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Author here. It’s my first article. I’m a bit nervous but excited to get your feedback. If you deal with procrastination too, I hope this method helps you like

Author here. It’s my first article. I’m a bit nervous but excited to get your feedback. If you deal with procrastination too, I hope this method helps you like it helped me.

lipowitz 1y ago
It's a very interesting solution. I've been thinking more about filling my online time sheet system in advance but I suspect its too impractical to stick to times or keep readjusting with interruptions, so maybe I will try post-its. I notice a bit of a link in behaviors between people I know who have ADHD and/or OCD. I'm not really sure what someone who "gives-in" to OCD impulses would feel as side effects, etc.. But I'm kind of curious if you see a downside to having followed loops for their reinforcing effects over days of work, etc?
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thanks for your feedback! Yes, the system needs to have as little friction as possible, otherwise it becomes very difficult to maintain. That’s why the ticket printer is interesting. I don’t really suffer from OCD so it’s hard to say, but it’s a very interesting question. I hope someone will be able to answer it someday.
ayhanfuat 1y ago
I loved it. I think it perfectly captures the itch that causes procrastination: you had a working solution but it was not good enough for you. You've perfected it but you still have issues with it. You still managed to live with the imperfect version while working on improving it, though. I think that's the part most of us procrastinators fail.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Yes, that’s exactly it! If the system doesn’t work 100% or feels like a hassle, we just abandon it. You’ve summed it up perfectly!
sirwhinesalot 1y ago
I'm glad you found a method that works for you, and as a fellow small-time blog author I can say I quite enjoyed reading your post. Sadly, I've tried the task breakdown stuff before and it hasn't helped. It's not even just the fact that I procrastinate doing it, but that even when I manage to do it, it makes no difference. Anything that requires more than a one off "session" of intellectual work is doomed. Even if I do manage to do some good work for a period of time, I'll undo it later, I cannot stop myself from throwing everything in the bin. If I force myself not to throw it in the bin, my brain refuses to function. ADHD medication also does nothing to help me. It makes me feel anxious for a bit, gives me a pile of side effects, and that's about it. I've tried increasing the dose and all it did was make the side effects worse (including extremely smelly sweat, for whatever reason). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? Helped a little while I was doing it, then I reverted back to normal. I've even tried the whole accountability thing, but nope. Even if I'm on a call with someone who (like me) commits to do a task, and actually does it, while I committed to do mine, my brain will just tune out and at best I'll be able to do something on autopilot (works for loading up the dishwasher, but not much else). On the days I manage to burn my willpower to fight it, it drains my energy like Windows 11 does battery on a portable gaming handheld. Perhaps one day I'll find my own solution and become a multi-millionaire selling a book on it.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  I totally understand! Just for this article, I restarted it 12 times! What really made a difference for me was starting very very very very very small, with almost no ambition. That is truly the most important point in my article, but I am not sure if I managed to communicate it clearly. The idea is really to say something like: my goal is to write for 5 minutes, and if that is too hard, I do 2 minutes. And if I manage that, I consider the task done and I can pick another one, also 5 minutes long. This gives me a real sense of accomplishment and helps me focus on what I have already done instead of everything that is left to do.
  - sirwhinesalot 1y ago
    Yup, I'm familiar, I've tried it, but my brain is somehow unable to treat the small accomplished tasks as separate from the larger task. It still costs me the same "percentage of willpower", if you will, as I would have spent tackling it as the first step of the larger task. And once the willpower runs out, it's out. With video games it's not that different. What keeps me playing aren't the small rewards. If small rewards were enough to keep me going I'd play pacman all the time. The only thing that keeps me going is curiosity.
encom 1y ago
