SpongeHome

Why I, an ADHD Creator, Decided to Build SpongeHome Two months ago, I couldn’t write a single line of code. Today, my first independently developed app—SpongeHome—is finally live. 💡 Why Did I Create This App? As someone with ADHD, I’ve tried countless productivity apps, but they all felt like they were built for “neurotypical” people. The more tasks I listed, the more overwhelmed I became. Most days felt like I was constantly putting out fires. My problem wasn’t knowing what to do—it was getting started in the first place. Worse yet, most apps were either dry and rigid or overloaded with complicated data, completely ignoring the emotional side of productivity. So, I asked myself: What would an app that truly helps ADHD brains look like? 🎯 User Research + Personal Experience = ADHD-Friendly Features To find out, I spent months talking to ADHD peers and people with mild anxiety, gathering insights into their struggles (which mirrored my own). I noticed these common pain points: • The problem isn’t writing a to-do list—it’s staring at it, stuck, unable to start. • Emotions impact execution. We need a buffer zone before diving into tasks. • The classic 25-minute Pomodoro timer often feels too long, but no one told us that shorter focus sessions are okay too. With these needs in mind, I created SpongeHome—not just a task manager, but an ADHD-friendly productivity companion: ✅ AI-Powered Four-Quadrant Task Manager: Automatically categorizes tasks, breaks them down, and highlights priorities to gently nudge you into action. 🐾 AI Companion Pets: Keep you company during Pomodoro sessions, offer random “Answer Book” insights, and provide emotional support. 🎵 Immersive Relaxation Mode: Game-like meditation and soothing sounds to help your brain shift from stuck mode to focus mode. 👨‍💻 Solo Development + AI Assistance = Building This App As a product manager with zero coding background, I never thought I’d be able to develop an app on my own. But AI changed everything—I used AI-powered coding tools (Cursor, WindSurf) to learn how to code, relied on AI assistants to debug, and even used AI to generate UI design ideas. Two months ago, I was still figuring out “Hello World.” Two months later, I launched a product I had dreamed of for a whole year. SpongeHome isn’t a perfect app, but it’s something I genuinely needed and love using every day. I hope it can help more people like me—making ADHD life a little easier, a little warmer. ❤️