Productivity Tool - Blog Posts

The Forest App: Build a forest with your focus

Forest: Stay Focus

🔍 Background

In my line of work, there are alot of things that require Google search that could stretch for hours as I slid down one rabbit hole after another. So, I used timer to actually remind me if I am spending too much time on certain things that I am researching. True enough, there are many options available; real kitchen timer, phone, watch, smart-watch, computer alarm etc. But since it’s a new year and there are lots of new apps popping up in the recommendation from Playstore, I noticed how the trend of tracking your habits is becoming more popular despite the pandemic. You would expect that the pandemic will slow people down career-wise or personal upkeep, but the technological development just won’t leave alone. They’ve served you with contactless transaction and centralized delivery system…now, they’re telling you that you could keep yourself in check by tracking your habits.

I used to utilize Hourglass app that I installed in my computer to time my work. It is free and you can customize it; the time duration, name of the time allocated and change the color of the interface. Simple and easy to use. Quite generic. But I wonder just how much time I spent with doing my research or study or rest? Hourglass doesn’t record the time spent on the tasks so there’s no recall or record feature. And there isn’t much to customize in Hourglass since it is pretty much what-you-see-is-what-you-get.

❓ What sort of features we would like to have in a timer at this age?

There has got to be more to life, no? I mean, we can do better with 64-bit resolution and all. Stretching out the functionality may be unnecessary but I don’t mind exploring.

Having a visually pleasant interface for the timer would be a plus but what I needed was a record of all the time spent on doing of the focused work I did for certain tasks. And I with that sort of feature, it would be great if it can be synchronized in multiple platform so that I can extend the usage to not only when I am face with my own laptop.

So I randomly scrolled though the Playstore and found that the app Forest: Stay Focus by Seekrtech. It is a productivity tool that helps you allocate limited time for certain subject or work in intervals with rest time or so. Most people like to refer this sort of technique as Pomodoro, which I believe is not something new; 25 minutes of focused work/ study followed by 5 minutes rest before repeating it again for as much cycle as you want. Nevertheless, long before Pomodoro, we’ve been taught that 30 minutes is the limit of non-stop focus if you intent to maximize information retention.

❓ What does Forest app offer?

Forest app, for all intent and purposes, is a timer and a fancy one at that. In fact, it gamifies the 'productivity’ challenge to a new level. By using the tree-growing concept.

_“You focus in your allocated time, your tree will reach full growth. Do it many times, you’ll have a forest”

And it’s not hard to stay motivated with this app. With its pleasant vibrant but muted colors, it's easy on eyes and kind to your mind.

“Forest app is pretty. Cheerful muted colors with a concept that encourages you to use it more.”

You are visually growing a tree with your dedication or focus to your work. The more time you spent focusing, the more coins and badges you accumulate. There are many types of trees that you can 'purchase’ with the coins you gain as you successfully focus during the allocated time you have set. And the trees have interesting designs with limited time designs offered all year round.

What happens when you quit before you finish the time allocated? Well, your tree more or less die. You’ll find a tree stump to prove it.

🕹️ Gamify productivity, at global scale

There’s a feature in Forest app called Plant Mode where you can enable the Deep Focus Mode where you will be guided back to the app if you attempt to open any app in your phone that isn’t in the allowed list. But here’s the catch; you’ll only be able to create an 'Allowed List’ if you’re a Pro user. But even without it, it’s not necessary if your goal is to stay focused, no?

Are you feeling lonely planting trees on your own? You can create a 'focus group’ room by enabling the Plant Together mode. In this mode your friends, families or team will be focusing on the tasks/ subject of interest when you create the room session. Of course, they too need to have the app installed to be able to participate. The one who quits first will 'reward’ everyone will the same tree stump. Yes, you win and lose together. Pretty cool way to motivate the gang for any study prep time eh?

“Add your friends with existing Forest app account via their registered email address and start your focus group.”

Are you a lone ranger looking for a 'nemesis’ to compete with? No worries, there’s the global leaderboard called Deep Focus Mode Ranking. You can see the ranking of all global users’ focused time for the week for your motivation. Compete with the rest of the global population in Deep Focus Mode weekly and relish in seeing yourself in the ranks.

In summary, the Forest app is more than a cute app to grow trees. Total win in the concept and reward system.

Aspect Details 🎨 Visual Nurturning and simple ⭕ 🎮 Concept Nurturing and simple ⭕ 📊 Record Forest: Daily, monthly & yearly ⭕ 🏅 Reward Very motivating ⭕ 🔄 Synchronization Chrome & Firefox extension and app ⭕

Real Forest

Forest app has become the sponsor for Trees for the Future organization that plant trees globally in impoverished countries with degraded lands with Forest Garden Programs in Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda and Tanzania. By using this app, you will be able to accumulate coins that you can donate to the organization to plant a tree in the participating regions. The threshold is 2500 coins.

Not too bad considering that you are trying to cure your phone addiction, practice self-restrain and counter climate change with reforestation.

💰 Price

It is a one-time lifetime purchase at only RM10.50 at Google Playstore ~$USD 2. That’s it. No subscription fees.

🎯 Conclusion

All of the features that I have shared are enabled with Pro version which I can assure you, isn’t a waste to invest.

You can be part of the NGO program that helps global reforestation.

Have detailed record and statistics of your productivity

Configure allow list for apps that you need for your work

Synchronize your data everywhere and have a safe backup

Access to more collection of visually pleasing trees

Participate in online events and obtain more visual rewards for your personal collection

Compete with friends

Have customized tags for your tasks; you can include ALOT of things for this, trust me

Compete in more challenges

No ads. Period.

Have you ever used Forest before? If you did, do share with me how you optimize it for your productivity!