Hey everyone! I wanted to share something a bit different today - a productivity tool that I've been quietly using for months to keep myself focused and motivated. It's called Deep Work Streaks, and after several WhatPulse users asked if they could use it too, I decided to polish it up and make it available at whatpulse.org/deepworkstreaks.
The story behind it
Like many, I struggle with staying focused with so many distractions. I've tried countless productivity apps, but they all seemed to be missing something - that satisfying feeling of maintaining a streak, that little dopamine hit you get when you see your progress visualized over time. Sound familiar? That's because it's the same principle that makes WhatPulse so fun!
So I built something for myself: a simple app that combines focused work sessions with streak tracking. I've been using it daily for months now, and honestly, it's become an essential part of my routine. The visual feedback of seeing my streak grow has been incredibly motivating.
What is Deep Work Streaks?
At its core, the app is built around Cal Newport's concept of "deep work" - the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks. But I've made it flexible enough to work however you prefer:
The timer
- Classic Pomodoro: 25-minute focus sessions with 5-minute breaks (fully customizable)
- Extended Deep Work: Crank up the timer to 2-3 hours if you're in the zone
- Flexible Breaks: Short breaks for quick sessions, longer breaks for extended work
The tasks
- Simple task list to keep track of what you're working on today
- Task templates for common workflows (I have templates for "Writing content," "Feature building," "Planning the month," etc.)
- Complete tasks to extend your streak
The beautiful part: Streaks
Both completing tasks AND finishing timer sessions extend your streak. You can use them together or separately - whatever works for your workflow. The app even includes weekend grace periods, so you won't break your streak if you choose to take weekends off.
Privacy and simplicity
It's completely separate from WhatPulse accounts. No login required, no data sent anywhere - everything is stored locally in your browser. Your data stays on your device, period. Just you, your tasks, and your focus time.
How I use it (and how you might too)
My typical workflow looks like this:
- Start my day by reviewing my task templates and adding specific tasks
- Fire up a 90-minute deep work session for coding or writing
- Take a proper break (I actually step away from the computer)
- Maybe do a few 25-minute Pomodoros for smaller tasks throughout the rest of the day
- Glee at the streak visualization as it grows
But the beauty is in its flexibility. Some days I just use the timer without any tasks - perfect for reading or research where I don't have specific deliverables. Other days I focus purely on task completion without timing myself. Both approaches maintain the streak.
What's next?
Right now, this is a standalone tool that has zero connection to WhatPulse accounts. There's a small possibility we might add optional WhatPulse integration in the future - imagine seeing your deep work streaks alongside your keystroke and click stats! But that's very much a "maybe someday" feature, and it depends entirely on how much people enjoy using the current version.
The app works perfectly as-is, and honestly, there's something pure about keeping it simple and local.
Try it out!
Head over to whatpulse.org/deepworkstreaks and give it a spin. No account creation, no commitments - just open the page and start your first session. I'm curious to hear what you think and how you end up using it.
Will it work for everyone? Probably not. But if you're someone who gets motivated by streaks, enjoys the satisfaction of completing tasks, and wants to build better focus habits, it might just become as essential to your routine as it has become to mine.
Let me know on Discord how it goes - I'd love to hear about your workflows and whether the streak visualization gives you the same little dopamine hit that it gives me!
Happy focusing!
Martijn