Costin Bernhart

FlowBuddy - Block Distractions & Study Flashcards to Unlock Apps

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FlowBuddy helps you stay focused by blocking distracting apps and turning every app you open into a learning opportunity. Customize blocklists, temporarily unblock apps to escape infinite scrolling, and review AI-powered flashcards whenever you open an app.

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Costin Bernhart
πŸŽ‰ Hey Product Hunt! πŸŽ‰ I am thrilled to introduce FlowBuddy – your new companion for blocking distractions and transforming every app open into a learning opportunity! πŸš€ πŸ“± What does FlowBuddy do? 🚫 Block distracting apps to help you stay focused ⏱️ Unblock for 5 or 10 minutes for intentional app use 🧠 Learn on every app open with AI-powered flashcards, turning idle moments into micro-learning sessions πŸ’‘ I built FlowBuddy to help people take back control of their phone usage and improve focus. Whether you’re working, studying, or just looking to reduce screen time, FlowBuddy has you covered! I’d love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and any ideas for future features! Let me know what you think! ❀️
Lauris Bernhart
Hi allπŸ™‚ I loved working with my brother on FlowBuddy!😍 We all know – algorithms have become incredibly addictive recentlyπŸ˜΅β€πŸ’« So we built FlowBuddy – and it really has helped me reduce my phone usage😊 Simply creating a distance between picking up my phone and getting into my social stream has made a huge difference for me. Even though I still open addictive apps (but less frequently now), it really helps when FlowBuddy kicks me out after a few minutes. I hope it helps you gain some time as well. πŸ™ Lauris
Kyrylo Silin
Hey Costin and Lauris, How does FlowBuddy decide which flashcards to show when opening a blocked app? Is it based on user-set topics or does it use AI to determine relevant content? Have you found that the 5-10 minute unblock feature helps reduce overall app usage compared to a strict block? Congrats on the launch!
Lu
@indiegoat & @laurisbernhart congrats on the launch! I am also curious about any testing done on the productivity aspect.
Costin Bernhart
Hey @kyrylosilin, Users can create flashcards on any topic in FlowBuddy, with AI assisting in generating relevant content. We find that a strict block can negatively impact the user experience, especially when access to certain apps is necessary (e.g., checking emails on a weekend). Instead, we focus on raising awareness of app consumption by showing usage data when the app is opened.
Julie Decoucut
Congrats on the launch! πŸŽ‰ I absolutely love the idea and the super cute design! 😍 In a world full of distractions, this app feels like a must-have to really focus on what matters. It's such a clever solution for staying productive! πŸš€ Best of luck! πŸ™Œ
Costin Bernhart
@julie_decoucut Thank you πŸš€πŸ™
Alex Bellitter
Popping over from the Shimmer ADHD Body Doubling launch to say that this looks amazing! I have downloaded it already to see how it might serve some of my clients!
Mark Martinez
Congrats on the launch, FlowBuddy looks super useful! The whole idea of turning distractions into learning opportunities is awesome. Quick question tho, how customizable are the flashcards? Can users choose topics or is it more general? Can't wait to give it a try!
Lauris Bernhart
@markmartinez Hi Mark, you would enter a topic that interests you and then we will generate a flashcard deck with AI. It works particularly well if you enter specific topics and describe well what you want to learn – just like when you prompt ChatGPT – more context is betterπŸ™‚ Right now users can't customize flashcards yet – however that's definitely plannedπŸ‘Œ
Morgane Granier
Congrats on the launch! Looks great πŸ”₯ Loosing focus is so easy nowadays. Especially when you're building a product. There's loads of things to do and to think about. You need to train yourself to be extra-focused on your tasks in order to be productive. This kind of app is of great help to put your mind in order Best of luck!
Olivia Rose Thompson
I like the learning on app open feature, turning downtime into something productive is a great idea. The block/unblock system also feels super practical for managing distractions. Nice job on the launch!
Costin Bernhart
@lucasbenjaminfoster1 Thanks I am sure FlowBuddy will help you block distractions :)
Ayaan Bhattacharjee
Interesting concept tying productivity with learning, but isn't turning every app opening into a flashcard review a bit invasive, might deter people who already struggle with motivation, have you thought about integrating a more subtle approach or giving users more control over when and how they review, maybe an option to only trigger the flashcards after a certain amount of usage time would be less intrusive, curious how you plan to balance helpful nudges without adding to user frustration 🧐
Costin Bernhart
I understand your point! Instead of getting a reward from something like Instagram Shorts, the idea is to shift that reward to something more empowering, like reviewing a flashcard. This builds a sense of achievement and confidence, making it easier to avoid opening the app again. FlowBuddy offers other options too, like a breathing exercise for reflection before opening an app. Thanks for the feedback @contentcraftsman ☺️
Veera Raghava 'Sarma' Garimella
I stumbled upon this app through an ad and honestly not sure about turning every app into a flashcard session, I mean isn't the point to have some downtime and actually relax, plus blocking apps can be super annoying when you need quick access, maybe think about a feature that balances focus and leisure time better, just my 2 cents
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