It's a great and well written article. I read all of it, and as a fellow ADHD sufferer, that's rare. :) My experiences with ADHD align pretty closely with yours. We're of a similar age, but I was only diagnosed recently, and I'm still settling into this, adjusting medication and so on. But just knowing now what's wrong with me, is a game changer. It means I can work with it or around it, instead of being in a state of frustration and despair that I can't function like everyone around me. In my experience, if I find a task interesting and intellectually stimulating, I can grind away at it for hours and lose track of time. But if it's boring and tedious, it's nearly impossible for me to make any progress at all, unless the consequences for not completing it are severe. Breaking down tasks is a good idea, and it's something I've thought of myself. Just vacuum the stairs. Just press New Document in LibreOffice and write ONE sentence. Just wipe down the bathroom mirror. I'm not sure I'm ready for a solution as elaborate as yours, though I find the technical aspect of it fascinating, and I might explore it just for that reason.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thanks for your comment! I totally relate to the way you described it! You can try my solution in a really simple way using post-it notes. Just do a few tests and see if it works for you!
hyperific 1y ago
I just picked up a used thermal printer to try it out myself and I'm looking forward to the release of the code. I did notice that on mobile the left edge of text on your website is cut off by about half a character. Also I liked how reading the article was its own game loop with progress bar, level up notifications and items! I hope you use that on future posts!
- laurieherault 1y ago
  I will probably release the software as source-closed, but if you need help making a custom script, feel free to email me (you can find the address in the footer of my website). What phone model do you have? I suspect the screen is on the narrow side. Yes, I am even going to make a real little game to show that you can get absorbed by a very simple game if it uses the gameplay loop and multiple feedback mechanisms correctly. Thank you for your comment!
ffin 1y ago
Great article, however, the word interactive in this sentence is styled like a link despite not being one, which was kind of frustrating. > Test the concept in this interactive demo:
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thank you! You are right! I will change it!
adamsilkey 1y ago
I loved your article! Thank you so much for sharing. Fellow procrastinator struggler here. What's been working for me lately is carrying a Field Notes notebook everywhere with me combined with some of the ideas you talk about here (breaking down tasks into smaller and smaller pieces). It's the perfect size for me to carry around every day. It's also been helpful as I've been defaulting to opening up my notebook as my basic distraction device as opposed to opening up my phone.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thank you for your comment. It is so important to be able to resist the temptation of a bad distraction.
pmarreck 1y ago
The thing with the different columns of tasks broken down into subtasks could be replicated in any columnar filesystem view that opens the contents of a folder into a new column when you click on it, meaning every folder is a to-do!
- coliveira 1y ago
  Exactly what I thought, if you have macOS, just create a folder and use the columnar view.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Yes, exactly! But as coliveira said, you need a Mac.
uncircle 1y ago
I was about to be a little snarky but your comment reminded me to be kind. Thanks. I don't have a receipt printer, what helps me is an A4-sized whiteboard with marker when I feel like I'm falling behind my tasks. Also, to use todos sparingly, so they retain their effectiveness. It's actually quite underrated to forget and let go of tasks; what's important tends to stick around in your head and keep you up at night. The snark was from my personal experience that serial procrastinators ride a particular high when they change their methods, especially if they spend money for something that hopefully solves their issues. It never lasts long, we return to baseline quite fast. This is why there is tons of posts about "here's how I solved my procrastination issue" when they've only used the supposed panacea for a couple of days. What's I find more interesting, is methods that have worked for someone for years. Then one can claim to have found a cure, albeit one that probably only works for them. In any case, keep writing. It helps a lot if you too suffer from squirrel brain.
- souvlakee 1y ago
  > serial procrastinators ride a particular high when they change their methods, especially if they spend money... It never lasts long, we return to baseline quite fast That's probably why the author has beginner tasks on the whiteboard like making a bed, washing the dishes, etc. It's hard to imagine having such tasks throughout one's entire life while struggling with procrastination.
  - laurieherault 1y ago
    Yes, that is exactly why this method works. Because breaking tasks down into micro-tasks really does work. And the ticket printer helps remove as much friction as possible. That is what makes it a method that requires very little time and energy, and therefore something that can be sustained over the long term.
    - kstrauser 1y ago
      That matches my experience. “Write the report” will sit in my inbox forever. “Add 10 items to the outline for the report” will usually break the inertia and end up with me finishing the whole thing.
genezeta 1y ago
