I have always been someone who loves to plan. Every morning starts with writing a to-do list, which gives me a feeling that I’ve got the day under control. But there is a catch: I tend to misjudge how long things will take to get done. At some point, staring at half-finished tasks at the end of the day and wondering where the time went turned into a norm. The truth is, a lot of it comes down to time perception. Some people, like those with inattentive ADHD or other learning disorders, can genuinely struggle to grasp how much time a task will consume, and will pack way more into their schedule than is humanly possible (Smith, 2024). This constant mismatch between planning and executing leaves many individuals feeling unproductive and discouraging.
In recent years, the rise of AI-powered productivity tools has been a game changer for people like me (Olaoluwa, 2024). Apps like Notion AI, Any.do or BeeDone bring structure into our lives by optimizing our schedules, managing our priorities and even automating certain tasks (Olaoluwa, 2024). We are no longer left to manage our busy lives alone — now we’ve got technology to lend a hand.
Among various productivity tools available, I decided to try Reclaim AI – “a smart time blocking platform that finds the best time for all of your tasks before their due date” (Reclaim.ai, 2024). While some people might enjoy a bit of gamification, I prefer my productivity apps to be direct and to the point. Reclaim satisfies that requirement and thus became the first candidate for testing. One of its standout aspects is how it breaks down big scary projects into smaller, manageable steps without me having to think about it. I no longer have to figure out how to divide a task or when it makes the most sense to schedule it, considering deadlines — the app handles all of that for me. This is particularly helpful for someone who often feels overwhelmed.
Reclaim also creates a dynamic schedule that adapts to any unexpected changes. By taking into account deadlines, task urgency and your daily habits, it crafts a plan that feels realistic. For example, if I add a new high-priority task with a tight deadline, Reclaim finds time for it by rescheduling less urgent tasks to another day instead of just piling it on top of my existing plan for the day.
While I think AI productivity tools are heading in a great direction, there’s definitely room for improvement. With Reclaim, I noticed it takes quite a while to get familiar with all its features, and some aspects are not very intuitive. It feels rather advanced, targeting more tech-savvy users, especially those familiar with complex tools like Jira. While Reclaim does streamline planning, it requires significant setup, attention to detail, and time, which can be discouraging for people who already struggle with large tasks.
Additionally, as useful as the automatic rescheduling feature is, it can feel a bit strange at first. When the app starts moving things around in your calendar, it almost feels like someone else is in control of your life. For those who like to maintain full control over their plans, this can be unsettling and make them feel uneasy about trusting the app with such access.
In general, I think AI productivity apps hold great potential, but there’s still work to be done in making them more user-friendly and earning people’s trust.
References:
- Olaoluwa, I. (2024, June 27). AI-Powered Productivity Tools: Boost your efficiency. Medium. https://medium.com/@taiwoadeyemi3157/ai-powered-productivity-tools-boost-your-efficiency-8d120944f469
- Reclaim.ai. (2024). Reclaim.ai | Todoist. Todoist. https://todoist.com/integrations/apps/reclaim
- Smith, M., MA. (2024, September 25). Tips for managing adult ADHD – HelpGuide.org. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/adhd/managing-adult-adhd
