Not a Productivity App

As a college student, I'm constantly searching for the most effective ways to prepare for the never-ending series of exams that come my way each week. I experiment with various study techniques, whether it's last-minute strategies, getting a friend to explain key concepts at the eleventh hour, or trying different study methods. During my exploration, I stumbled upon the Pomodoro Technique. "What a peculiar name," I mused.

While the Pomodoro Technique, which suggests breaking my work into intervals of 25 minutes followed by short breaks, sounded both amusing and theoretically effective, I realized I could never quite force myself to use it consistently. College can feel like a paradox of time—both endless and nonexistent all at once. One moment, I feel like I have weeks ahead to tackle everything on my plate, and the next, I'm scrambling to finish assignments, meeting friends or staying in touch with family and friends back home. It’s a cycle of thinking I’ll “start fresh tomorrow” or “just wing it this time,” only to have the pressure pile up like the laundry on my bedroom floor since last week.

On the same day, I overheard a friend discussing a fitness app that charges users for not meeting monthly workout goals, essentially enforcing consistency. This sparked an idea: what if I had a financial incentive to stick to my productivity goals? As an international student in the U.S., financial considerations are always present, making this approach both practical and compelling. The prospect of risking money to ensure I meet my objectives introduced a new level of urgency and commitment to managing my time effectively.

Now, as I gather my resolve to finally conquer the towering pile of laundry that has been nagging at me, I stand beside my roommate Rahman, a senior at UMass, enveloped by the hum of the laundry machines and the typical smell of the room. Noticing the wheels turning in my head like the laundry in the washers, Rahman looks at me with curiosity and confusion. After all, I'm not really known for coming up with great ideas that involve creativity or a fusion of curiosity.

Knowing Rahman, I decided to share the most ridiculous idea that came to mind , just to see his reaction. As expected, he dismissed it, laughing at how absurd it was. However, when I introduced my second idea—the one I was genuinely excited about—I could see the pride in his eyes, as if to say this was the first good thing I had said all day. (By the way, I owed Mike Ross from Suits a thank-you email for teaching me this clever psychological trick that he used on Harvey and Jessica)

After pitching the idea, I wanted Rahman to join me in this endeavor, and he agreed to come aboard. While I can’t recall how we finally settled on the name, in that moment, PomoPay was born—a free Pomodoro app that allows users to set weekly productivity goals while committing a financial stake to hold themselves accountable. It features secure payments through Stripe Checkout and includes an option for white noise, catering to those like Rahman who find it helps them concentrate better.

Check out PomoPay here and do let me know what you think of it. More about the journey of how we built it and the tech stack behind it in the next one.

Thank you for your time and patience with this one good people.

Until next time, Zaeem Out! Oh, and always remember - Byte the Game!