We're building WorkMode (https://workmode.net/) - a body-doubling platform for extreme procrastinators. In a nutshell, we connect with our users via video call to ensure they stay focused on their tasks. These video calls usually last the entire day. Think of it as "Focus/Productivity as a Service."
Replacing our productivity partners (body doubles) with AI avatars simply wouldn't work. The method's effectiveness relies on interaction with another human. We asked some of our users about this, and most of them said they wouldn't feel much pressure to work on their tasks if they knew a machine was watching them. In fact, most of them would feel horrible.
I logged in after ages to reply.
This sounds useful. I'm having trouble concentrating on my work, remote work has become too much of a toll on my mental health. But that being said, it's so crazy that there's a need for this. How are you guys making money? I see you have a single person tier for 3 USD an hour? Even so, that's crazy.
Thanks! For some, it's the only method that works (myself included).
> How are you guys making money? I see you have a single-person tier for $3 an hour? Even so, that's crazy.
Update: First of all, users are _not_ our product. Our only source of revenue is subscriptions to our service.
Each user has a dedicated Productivity Partner, and they connect with them in a 1-on-1 video call. 90% of the time, Productivity Partners do not interact with users; they just ensure the user is present and (optionally) monitor their screen to make sure they're not scrolling through Reddit. This allows each Productivity Partner to work with multiple users simultaneously.
By the way, screen sharing isn't as scary as it seems. We lower the resolution and bitrate on the user's side to such low levels that we're not able to read any text or even distinguish images. However, it's enough for us to see when the user is on Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, etc.
Edit: more context in quoted message.
Edit #2: clarification that you're not our product
Here is an AI feature for you :D => Users share their screens and you detect webpages, and applications on the client side (process frames/images, detect logo, extract text from it, etc.). Don't send the stream to other parties only you share detected apps/webpages with others.
We can think of several AI applications for WorkMode, but we don't want to implement them. In our case, the less AI, the better.
AI, automatic data gathering, big data processing - no thanks, we'll skip it. What we do works; we don't need to improve it - at least not with AI. We don't want our Productivity Partners to handle hundreds of users simultaneously, as this would result in losing the personal connection with the user.
The concept is the same, but the execution is different. As a rule of thumb, Focusmate may work well for light, occasional procrastinators, while WorkMode is tailored to the needs of lifelong procrastinators.
I'm going to mention some disadvantages of using Focusmate, but please note that I'm not criticizing their platform. If Focusmate works for you - great, continue using it. However, if you find yourself scrolling through Hacker News instead of working, you might want to consider using WorkMode.
So, here are some differences between WorkMode and Focusmate:
On Focusmate, you're connected to another procrastinator who is there for their own benefit and usually doesn't care about your productivity. On WorkMode, it's different—you work with our employee whose only job is to ensure that you're working on your tasks.
On WorkMode, there's no such thing as a "no-show." I'm a hedonistic procrastinator, and even one missed session can result in skipping work for multiple days. This can be catastrophic if you charge by the hour (e.g., many freelancers and consultants). When I started body doubling, my income rose by 2-3x, and my disposable income increased even more.
We call you every day 30 minutes before your scheduled session to remind you about the meeting. We can also email or text you, but in our experience, these methods are less effective. It's sometimes convenient to "miss" an email or a text, but it's not easy to ignore a phone call from your Productivity Partner.
On WorkMode, you always work with the same Productivity Partner. People with social anxiety appreciate this consistency. It also helps build a relationship with them. They get to know you, understand when, why, and how you procrastinate, recognize potential triggers, and help you avoid them.
On Focusmate, you're responsible for showing up and scheduling your sessions. For many, this becomes just another to-do item on their list—one they may fail to complete because, well, they procrastinate. On WorkMode, you just need to connect with us the first time, and we'll take that responsibility from you. We'll ensure that another session is scheduled, remind you about it, and call you before it starts.
Screen sharing is much safer on WorkMode. Just make sure you don't break any NDAs.
Replacing our productivity partners (body doubles) with AI avatars simply wouldn't work. The method's effectiveness relies on interaction with another human. We asked some of our users about this, and most of them said they wouldn't feel much pressure to work on their tasks if they knew a machine was watching them. In fact, most of them would feel horrible.