Cognitive Load Butler

Inspiration

Modern to-do lists treat all tasks the same, but mentally they are not. Some tasks drain energy, some are urgent, and some can wait. I wanted to build a system that helps users decide what to focus on today instead of overwhelming them with everything at once.

What it does

Cognitive Load Butler generates a prioritized focus list for the day. Users add their own tasks with an importance level and an estimated mental load. The app then ranks tasks to surface the most impactful ones, helping users start with what truly matters and reduce decision fatigue.

How I built it

The app is built with Flutter for the frontend and Serverpod for the backend. Serverpod handles task modeling, focus scoring, and API communication, while Flutter provides a clean, responsive web interface for adding tasks and generating daily focus suggestions.

The system uses a simple scoring approach that balances importance against mental load, emphasizing high-impact tasks without encouraging burnout.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was debugging backend connectivity and ensuring reliable communication between Flutter and Serverpod. Simplifying the UI and focusing on a clear demo flow helped keep the project on track within the hackathon timeline.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Building a full-stack Flutter application backed by Serverpod within a limited time window.
Implementing a task prioritization approach that considers mental load, not just urgency.
Creating a functional demo that clearly communicates the core idea without unnecessary complexity.

What we learned

How to use Serverpod to quickly model backend logic and connect it to a Flutter client.
Practical debugging strategies for frontend–backend communication issues.
The value of simplifying scope and focusing on core user experience under time pressure.
That productivity tools are more effective when they account for human cognitive limits, not just task lists.