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Ask HN: Is there a program that can randomly text me reminders?

6 points by q_andrew ↗ HN
I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and I'm finding ways to combat it. When someone tells me to do something I drop everything and do it. But I can't get myself to do anything without being prompted. SMS texts have a higher priority in my cellbrain and so I might listen to a chore bot.

8 comments

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Minor49er
You could get an account with Twilio to send SMS messages. Write a script in whichever language you prefer to ping their Messaging API at a given interval with a random task for them to deliver to your phone
q_andrew
A solid solution. I'll check that out, it seems like a fun side project.
prirun
I have been adding longer-term regular todos to my phone calendar, for example:

- changing furnace filters - cleaning the car's leather seats every 3 months (got that one today)

clorohk
Wunderlist or Todoist -> Zapier -> Twilio might be a quick solution. Might be worth a try
sphars
If you're on Android and want to try something akin to SMS without going through Twilio, is using ntfy[0]. By sending POST messages to an endpoint, you can send yourself phone notifications. Set up a script on your server or wherever to send them at timed intervals or however you want. Made by someone here on HN

Edit: noticed there's now an iOS app in progress

[0]: https://ntfy.sh/

afarrell
The app Due on iOS and apple watch is good.

> When someone tells me to do something I drop everything and do it.

Note that you'll likely want to buy a book or coaching sessions to help you learn about setting boundaries and building relationships with people who are okay with you sometimes saying "no" to their requests for effort. At a certain point, managing tasks requires having fewer tasks.

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