Just so you know. Offtopic but rewarding your article on Firefox on Android, there's a slight misalignment on the side. The left side gets cut off about 5-8 pixels, I'd say. It cuts off most of the first letter on every line. It might be just my phone, of course. But I don't have any particular extensions installed or anything else.
- genezeta 1y ago
  s/rewarding/reading/
- petemir 1y ago
  fyi I tried on my Android phone with Firefox and I don't see the problem you mention. Perhaps some additional display specs may be useful? My screen is 6.67" with 1080x2400px (20:9, 395ppi).
- laurieherault 1y ago
  I also think, like petemir, that it is a width issue. What model do you have? Thank you for your comment! It is super helpful.
  - genezeta 1y ago
    Ah, sorry for not answering sooner. Admittedly it's not a hi-end phone. I use a Moto G7. Screen is 1080x2270 at 6.2 inches according to [ https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g7-9357.php#eu https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g7-9357.php#eu ] Trying it again to verify... You're right that it's the width. I get a small-ish horizontal scroll. But the problem is that no matter if I scroll it completely to that side the left still gets cut off.
- stevage 1y ago
  I have the same problem - missed the first couple of letters on every line. Also FF on Android (Pixel 5).
kortex 1y ago
I love it. Using a thermal printer to print physical tasks you can crumple on completion and throw in a bin is absolute madlad goblin energy and I'm all for it. I think you've actually perfectly distilled the essence of "game-loop" and operant conditioning, and mapped it to the real world. I have been using a whiteboard for tasks, which is better than nothing, but the problem with that approach is the feedback is minor, and once erased, it's like "wtf did I even do this week". So there is limited short-term feedback and zero long-term feedback. You need both the power-up noise and the level progression for a loop to be satisfying. I have been planning on making a system based on those long scrolls of paper for doodle boards, so at least there is a history, but of course I procrastinated on building the mount for it. I would love to use your application, I know there's a million to-do apps out there but I get the overwhelm/daunting very easily, so I really appreciate the scope-hiding aspect.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thank you for your comment. Seeing the tickets in the jar really helps you feel like you actually got something done. I cannot wait for you to try my app :)
  - flir 1y ago
    One comment: You're dopamine hacking. My belief is that eventually the process will stop rewarding you with dopamine, and you'll drop it. Games eventually stop rewarding you with dopamine, and your brain loses interest in them. Same goes for the jar. ADHD brain needs to keep changing the process, in order to keep the reward novel. What works today won't work in six weeks. (With me it was tearing the index card in half when I'd finished the task. Very satisfying - for a while)
    - Lu2025 1y ago
      > dopamine hacking Can we just not? Can we wean ourselves from the "addiction" instead?
      - deleted 1y ago
colgandev 1y ago
Thank you so much for writing this. I have recently discovered that I have both autism and ADHD, and increasingly it feels like this mind style has a steep counterintuitive learning curve but also very high skill ceiling. The video game analogy rings very true for me. It helps me a lot to read articles like yours because it gives me new ideas to try. I fully agree with your premise and I've been experimenting with indeed card based systems but have been frustrated by, as you noted, how having to repeatedly make the cards every day basically means I'll probably stop doing it. The receipt printer is a fantastic idea. Making mental only systems physical seems to invoke the spatial parts of the brain. I've been trying to find good ways to synchronize my mental, digital, and physical information. I'd love to read more of your ideas if you publish anything else on your mailing list. Cheers
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thank you so much for your comment, it means a lot to me!
PKop 1y ago
I would avoid massively increasing your exposure to receipts. They have endocrine disrupting chemicals and it's advised to not even handle them from retail stores let alone in higher quantities in your own home. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/receipt-paper-harmful/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/receipt-paper-harmful/
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Since the article was written, bisphenol has been banned in Europe.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
- Noumenon72 1y ago
  If the grocery store cashiers aren't getting cancer from handling 150 receipts a day then the todo list should be fine.
  - Schiendelman 1y ago
    They are getting cancer. That's the problem, cancer rates overall are higher and we're working through figuring out why so we can stop it. This may be one of the reasons.
- wiml 1y ago
  You can buy phenol-free thermal paper.
plumbees 1y ago
The first two paragraphs made me realize I have ADHD. I had thought I didn't have it.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  I think a lot of people are unaware of it :(
- chrz 1y ago
  I realized after 40 years. I had a talk with a guy with ADHD about how drinking coffee makes us sleepy
