign in with Google just to get a mere 3-day free trial without any idea what it is?

aaliyajakir 2y ago
Hmmm does the initial landing page with the animations not show a good proof of concept of the product?
- mutant 2y ago
  No. And animations and graphics lie

StackTopherFlow 2y ago

The signup page breaks the back button. I had to close the window to come back to this post. Also 3 days is too short for a trial.

tonetegeatinst 2y ago
Same issue, but I'm on mobile using Firefox, in case that helps the OP's dev team troubleshoot.

andycowley 2y ago

I use https://goblin.tools/ https://goblin.tools/ for this and it's free. Also has a few useful features like tone analysis and recipe suggester

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
ilt 2y ago
I just went through this and astonished how feature rich it looks on first glance. Thanks so much for sharing this!
aaliyajakir 2y ago
Definitely heard of that tool but it doesn't work well for my struggles with task paralysis - do you find it being useful for getting unstuck?

N3cr0ph4g1st 2y ago

goblin.tools FTW

aaliyajakir 2y ago
for some reason, that tool just doesn't work for me. I think it's because once I generate the list, it's not personalized to my specific scenario so I have to edit it a lot and then it doesn't guide me through it, it just gives me a list of things to do. For me, a lot of the times, I know the list of steps I have to do, but I just don't want to do it - so the chat interface helps me chunk it into the very next steps and make it more specific to my context.

liminal-dev 2y ago

This looks great, but the web interface doesn’t scale correctly on Safari (using 100vh instead of 100dvh?) - any plans to fix the web UI, or for a mobile app?

aaliyajakir 2y ago
thanks for the input :DD We'll definitely fix the web UI and we're working on a mobile app, but we're focusing our resources on iterating the main concept right now so it's not our main priority.

mutant 2y ago

First thing, sign up. No explanation, no demo. Just harvest data.