I like to describe Focusmate as, "Chatroulette for work (without all the nasty bits)." I've used the product for quite a while and found it to be a great way to fight distraction by holding myself accountable to another person. I love the product and team and I'm honored they let me invest in the company.

Fun concept! congrats on the launch.

Neat product but I can't help but think that you might be working on the wrong thing if you really need this, especially if it's a side project. Your side project should be so exciting to you that you can't wait to work on it. You shouldn't need somebody hovering over you telling you to get back to work. And if this is for your main job, you might need to find a new job or new position. Am I alone in thinking this?

This is a systemic problem for knowledge workers of all types, all ages, all industries. @taylor_jacobson and team aren’t just playing around here, they are building a new kind of community for the long-haul. The net needs more positive communities, and there’s nothing more positive than the shared dopamine rush of checking an important task off your todo list!

One of my favorite productivity tools of the last few years!

Pros:

Easy and super effective way of committing to get stuff done for remote work, side projects, and anything else that could use a nudge.

Cons:

Have to adjust to get in the habit of incorporating it as part of your project planning.

Similar to working out with a trainer, the hardest part is showing up – once you're there, you don't waste time and you always work harder than you would have if you were on your own.

Pros:

Forget every other accountability habit / hack / app, this one straight up works.

Cons:

I'd love to be able to do Pomodoro sprints within Focusmate and set daily / weekly goals for myself.

I wish I had Focusmate when I was working by myself on my own startup (that failed so I'm back at the office).

I use focus mate to tackle personal project that I just never seem to make progress on. The Focusmate team nails the psychology behind accountability and productivity.

Pros:

Best way to get forced accountability

Cons:

I’ve only integrated it into my life for my personal projects, haven’t been able to adopt it in the m work setting yet (but I should try).

I was one of the earliest users of Focusmate and have been passionately sharing it with friends and colleagues since. It helps you get immediately into the zone of productivity via the incredibly simple solution of having a partner, live and present, working alongside you. Try it once. If you don’t like it, fine. If it helps you, even better. Why not try something that potentially offers (free) massively improved productivity? Kudos to Taylor and team for building this.

Pros:

Works like magic. Bizarrely effective if you use it.

Cons:

You have to use it for it to work.

I stumbled onto Focusmate when I was working on a book project last year and my writing partner went out of town. It's been a huge help! I wouldn't have the manuscript finished if not for Focusmate!

Hmmm I guess this is good for people who slack at home...? Other side note is it might create special rendezvous... I mean you get to meet soo many other lonely I mean solitary people. I guess this system would work if a boss forces employees to use this system as a means to improve productivity or oversight in a way.

Focusmate is the way that the next generation of teams will get stuff done, especially when they're remote!

Pros:

Easy and fun to use

Cons:

Growing network

I LOVE Focusmate to help me stay focused throughout the day. Signing up for scheduled coworking sessions that last just a few Pomodoro sessions helps me put a time limit on tasks instead of dragging them out, as I tend to do when I work from home.

I love Focusmate. I am about to hit 1500 sessions on it in past year. Profiles are private by default so linking will do no good. But message me if you need convincing to try the product or want to see someone who has used Focusmate a ton! I've used Focusmate in many different ways. Recently, I use it to get a jumpstart or make sure I'm working and accountable on each part of my day. That means almost first thing in the morning. After lunch. And then at night if I'm doing anything at night. I'll do 1-2 sessions in each part usually. Once in a while I and others will go on Focusmate binges and do like 7-10 sessions in the span of less than half a day. It can do wonders for productivity.

Very neat idea!

Superb concept and product, fits very well with trends of the modernizing, remote workforce

Hi PH, Taylor from Focusmate here. Working solo can be liberating, but it is also hard. I’ve been working from home for 7 years, and let’s just say it’s been a long and winding journey 🙃 The big change for me happened when I started working with an accountability partner, remotely over video, to ensure I showed up, chose the right thing to work on, and stayed on task. It may sound weird or extreme, but it worked insanely well. The problem was, we needed more people! So, we built Focusmate—a community of solo workers who have committed to holding one another accountable for finishing their most important work. With Focusmate, you can find an accountability buddy to work with at any time, anywhere, on demand. We’d love for you to give it a try and share your feedback. Also: 😱 How can we reduce the initial fear or hurdle of trying Focusmate? ❤ Are there specific people/groups you’d like to work with on Focusmate? Thanks so much!!

Great concept but how are you increasing usability? I'd love to hear your thoughts regarding using Google Hangouts, Zoom or anything else on mute vs Focusmate

Focusmate is awesome! Some weeks I spend most of my working time using the service. I see three main benefits of using Focusmate:

1) Picking the most important tasks

Using the Focusmate forces you to pick the 1 to 3 most important things you can complete in 50 minutes.

2) On-demand Accountability

Just having another person there holds you accountable in a way that doesn't happen when you work by yourself

3) Timeboxing

Blocks out intervals of 50 minutes to focus. You know you need to power through the time with as much focus as possible.

Pros:

- Helps you focus on most important tasks

- On-demand Accountability

- Timeboxing

Cons:

- Sometimes you can forget to use the service, but Focusmte sends out email reminders if you're inactive for an extended period.

Focusmate is such a weird product, in a good way. I've tried it before and know a lot of others use it to build social accountability. Curious how you see the product evolving over the next few years, @taylor_jacobson.