Gamify

I was a very bookish child, but then, after years of studious and stuffy pursuits interrupted by random feats of strength and suffering (I'm looking at you, Strongman competition), I gave birth to a Manga-loving, fantasy novel Officianato while also marrying a D&D Dungeonmaster with a tantalizing flair for the dramatic. Though still stigmatized by my brother starting PacMan while handing me the joystick upside down, I couldn't cross over to the dark side of the tablet and enter Roblox or any other game when my family beckoned.

Along came the ADHD student group I sometimes work with, and I knew I'd probably have to find some productivity tools that were entertaining enough to nudge them away from gaming. Ultimately, I had to learn more about their interests and obstacles. I had one of my students, Drew, test 'ModernSam', which I found one day in a Google rabbit hole. Drew couldn't have been more delighted with it, and after his rave reviews, I had to give it a try.

Let me start by saying that you generally don't do things like Strongman unless you sometimes secretly pretend you're a warrior queen. Reawakening her without lifting awkward, heavy things that chafe was exhilarating. I don't have ADHD, but I am neurodiverse and can encounter my own gang of brutish productivity villains. And after severe burnout from my last corporate job, I found productivity even more challenging to address. I love that this app is fun, whimsical and breaks things into the tiny bites that B.J. Fogg encourages in his book 'Tiny Habits'. It's the creative diversion I didn't know I needed and perhaps one of the few hamlets in which my son and I can fight shoulder to shoulder.

Yes, other gamified apps exist for 'grown-ups', but the rewards and structure feel feeble, apologetic, and self-conscious. This app has the storyline and enthusiasm of my family playing D&D - it's an 'in your face' commitment to fanciful fun, and I'm here for it. The creators rolled a Nat 20 (I had to clear that with my husband to ensure I got it right).