  - LeonM 1y ago
    The one thing that is often a dead giveaway is how many stimulants seem to have the opposite effect on people with ADHD. I have ADHD, amfetamines help me relax, caffeine causes me to fall a sleep, some anti-allergy medication can cause me to stay awake for 2 days straight. I read that in some countries doctors can prescribe mild sleeping pills for babies to help them stay calm during long flights. They always advice to test it before going on the flight, because some babies can actually become hyperactive from that medication. If that happens, there's a good chance the baby has ADHD.
    - dizze 1y ago
      I think it depends on what sort of ADHD it is and what stimulant. I feel somewhat more alert after a coffee, but cocaine does nothing. Amphetamines calm the noise from my mind, but make it more difficult to sleep if they're long-release ones.
    - throwaway173738 1y ago
      It’s diphenhydramine, or Sudafed. Also sometimes sold as Unisom but to be distinguished from the Unisom that is Doxylamine. My 18-mo old had the paradoxical reaction.
      - 1y ago
WhyNotHugo 1y ago
Really well written. Thanks for sharing!
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Thank you!
stared 1y ago
Thank you for sharing! I am curious for two things: - How you stay motivated to create this task list each time. Or for another question - is it a new cool recipe, or have you been sticking to it for more that 3 months? - What to do so not to go into the rabbit hole of creating and splitting tasks? For me, it is easy to overdo this step, both in breadth (too many things to accomplish) and in detail (too many steps; if you think about it, making and easting a sandwich is a dozen steps or so).
widforss 1y ago
This is great. I'm starting a new job after the summer. I'll get a printer and set it up in my new office and let it automatically print tasks.
freetanga 1y ago
Hello! I did a similar thing - however I use TXTs and command line scripts to keep track of things (similar to task warrior). It's a great approach to pick up the list every morning as I have breakfast, put it in my notebook as I leave for the day. Calendar, weather, to-dos, all in a single thing I can keep in my wallet if needed. I recall somebody posted a project for printing daily news on the roll too (I don't)
- 2muchcoffeeman 1y ago
  I think the authors solution is clever since this is like getting orders in a kitchen. You dont have to do this yourself. A partner or friend could remind you about stuff and literally send you an order. I’d personally use one of those spikes instead of scrunching up in a ball.
vsupalov 1y ago
Really appreciate the graphics, in-between summary elements and the progress bar widget. A bit too much colorful font variants my taste as it leans towards distracting, but hey everybody is different. That was a swell read, thanks for sharing! As far as "app which helps create overview, reduce overwhelm and taks small steps" - I wonder how many of those are out there? I have written about 3 of those already for various use cases and in different flavors. Using them over a longer period of time, once the chaos subsides or the novelty wears off seems to be hard for me personally.
ArekDymalski 1y ago
Congratulations on your first article - it's a really good one. I found the jar filling method especially inspiring. Thanks a lot and good luck with the launch!
A_Stefan 1y ago
This article is so good! I applaud your efforts into making a change for your life for the better. Liked you included one of many studies from M Csikszentmihalyi
lorenzk 1y ago
What a great color scheme! Changing colors over the course of the article makes it all a bit more fun and quirky and stand out against common templates.
- inquirerGeneral 1y ago
  [dead]
dakial1 1y ago
Good article and DYI work. But I was surprised that you didn't plug a GenAi api to break the tasks for you, maybe on version 2.0?
deleted 1y ago
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thisislife2 1y ago
Your writing is good - I especially liked the intro about the "game loop" and the flow state.
CTOSian 1y ago
I use one Intermec with android , I just print todo and lists for my pocket filofax - alas not possible to print under linux (proprietary drivers), and I even had to 'hack' the android intemec print-app (as it was designed for intermec android devices and if you don't use a such it put a watermark line) - TBH even their setup app is windoze only.. FFS
j0rd72 1y ago
I liked your article, but I loved the design of your blog. Very clever use of colours and structuring, and the interactive demo is the icing on the cake. Nice one! (Late reply because I procrastinate reading HN).
neop1x 1y ago
Hi, thanks for the nice idea and writeup. Just a newsletter tech tip from my experience - be careful with the subscription form. There are bots looking for email fields on websites and filling them with emails from credential leaks or bad-quality emails and spam traps. You may easily end up with a mixed subscription list which will be unusable / resulting in lots of spam reports, your domain reputation might get hurt. To solve, use a captcha or an invisible "honey-pot" subscription form before the real one, use services for checking emails, etc.

