It´s ToDo o'clock

In today's fast-paced world, where individuals are constantly managing multiple responsibilities, the ability to stay organized and focused is more important than ever. But there is a problem: Most of us procrastinate. Studies estimate that 95% of college students engage in some form of procrastination (Ellis & Knaus, 1979). We delay doing unpleasant ToDo's that we wish we would do sooner. And procrastination can be very costly. It is associated with increased academic stress (Meier et al., 2016), lower well-being (Meier et al., 2016), and low sleep quality (Song et al., 2020) to name some examples.

But don't worry - it's ToDo o'clock. Our tool is designed for people who want to get on with their ToDo's. In doing so, we are responding to the increasing demands of the modern work environment, which has highlighted the importance of effective time management and focus strategies.

To do so, a key feature of ToDo o'clock is the integration of the Eisenhower Matrix, a time management tool that helps users prioritize ToDo's effectively. The Eisenhower Matrix is divided into four categories:

• Urgent and Important - Do immediately:
  This is for ToDo's that require urgent and focused attention. They are critical and time-sensitive and have a significant impact on long-term goals. Typical ToDo's include meeting deadlines or dealing with important assignments. These are the ToDo's that are most likely to cause stress because of their importance.

• Not urgent but important - Plan for later:
  These ToDo's are essential for long-term success, but they don't need to be done immediately. However, it's a good idea to make time in your schedule for them. Such ToDo's may include activities such as strategic planning or personal skills development.

• Urgent but not Important - Delegate:
  This section consists of ToDo's that require immediate attention but are not critical to your primary goals. Often these ToDo's can be delegated to others as they do not require specialized skills, reducing your workload and providing growth opportunities for team members (when working in a team). Typical examples are routine reporting or managing non-essential emails.

• Not Urgent and not Important - Delete from ToDo list:
  ToDo's here are neither urgent nor important, and typically serve as distractions and take up too much time. It's a good idea to remove them from your ToDo list so you can focus on more important goals. 

By automatically categorizing ToDo's into these four categories, ToDo o'clock prioritizesusers's ToDo's effectively, reducing the overwhelming feeling of having too many open ToDo's and not knowing how to start.

But it does not stop there. We implemented the Pomodoro Timer technique which enhances focus and productivity through structured work intervals. Users commit to focused work sessions of typically 25 minutes, followed by a short break. After completing four work sessions, a longer break follows, which completes a Pomodoro cycle. This can of course be adapted to individual needs.