I learned that ships have a "max load" line (or Plimsoll Line) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_line_(watercraft) to prevent overloading them with cargos, but my todo list didn't. So I built an app to surface my emotional load and put mental health above raw productivity.

I am experimenting with the concept of giving each item in the iOS Reminders app an impact multiplier between -1.0 and +1.0 to assign them "weights". The net weight of the todo items should indicate my overall mood or emotional burden. If it doesn't maybe I have yet thought about what's making me feel good or bringing me down. The net weight is visually represented by the "water line" that rises the more into the negative the net weight becomes. I'm thinking of adding features to nudge me into addressing the rising water line.

And since I want to lower my own stress and anxiety using this app, there is no signup or subscription. No data collection other than the bare minimum to make the "tip jar" working through the App Store IAP, so no PII collection.

Do you think you'd find this approach to be helpful for managing your own anxiety level?

(Edited to add a bit more clarification)

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factsperiodt 13 hours ago | parent [-]

Love the idea! I was thinking it would be great if it could include a toggle that's kind of like the emotional version of selecting reverse y-axis in games (i.e. you can either push the controller up to look up, or push the controller up to look down) - you can either have the app show you tasks as how you see them. You could either use a view that has the more effortful/urgent ones in red, which may grow over time the longer you take to do them OR the tasks that cause you more anxiety to have a high blue capacity the moment you plug in the task and it reduces over time the longer you take to get to it. I guess my idea has a factor of procrastination that comes into play with the anxiety.

	▲	tunaoftheland 8 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Thank you so much for taking a look at Plimsoll Line and giving such a good feedback! The anxiety caused by procrastination is definitely real, my wife and I both feel the stress when we see our devices spew the same reminders that have been postponed for many days (or months!). The main thing that I would like the app to do is to nudge me to take small actions of visually surfacing the emotional impact of the individual items (a todo item or just a thought in my head) rather than them filling up my head. So I would like to be the one driving the app than the app driving me like most todo apps do. I want the app to help me break myself out of being paralyzed with anxiety by taking small actions that are doable and maybe even pleasant. Hopefully that makes sense when users try it. :) So I'll have to think hard about how to solve the problems you mentioned, they are excellent points. Having fewer configurations and encouraging the user to take control of their emotions through small actions as core principles means some limitations in features... Anyway, right now the app lets you write a "Quick Journal" into the Notes field in the Reminders app. I have in mind the app encouraging user to break down the items causing lots of stress into sub-items so it becomes more manageable. Or suggesting contacting a trusted friend that the user has selected in configuration beforehand. Suggestions welcome on how else I can nudge myself and other anxious users! :)