Author here. It’s my first article. I’m a bit nervous but excited to get your feedback. If you deal with procrastination too, I hope this method helps you like it helped me.

lipowitz 1y ago

It's a very interesting solution. I've been thinking more about filling my online time sheet system in advance but I suspect its too impractical to stick to times or keep readjusting with interruptions, so maybe I will try post-its. I notice a bit of a link in behaviors between people I know who have ADHD and/or OCD. I'm not really sure what someone who "gives-in" to OCD impulses would feel as side effects, etc.. But I'm kind of curious if you see a downside to having followed loops for their reinforcing effects over days of work, etc?

laurieherault 1y ago
Thanks for your feedback! Yes, the system needs to have as little friction as possible, otherwise it becomes very difficult to maintain. That’s why the ticket printer is interesting. I don’t really suffer from OCD so it’s hard to say, but it’s a very interesting question. I hope someone will be able to answer it someday.

ayhanfuat 1y ago

I loved it. I think it perfectly captures the itch that causes procrastination: you had a working solution but it was not good enough for you. You've perfected it but you still have issues with it. You still managed to live with the imperfect version while working on improving it, though. I think that's the part most of us procrastinators fail.

laurieherault 1y ago
Yes, that’s exactly it! If the system doesn’t work 100% or feels like a hassle, we just abandon it. You’ve summed it up perfectly!

sirwhinesalot 1y ago

I'm glad you found a method that works for you, and as a fellow small-time blog author I can say I quite enjoyed reading your post. Sadly, I've tried the task breakdown stuff before and it hasn't helped. It's not even just the fact that I procrastinate doing it, but that even when I manage to do it, it makes no difference. Anything that requires more than a one off "session" of intellectual work is doomed. Even if I do manage to do some good work for a period of time, I'll undo it later, I cannot stop myself from throwing everything in the bin. If I force myself not to throw it in the bin, my brain refuses to function. ADHD medication also does nothing to help me. It makes me feel anxious for a bit, gives me a pile of side effects, and that's about it. I've tried increasing the dose and all it did was make the side effects worse (including extremely smelly sweat, for whatever reason). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? Helped a little while I was doing it, then I reverted back to normal. I've even tried the whole accountability thing, but nope. Even if I'm on a call with someone who (like me) commits to do a task, and actually does it, while I committed to do mine, my brain will just tune out and at best I'll be able to do something on autopilot (works for loading up the dishwasher, but not much else). On the days I manage to burn my willpower to fight it, it drains my energy like Windows 11 does battery on a portable gaming handheld. Perhaps one day I'll find my own solution and become a multi-millionaire selling a book on it.

laurieherault 1y ago
I totally understand! Just for this article, I restarted it 12 times! What really made a difference for me was starting very very very very very small, with almost no ambition. That is truly the most important point in my article, but I am not sure if I managed to communicate it clearly. The idea is really to say something like: my goal is to write for 5 minutes, and if that is too hard, I do 2 minutes. And if I manage that, I consider the task done and I can pick another one, also 5 minutes long. This gives me a real sense of accomplishment and helps me focus on what I have already done instead of everything that is left to do.
- sirwhinesalot 1y ago
  Yup, I'm familiar, I've tried it, but my brain is somehow unable to treat the small accomplished tasks as separate from the larger task. It still costs me the same "percentage of willpower", if you will, as I would have spent tackling it as the first step of the larger task. And once the willpower runs out, it's out. With video games it's not that different. What keeps me playing aren't the small rewards. If small rewards were enough to keep me going I'd play pacman all the time. The only thing that keeps me going is curiosity.

encom 1y ago

It's a great and well written article. I read all of it, and as a fellow ADHD sufferer, that's rare. :) My experiences with ADHD align pretty closely with yours. We're of a similar age, but I was only diagnosed recently, and I'm still settling into this, adjusting medication and so on. But just knowing now what's wrong with me, is a game changer. It means I can work with it or around it, instead of being in a state of frustration and despair that I can't function like everyone around me. In my experience, if I find a task interesting and intellectually stimulating, I can grind away at it for hours and lose track of time. But if it's boring and tedious, it's nearly impossible for me to make any progress at all, unless the consequences for not completing it are severe. Breaking down tasks is a good idea, and it's something I've thought of myself. Just vacuum the stairs. Just press New Document in LibreOffice and write ONE sentence. Just wipe down the bathroom mirror. I'm not sure I'm ready for a solution as elaborate as yours, though I find the technical aspect of it fascinating, and I might explore it just for that reason.

