XP TRACKERAn app for procrastination that makes starting the easy part
Procrastination is rarely laziness. It's usually a task that feels too big, too vague or too unpleasant to start. XP Tracker shrinks the start: one task, one timer, and XP the moment you finish.
Procrastination is a feeling problem
Researchers who study procrastination, such as Tim Pychyl and Fuschia Sirois, describe it as a way of managing mood. The task makes you feel something unpleasant, and avoiding it makes the feeling go away for now. The relief is real, which is why the habit is so sticky. The cost comes later, with interest.
That's good news, because it points to the fix. You don't need more guilt. You need a first step small enough that the unpleasant feeling barely shows up, and a reward that arrives sooner than the deadline does.
Shrink the start, reward the finish
Decide before the day starts. Plan Your Day asks for three intentions for today, and to be willing to adjust as the day unfolds. Three is a number you can hold in your head, and deciding early takes the "what first?" paralysis away.
One task, one timer. Deep Focus is a core quest: work on one task for the set time, with no distractions. In onboarding you set where that time starts and where you want to get to, so a hard week can start short.
An instant reward. Finish the quest and you see XP land, your level bar move and the boss lose HP. The reward for starting arrives today, not at the deadline.
A reason to keep going. A boss arrives every few days with a timer. Cramming one day doesn't beat it. Showing up most days does.
A five-minute way to start the task you're avoiding
- Name the next physical action. Not "write the report". "Open the document and write the first heading."
- Make it ugly on purpose. Give yourself permission to do a bad first version. Editing comes later.
- Start a short timer. Ten or fifteen minutes. Promise yourself you can stop when it rings.
- Remove the exit. Phone in another room, or locked until the session is done.
- Mark it done. In the app, that's XP. On paper, a tick. Either way, notice that you started.
For more, read how to stop procrastinating, why we procrastinate and the eat the frog method. If you want a timer without the app, the free focus timer runs in your browser.
Quests for getting started
The text below is copied from the quest cards in the app.
Questions people ask
Why do I procrastinate even on things I want to do?
Usually because the task brings up an unpleasant feeling: boredom, doubt, fear of doing it badly. Putting it off removes the feeling for now. Making the first step smaller and clearer takes away most of that feeling.
How does XP Tracker help with procrastination?
Deep Focus is a core quest: work on one task for a set time, with no distractions. You set the time in onboarding, so it can start short. Plan Your Day asks for three intentions, so you know what matters before the day starts.
Is there a timer?
Yes. Deep Focus, Physical Training, Meditate, Stretch and Cold Finish come with a built-in timer.
Can it block distractions while I work?
App Lock keeps chosen apps locked until you finish a set number of quests for the day. It isn't a timed focus blocker, so if you need schedules or website blocking, use a dedicated blocker next to it.
Does this help with ADHD?
XP Tracker isn't an ADHD treatment. Some features, like short timers and instant rewards, may suit people who work in short bursts. Our ADHD-friendly page explains them, and a clinician is the right person for diagnosis and treatment.
Related pages
Start your journey
Pick a class, do the day's quests, and watch your hero level up with you.
Start free on iPhone and Android.
Scan to install Point your phone camera at the code. iPhone opens the App Store, Android opens Google Play.