The Set Blog

Productivity that works with an ADHD brain

Honest, practical writing about time blocking, focus, and the tools that help, written by the maker of Set, for brains that don't run on willpower alone.

Set cover: Two plans, one day, with a timeline of tasks flowing around fixed calendar events
· 7 min read ADHD calendar time blocking

Your Calendar and Your To-Do List Have Never Spoken to Each Other

You keep two systems: one for meetings, one for tasks. Neither knows the other exists, which is why your day is always full before you've done any of your own work. Here's the fix, and why the obvious version of it makes things worse.

Read article →

Set cover: Set 4 is coming, with the Set app icon
· 8 min read ADHD Set 4 Apple Watch

Set 4: Your Plan on Your Wrist, and Your Calendar Inside Your Day

Set 4 is the biggest update yet: a standalone Apple Watch app, Siri capture, your real calendar inside your plan, and a rebuilt engine tested against 5,000 tasks. Here's what's coming and why each piece exists.

Read article →

Set cover: Plan your day in seconds, with the Today timeline on iPhone
· 5 min read free tools task management timer

Free Online Task Manager with a Timer (No Sign-Up, No Download)

A free online task manager that actually answers 'when will I be done?' Add tasks with time estimates, time each one in your browser, and see your finish time update live.

Read article →

Set 3 is here: the Set app icon surrounded by blue confetti and 3s
· 7 min read ADHD Set 3 focus mode

Set 3 for ADHD: Focus Mode, Nagging Alarms, Sort Mode, and an App Blocker That Means It

Version 3 of Set is a run of releases built for ADHD brains: a distraction-free focus mode, an overdue alarm that keeps nagging, one-decision-at-a-time sorting, and app blocking tied to your task list.

Read article →

Set cover: Focus without the pressure, with the timer on iPhone
· 8 min read ADHD focus brown noise

Brown Noise, Body Doubling, and Timers: ADHD Focus Stacks That Actually Work

The focus techniques the ADHD community actually swears by: brown noise, body doubling, flexible timers, and dopamine-friendly structure, and how to stack them into a repeatable routine.

Read article →

Set cover: Block the apps that derail you
· 6 min read ADHD app blocker focus

App Blockers and ADHD: Why Willpower Loses and Friction Wins

Your phone is engineered to beat your prefrontal cortex. Here's the psychology of why app blockers work for ADHD, what most blockers get wrong, and how to set one up you won't just disable.

Read article →

Set cover: Make time visible, with the flexible timer on iPhone
· 7 min read ADHD time blindness tools

ADHD Time Blindness: What It Is and 6 Tools That Make Time Visible

Time blindness is why you're always late, always overcommitted, and always surprised it's 4pm. Here's what's actually happening and six concrete tools that externalize time.

Read article →

Set cover: To-do apps for ADHD brains, with Set widgets on iPhone
· 9 min read ADHD app roundup time blocking

The 7 Best To-Do Apps for ADHD in 2026 (Tested by an ADHD Brain)

An honest, hands-on ranking of the best task managers for ADHD, including what each one gets right, where it falls apart, and which brains each app suits.

Read article →

Set cover: Blocks that build themselves, with the Today timeline on iPhone
· 7 min read ADHD time blocking executive function

Why Time Blocking Works for ADHD (and Why It Usually Fails)

Time blocking is the most recommended ADHD productivity technique, and the most abandoned. Here's the neuroscience-ish reason it works, the three ways it fails, and how to make it stick.

Read article →