Since the rise of the Novel Coronavirus-led pandemic, most of the global population has been working from home. Now, I agree that there are several perks of working from home (like Rupesh making videos with shorts on). However, unlike in an office environment, the level of distractions increases by many folds when you often get interrupted by mom or dad to go grocery shopping or fix an issue in their smartphones. So, TimeChi is a tool that will keep you focussed on your work and monitor your productivity.
Developed by a startup of the same name, TimeChi is essentially a “deep work companion tool”. It was originally designed for individuals working in an open-office environment to block physical as well as digital distractions. There is a physical device that works with a productivity app and it uses the “Pomodoro” technique to manage time and work.
Now, the TimeChi comes as a round-shaped device with a color-display on top. This device can connect to any of your devices, be it your laptop or smartphone, via WiFi. There is also a companion Chrome extension that you can add to your browser. After a successful connection, you can use the device to set a timer for your work.
Now, once you start the timer, the app instantly puts your smartphone in the “Do not Disturb” mode to block constant notifications. It even blocks certain “time-wasting” websites. And when you try to enter one of these, there will be a motivational message of some sort to keep your focus.
TimeChi also notifies other people, like your colleagues or team members, that you are in deep work and should not be disturbed. It uses the traffic-light system to let others know when you’re in deep work and when you’re available.
Apart from blocking your distractions, the device also gives you gentle reminders to take breaks amid your work sessions. This ensures that your focus stays intact and also limits work-stress.
According to CEO, Sean Greenhalgh, “TimeChi is the only solution in the market that allows for deep work and breaks, without sacrificing team collaboration. Unlike the old trick of putting on your headphones, TimeChi provides a polite way to signal others to come back when you’re on a break.”
Now, TimeChi not only blocks all sorts of distractions, but it also gives a proper report of your productivity. You can get access to your “Productivity Analytics” by going to the dashboard of the app. So, according to the company, TimeChi is actually like a Fitbit for your productivity.
Price and Availability
Currently, TimeChi is running a campaign on the crowd-funding website, Indiegogo. It has already raised an amount close to $60,000 (~Rs 4,189,871), reaching 533% above its original goal. The team has a working prototype of the product and will begin mass manufacturing soon.
So, if you want a tool that will boost your productivity and help you keep your focus then you can surely get the TimeChi. Although the retail price of one unit will be $130 (~Rs 9717) after its launch, you can get it for a price of just $68 (~Rs 5083) as a “super early bird” buyer. The product is to ship worldwide starting from January 2021.
