Focusmate

Hello, dear PH and Focusmate community! Taylor from Focusmate here. So much has changed in the 4 years since our first launch. Unfortunately, being focused and productive while working alone still remains a huge challenge for millions of people. The reality is that human beings are just not wired to perform without structure, accountability, and connection. That’s probably why our first launch was so successful — despite our product’s bare-bones state at the time. It turns out that working with an accountability partner, over a video call, is an incredibly powerful way to ensure we show up, set intentions for our time, and follow through. And while the essence of Focusmate is unchanged, we’ve been working hard to create an experience that is both more reliable as well as more adaptive to your individual needs and preferences. And so, today, we’re back here trying something new — a conversation with the PH and Focusmate communities, for you to share your thoughts on our recent enhancements, and those we’re planning in the months ahead. Our most recent releases include: - Favorites 1.0 — save your favorite coworking partners - 25- and 75-min sessions — go shorter or longer depending on your task and mood - Snooze — elect not to work with certain partners, for any reason and any duration - Background blur + virtual backgrounds — for privacy or fun - Picture-in-picture — see your partner in a small floating window while you work - Yearly billing — by popular demand - Favorites 2.1: Combined Availability — see all your favorite partners’ availability in one place Our upcoming releases include: - Favorites 2.2: Preferential Matching — automatically match with favorites when they’re available in your chosen slot - Rematching 2.0 — don’t lose your session even if your partner cancels at the last second - Last Minute Booking — find a match even if you book last minute by being added to the re-match queue - Matching Preferences 2.0 — control who you match with; select preferences such as active work, desk work, mics on/off, and more - Referral program — get Focusmate for free when you refer a new customer - And many more improvements to the user interface and experience that will make Focusmate even easier and more pleasant to use Our whole team will be engaged and responding to comments here for the next 24 hours. We’d love to hear your voice, and we’re not afraid of criticism. With gratitude, Taylor & Team Focusmate P.S. New to Focusmate? We’d love to offer you a free month of Plus — just use code PH2023 when you upgrade. (Valid until April 6, 2023.)

Focusmate is one of the best productivity tools I've found. It is built around pre-commitment pacts — a psychological device that helps you get started and follow through on just about any task. Focusmate is an effective and accessible tool anyone can use — so much so that I mention it in my book, Indistractable, and invested in the company. I'm a huge believer in the team as well and thrilled with the evolution of this product in the four years since they last launched here. Looking forward to seeing what you all think!

I love Focusmate! I am an ADHD coach, and I recommend FM to my clients on a regular basis. It's a great concept and a valuable service - almost magical for some people! I also love the changes you've made, as well as the upcoming releases. I especially like the picture-in-picture and the favorites features. I wonder if it might be helpful to offer sessions for specific activities, such as exercise or cleaning/decluttering? I've had some clients tell me they'd like to use FM for those activities, but they are concerned that their physical movements would be distracting to their partner. BTW, it was a bit of an ordeal getting signed in through producthunt - I almost gave up, but I really believe in you guys, and I wanted to leave comments and support you.