I built a tiny open-source tool because starting was harder than the work

Description and use

StartTiny is a lightweight, local-first tool that helps users overcome procrastination by enabling them to start tasks quickly with customizable timers and simple task prompts.

Problem

Users struggle to begin tasks because the first action feels too big, leading to procrastination.

Outcome

StartTiny reduces the barrier to starting tasks by offering a simple, local-first interface with customizable timers and task prompts, helping users overcome initial procrastination.

Workflow

• Open the StartTiny web page in a browser
• Add a task with optional priority and deadline
• Choose a timer interval (e.g., 10/2 or 25/5)
• Click start to begin the focus session
• Use the private brain dump to jot distractions
• When the timer ends, mark the task as complete or continue with the next task

Evidence

StartTiny is built around that first two minutes.

Source

It works offline after the first load, there is no analytics, you can fork it, and the whole project is readable without a build step.

Source