Clarity: Smart tasks & Focus timer

Clarity: Smart tasks & Focus timer

Inspiration

As someone with ADHD, I often struggle with staying focused and avoiding distractions. Task lists grow longer, focus fades, and procrastination creeps in. I realized that I wasn’t alone—and that many people needed a better tool to help them stay on track. That’s what inspired me to build Clarity, a smart task manager and focus timer that helps people overcome procrastination and get meaningful work done.

What it does

Clarity combines the focus timer with a simple, intuitive task manager. It supports both manual task entry and voice-based input using Apple’s foundation model, turning spoken thoughts into organized to-do lists. The clean UI and distraction-free design help users stay focused, reduce mental clutter, and finish what they start.

How we built it

Clarity was built for iOS using Swift and SwiftUI, with support for the latest iOS 26 features. The voice-to-task feature is powered by Apple’s foundation model & Speech synthesizer, allowing natural language input for fast and seamless task capture. The app structure emphasizes simplicity and low-friction UX, with custom timer logic and local task storage.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was designing an interface that felt intuitive, lightweight, and non-overwhelming - especially for neurodivergent users. We went through multiple design iterations to strip away anything unnecessary, focusing only on what truly matters: adding tasks quickly, seeing what needs to be done, and staying focused with minimal distractions. Finding that balance between simplicity and functionality was a key design challenge.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I now use Clarity daily to stay on track and manage my focus. For the first time in a long time, I’m able to complete tasks consistently without falling into a procrastination spiral. Seeing this app work for me - and knowing it can help others like me - is the most fulfilling part of the journey. It's more than just an app; it's a tool that genuinely improves my daily life.

What we learned

The importance of user-centric design, especially for neurodivergent users.
How to integrate Apple’s foundation model for natural language processing.
That productivity tools are most effective when they’re invisible helpers, not overwhelming systems.
Iteration is key - great design comes from testing, stripping down, and simplifying.