laurieherault 1y ago
Thanks for your comment! I totally relate to the way you described it! You can try my solution in a really simple way using post-it notes. Just do a few tests and see if it works for you!

hyperific 1y ago

I just picked up a used thermal printer to try it out myself and I'm looking forward to the release of the code. I did notice that on mobile the left edge of text on your website is cut off by about half a character. Also I liked how reading the article was its own game loop with progress bar, level up notifications and items! I hope you use that on future posts!

laurieherault 1y ago
I will probably release the software as source-closed, but if you need help making a custom script, feel free to email me (you can find the address in the footer of my website). What phone model do you have? I suspect the screen is on the narrow side. Yes, I am even going to make a real little game to show that you can get absorbed by a very simple game if it uses the gameplay loop and multiple feedback mechanisms correctly. Thank you for your comment!

ffin 1y ago

Great article, however, the word interactive in this sentence is styled like a link despite not being one, which was kind of frustrating. > Test the concept in this interactive demo:

laurieherault 1y ago
Thank you! You are right! I will change it!

adamsilkey 1y ago

I loved your article! Thank you so much for sharing. Fellow procrastinator struggler here. What's been working for me lately is carrying a Field Notes notebook everywhere with me combined with some of the ideas you talk about here (breaking down tasks into smaller and smaller pieces). It's the perfect size for me to carry around every day. It's also been helpful as I've been defaulting to opening up my notebook as my basic distraction device as opposed to opening up my phone.

laurieherault 1y ago
Thank you for your comment. It is so important to be able to resist the temptation of a bad distraction.

pmarreck 1y ago

The thing with the different columns of tasks broken down into subtasks could be replicated in any columnar filesystem view that opens the contents of a folder into a new column when you click on it, meaning every folder is a to-do!

coliveira 1y ago
Exactly what I thought, if you have macOS, just create a folder and use the columnar view.
laurieherault 1y ago
Yes, exactly! But as coliveira said, you need a Mac.

uncircle 1y ago

I was about to be a little snarky but your comment reminded me to be kind. Thanks. I don't have a receipt printer, what helps me is an A4-sized whiteboard with marker when I feel like I'm falling behind my tasks. Also, to use todos sparingly, so they retain their effectiveness. It's actually quite underrated to forget and let go of tasks; what's important tends to stick around in your head and keep you up at night. The snark was from my personal experience that serial procrastinators ride a particular high when they change their methods, especially if they spend money for something that hopefully solves their issues. It never lasts long, we return to baseline quite fast. This is why there is tons of posts about "here's how I solved my procrastination issue" when they've only used the supposed panacea for a couple of days. What's I find more interesting, is methods that have worked for someone for years. Then one can claim to have found a cure, albeit one that probably only works for them. In any case, keep writing. It helps a lot if you too suffer from squirrel brain.

souvlakee 1y ago
> serial procrastinators ride a particular high when they change their methods, especially if they spend money... It never lasts long, we return to baseline quite fast That's probably why the author has beginner tasks on the whiteboard like making a bed, washing the dishes, etc. It's hard to imagine having such tasks throughout one's entire life while struggling with procrastination.
- laurieherault 1y ago
  Yes, that is exactly why this method works. Because breaking tasks down into micro-tasks really does work. And the ticket printer helps remove as much friction as possible. That is what makes it a method that requires very little time and energy, and therefore something that can be sustained over the long term.
  - kstrauser 1y ago
    That matches my experience. “Write the report” will sit in my inbox forever. “Add 10 items to the outline for the report” will usually break the inertia and end up with me finishing the whole thing.

genezeta 1y ago

Just so you know. Offtopic but rewarding your article on Firefox on Android, there's a slight misalignment on the side. The left side gets cut off about 5-8 pixels, I'd say. It cuts off most of the first letter on every line. It might be just my phone, of course. But I don't have any particular extensions installed or anything else.

