Just wanted to introduce myself and I will do my best to answer the questions that come up.
Block & Flow is very much a labour of love. The core belief is that people are capable, and that we benefit from increasing our motivation to keep going. Personally, I feel the most rewarding achievements are the hardest earned. The dream is that Block & Flow helps more people surprise themselves with what they are able to achieve.
I really hope you enjoy the app.
Stefan
Hi @stefanclaussen -- I've tried out many Pomodoro apps over the years and Block & Flow is far and away my favorite. I was surprised that it hadn't yet made it to Product Hunt, so I was happy to be able to post it!
Here's some feedback:
What I love:
- Beautiful visual design -- design makes a feature rich app seem incredibly simple and usable
- Clever visualization of block duration elapsed/remaining
- UX -- I like the concept of a 'block' as a unit of time and (hopefully) productivity, definitely unique among Pomodoro apps
- Ability categorize and color my blocks
- Ability to customize break duration
- Historical productivity data
- Real gains in my productivity using this app
What I would love to see in future releases:
- Schedule Blocks: The app is great when it comes to the 'past' (i.e. metrics) and the 'present' (i.e. timer), but if there were some kind of functionality regarding the 'future' -- something like a scheduling feature where a user could schedule blocks from their categories in a certain sequence for a given day in the future and/or integration with iCloud/Google calendar -- I could see myself using Block & Flow 2x or 3x as much as I currently do. I also think this would significantly improve productivity.
- Redo a Block: As can be expected, there's often an unexpected event that interrupts my blocks. In the event of an unexpected phone call/email/notification/fire to put out/etc, I find that after I've started a block, I forget to stop the timer. Once the block is completed, I will typically use a 1-star rating, but I would love a way to redo a block from the star-rating screen. This way, my productivity data would be more accurate and I could rely on the app even further.
Thank you!
Hi @krollja - Thank you for the kind words and really helpful feedback.
Yes, I have worked really hard to make the app a good experience. I have had great help and input from friends and people using the app. The big motivation for me is imagining someone using the app for a long time / many years, and playing a supporting part in what that person accomplishes.
In regards to scheduling blocks. Yes, this is something that I do think about, but have not yet explored. Building good habits is very impactful, and I think that some sort of 'future' aspect could be beneficial in this regard.
Jonathan, can I ask a favour? Could you set up a schedule, appointment in your calendar to use Block & Flow, and see if this does help you? My thinking is this could be an easy way to test the calendar approach.
In regards to redoing a block. This will have a workaround in the next feature release, that I am currently working on. In your history, you will be able to delete or edit a block, by swiping the cells right to left. I will also have a look at the star-rating screen and see about the possibility of restarting a block.
There are many ideas and plans that I am excited about for Block & Flow (and appreciate all the help and input). It will take time but I will keep improving it. I find it so encouraging to hear the different stories from people that are using the app.
Once again, thank you again for the help.
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Block & Flow
Block & Flow
Block & Flow
Completing a block early should give an option to count as a block and be rated.
I would love to use this as a desktop app, but that's minor overall. I can feel my productivity going up.
Pros:Great interface and flow.
Cons:No web or desktop app.