How I Built a Simple Meditation App using v0.
Harvey Ducay
Let me tell you a story about burnout.
Last year, I was that typical overworked developer – you know the type. Living on coffee, dealing with impossible deadlines, and barely sleeping. Sounds familiar?
After a particularly rough project that left me staring at my screen at throughout the whole afternoon, I realized something had to change. That's when I decided to build something I actually needed: a simple meditation app.
Maybe it’s time that instead of us developers making apps for profit, we make apps for our own self development and self care. After all, aren’t we the ones who are our greatest investment?
Why I Did It
Here's the thing about working in tech: we're all struggling with the same issues:
Our brains feel like scrambled eggs by 2 PM
We can't focus for more than 10 minutes
We check Slack every 30 seconds
Our "quick breaks" turn into 2-hour YouTube rabbit holes
I mean, let's be real – when was the last time you actually took a proper lunch break?
Building It Was Easier Than I Thought
I can go all over this again, but I'd been using this tool called v0 for a while now, and decided to give it a shot, now for a meditation app.
Here's how I went about it:
First, I sketched out what I needed (nothing fancy – just a paper napkin and a pen during my coffee break). The basics: a timer, some guided meditations, and a breathing exercise tool. You know, the stuff that actually helps when your brain is fried. Maybe a todo-list integrated so I don’t have to look somewhere else, and an affirmation board for whenever I feel things…
Then came the fun part: building it. v0 made it surprisingly simple. Picture putting together LEGO blocks, but for apps. Each feature was its own little piece that I could test and tweak until it felt right.
What I Included (And Why)
The app ended up with some pretty neat features:
A Pomodoro timer (because we all need to be forced to take breaks)
Guided meditations (for when your mind won't shut up)
A breathing tool (those moments when you're about to lose it in a meeting)
Custom affirmations (yeah, I was skeptical too, but they actually help)
The Initial (Final) Version
This app featured everything I prompted it to have, the only tedious thing I might have done is look for productivity and meditation music that’s freely available over the internet.
I have experience feeling burned out and losing most of my productivity on some days and I know that this app that helps me stay on track will also help other people who are in the same boat as me. It just feels funny that an app like this turned into an idea from last night, into a working app done less than an hour after waking up the next morning.
Conclusion
Building this app taught me something important: sometimes the best solutions are the simple ones. You don't need fancy AI or complicated features. Just something that reminds you to breathe and take a break.
If you're feeling overwhelmed at work (and let's face it, who isn't?), try adding some mindfulness to your day. Whether it's through an app like mine or just setting a timer to remind you to stand up every hour – trust me, your brain will thank you.
Have you tried incorporating meditation into your workday? I'd love to hear what works for you.
P.S. Let's Build Something Cool Together!
If you are a person of a certain domain experience and want to build something cool (or maybe necessary) for your use case, don’t hesitate to reach out to me as I can definitely help you out!
If you find this blog interesting, connect with me on Linkedin and make sure to leave a message!
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