genezeta 1y ago
s/rewarding/reading/
petemir 1y ago
fyi I tried on my Android phone with Firefox and I don't see the problem you mention. Perhaps some additional display specs may be useful? My screen is 6.67" with 1080x2400px (20:9, 395ppi).
laurieherault 1y ago
I also think, like petemir, that it is a width issue. What model do you have? Thank you for your comment! It is super helpful.
- genezeta 1y ago
  Ah, sorry for not answering sooner. Admittedly it's not a hi-end phone. I use a Moto G7. Screen is 1080x2270 at 6.2 inches according to [ https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g7-9357.php#eu https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g7-9357.php#eu ] Trying it again to verify... You're right that it's the width. I get a small-ish horizontal scroll. But the problem is that no matter if I scroll it completely to that side the left still gets cut off.
stevage 1y ago
I have the same problem - missed the first couple of letters on every line. Also FF on Android (Pixel 5).

kortex 1y ago

I love it. Using a thermal printer to print physical tasks you can crumple on completion and throw in a bin is absolute madlad goblin energy and I'm all for it. I think you've actually perfectly distilled the essence of "game-loop" and operant conditioning, and mapped it to the real world. I have been using a whiteboard for tasks, which is better than nothing, but the problem with that approach is the feedback is minor, and once erased, it's like "wtf did I even do this week". So there is limited short-term feedback and zero long-term feedback. You need both the power-up noise and the level progression for a loop to be satisfying. I have been planning on making a system based on those long scrolls of paper for doodle boards, so at least there is a history, but of course I procrastinated on building the mount for it. I would love to use your application, I know there's a million to-do apps out there but I get the overwhelm/daunting very easily, so I really appreciate the scope-hiding aspect.

laurieherault 1y ago
Thank you for your comment. Seeing the tickets in the jar really helps you feel like you actually got something done. I cannot wait for you to try my app :)
- flir 1y ago
  One comment: You're dopamine hacking. My belief is that eventually the process will stop rewarding you with dopamine, and you'll drop it. Games eventually stop rewarding you with dopamine, and your brain loses interest in them. Same goes for the jar. ADHD brain needs to keep changing the process, in order to keep the reward novel. What works today won't work in six weeks. (With me it was tearing the index card in half when I'd finished the task. Very satisfying - for a while)
  - Lu2025 1y ago
    > dopamine hacking Can we just not? Can we wean ourselves from the "addiction" instead?
    - deleted 1y ago

colgandev 1y ago

Thank you so much for writing this. I have recently discovered that I have both autism and ADHD, and increasingly it feels like this mind style has a steep counterintuitive learning curve but also very high skill ceiling. The video game analogy rings very true for me. It helps me a lot to read articles like yours because it gives me new ideas to try. I fully agree with your premise and I've been experimenting with indeed card based systems but have been frustrated by, as you noted, how having to repeatedly make the cards every day basically means I'll probably stop doing it. The receipt printer is a fantastic idea. Making mental only systems physical seems to invoke the spatial parts of the brain. I've been trying to find good ways to synchronize my mental, digital, and physical information. I'd love to read more of your ideas if you publish anything else on your mailing list. Cheers

laurieherault 1y ago
Thank you so much for your comment, it means a lot to me!

PKop 1y ago

I would avoid massively increasing your exposure to receipts. They have endocrine disrupting chemicals and it's advised to not even handle them from retail stores let alone in higher quantities in your own home. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/receipt-paper-harmful/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/receipt-paper-harmful/

laurieherault 1y ago
Since the article was written, bisphenol has been banned in Europe.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
Noumenon72 1y ago
If the grocery store cashiers aren't getting cancer from handling 150 receipts a day then the todo list should be fine.
- Schiendelman 1y ago
  They are getting cancer. That's the problem, cancer rates overall are higher and we're working through figuring out why so we can stop it. This may be one of the reasons.
wiml 1y ago
You can buy phenol-free thermal paper.

plumbees 1y ago

The first two paragraphs made me realize I have ADHD. I had thought I didn't have it.

