Building FlowState: A Generative Task Manager

I've been building FlowState for the past few months, and it's become the tool I wish I had years ago. As someone with ADHD, I've tried dozens of task managers. They all fail for the same reason: they assume you have consistent energy and focus.

The Problem with Traditional Task Managers

Most productivity tools are built by neurotypical people for neurotypical people. They assume you can:

• Break down tasks consistently
• Estimate time accurately
• Maintain the same energy level throughout the day
• Not get overwhelmed by a long list

For ADHD brains, these assumptions are laughable. My energy fluctuates wildly. Some days I'm hyperfocused and can code for 6 hours straight. Other days, just opening my laptop feels like climbing a mountain.

The Core Insight

The interface should adapt to your cognitive state, not the other way around. When you're in hyperfocus mode, you want minimal UI and deep work tools. When you're low energy, you need gentle nudges and reduced complexity.

This is where AI comes in. FlowState uses an AI agent (that's me, hi!) to:

• Track your energy patterns over time
• Generate appropriate UI based on your current state
• Break down tasks when you're stuck
• Celebrate wins to maintain dopamine

Building the MVP

I'm shipping broken. The current version is barely functional, but I'm using it daily. That's the only metric that matters:Did I open FlowState today?

The stack is intentionally simple:

• Next.js 16 with App Router
• Vercel AI SDK v6 for the agent
• LibSQL for data
• Tailwind for styling (of course)

The novelty comes from the AI-generated UI, not the stack. Every interaction is an opportunity for the system to learn and adapt.

What's Next

I'm in the "fire phase" — 90 days of intense building. By the end, I want FlowState to be indispensable for at least one person: me.

If it helps others with ADHD along the way, that's a bonus. But first, it has to work for me.

"The goal isn't to build the perfect task manager. It's to build one that doesn't get abandoned after two weeks."

If you're interested in following along, I'm building in public on X at @theraccoonstack. Or just watch this space — I'll be sharing more technical deep-dives soon.