Do you have trouble focusing on tasks that need to be done? Did you try setting reminders and timers, only to get distracted by your phone, a call, your DVR, or facebook? Hit up Kickstarter, and check out Esington Glass; it’s a fancy hourglass timer that wants to keep you on task!
Esington Glass is, effectively, an analog hourglass timer. The idea is that you start the timer and give yourself 25 minutes to complete the task at hand. The glass is filled with nano beads, so you get a cascading white noise as you go, and it helps you visualize the chunk of time you’ve allotted. If you have the discipline to focus and work for the duration of the time, you can be more productive.
Their Kickstarter page has a number of references and more detailed explanations of how and why the idea of an hourglass timer can make you more productive, so it’s worth browsing through even if you don’t want to pledge $35 for an Esington Glass version (the retail version will be $80). Admittedly this is part timer, part artwork, but it’s a steep price for something you can recreate with a kitchen timer or your phone. I do like the idea of giving myself short chunks of focused time, and it’s something I plan to research a bit more. But if you like the idea, and want something beautiful and productive, check out Esington Glass on Kickstarter!!