laurieherault 1y ago
I think a lot of people are unaware of it :(
chrz 1y ago
I realized after 40 years. I had a talk with a guy with ADHD about how drinking coffee makes us sleepy
- LeonM 1y ago
  The one thing that is often a dead giveaway is how many stimulants seem to have the opposite effect on people with ADHD. I have ADHD, amfetamines help me relax, caffeine causes me to fall a sleep, some anti-allergy medication can cause me to stay awake for 2 days straight. I read that in some countries doctors can prescribe mild sleeping pills for babies to help them stay calm during long flights. They always advice to test it before going on the flight, because some babies can actually become hyperactive from that medication. If that happens, there's a good chance the baby has ADHD.
  - dizze 1y ago
    I think it depends on what sort of ADHD it is and what stimulant. I feel somewhat more alert after a coffee, but cocaine does nothing. Amphetamines calm the noise from my mind, but make it more difficult to sleep if they're long-release ones.
  - throwaway173738 1y ago
    It’s diphenhydramine, or Sudafed. Also sometimes sold as Unisom but to be distinguished from the Unisom that is Doxylamine. My 18-mo old had the paradoxical reaction.
    - 1y ago

WhyNotHugo 1y ago

Really well written. Thanks for sharing!

laurieherault 1y ago
Thank you!

stared 1y ago

Thank you for sharing! I am curious for two things: - How you stay motivated to create this task list each time. Or for another question - is it a new cool recipe, or have you been sticking to it for more that 3 months? - What to do so not to go into the rabbit hole of creating and splitting tasks? For me, it is easy to overdo this step, both in breadth (too many things to accomplish) and in detail (too many steps; if you think about it, making and easting a sandwich is a dozen steps or so).

widforss 1y ago

This is great. I'm starting a new job after the summer. I'll get a printer and set it up in my new office and let it automatically print tasks.

freetanga 1y ago

Hello! I did a similar thing - however I use TXTs and command line scripts to keep track of things (similar to task warrior). It's a great approach to pick up the list every morning as I have breakfast, put it in my notebook as I leave for the day. Calendar, weather, to-dos, all in a single thing I can keep in my wallet if needed. I recall somebody posted a project for printing daily news on the roll too (I don't)

2muchcoffeeman 1y ago
I think the authors solution is clever since this is like getting orders in a kitchen. You dont have to do this yourself. A partner or friend could remind you about stuff and literally send you an order. I’d personally use one of those spikes instead of scrunching up in a ball.

vsupalov 1y ago

Really appreciate the graphics, in-between summary elements and the progress bar widget. A bit too much colorful font variants my taste as it leans towards distracting, but hey everybody is different. That was a swell read, thanks for sharing! As far as "app which helps create overview, reduce overwhelm and taks small steps" - I wonder how many of those are out there? I have written about 3 of those already for various use cases and in different flavors. Using them over a longer period of time, once the chaos subsides or the novelty wears off seems to be hard for me personally.

ArekDymalski 1y ago

Congratulations on your first article - it's a really good one. I found the jar filling method especially inspiring. Thanks a lot and good luck with the launch!

A_Stefan 1y ago

This article is so good! I applaud your efforts into making a change for your life for the better. Liked you included one of many studies from M Csikszentmihalyi

lorenzk 1y ago

What a great color scheme! Changing colors over the course of the article makes it all a bit more fun and quirky and stand out against common templates.

inquirerGeneral 1y ago
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dakial1 1y ago

Good article and DYI work. But I was surprised that you didn't plug a GenAi api to break the tasks for you, maybe on version 2.0?

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

thisislife2 1y ago

Your writing is good - I especially liked the intro about the "game loop" and the flow state.

CTOSian 1y ago

I use one Intermec with android , I just print todo and lists for my pocket filofax - alas not possible to print under linux (proprietary drivers), and I even had to 'hack' the android intemec print-app (as it was designed for intermec android devices and if you don't use a such it put a watermark line) - TBH even their setup app is windoze only.. FFS

j0rd72 1y ago

I liked your article, but I loved the design of your blog. Very clever use of colours and structuring, and the interactive demo is the icing on the cake. Nice one! (Late reply because I procrastinate reading HN).

neop1x 1y ago

Hi, thanks for the nice idea and writeup. Just a newsletter tech tip from my experience - be careful with the subscription form. There are bots looking for email fields on websites and filling them with emails from credential leaks or bad-quality emails and spam traps. You may easily end up with a mixed subscription list which will be unusable / resulting in lots of spam reports, your domain reputation might get hurt. To solve, use a captcha or an invisible "honey-pot" subscription form before the real one, use services for checking emails, etc.