ADHD-friendly apps for learners: The best Tool – Sunsama
I’ve been writing about language learning strategies for many years, including ADHD- friendly apps for learners to boost productivity.
With extensive experience in this field, I’ve witnessed the effectiveness of time management tools and their impact on productivity.
Moreover, while working with students, I’ve noticed that some face challenges implementing these techniques.
This led me to recognize that learners with ADHD might face difficulties with task management.
For people with ADHD, typical productivity tricks, like isolating yourself or listening to motivational speeches, focusing on one task for a long time often don’t help.
They can even make things worse by triggering feelings of shame or failure.
But that doesn’t mean people with ADHD can’t be productive and achieve their goals.
I’ve been testing out different ADHD-friendly apps for learners such as
- Amazing Marvin for customizing productivity workflows
- TickTick for focusing on tasks
- Sunsama for time management
These systems are created for those who can’t stand working on the same task for hours.
These tools help manage and prioritize tasks with an ADHD-friendly multitask management grid, designed to enhance focus and productivity by breaking tasks into manageable increments.
Perfect for learners seeking a structured yet flexible daily planner and goal achievement system.
It’s a “round robin” style of multi-tasking that ensures all tasks still get completed. (Round Robin Task Manager).
I was recently introduced to Sunsama in one of my memberships and the members were discussing how well this fit ADHD brain and how easy and simple it was to use.
Therefore, I decided to check it out myself and offer additional information that could benefit my readers.
What is Sunsama
Sunsama is a company that develops a task management and calendar application.
The company is based in Oakland, California.
According to the app’s website, Sunsama is a productivity tool designed to help manage tasks, calendars, and projects efficiently and also “a daily planner that helps you feel calm and stay focused”.
It integrates with various productivity apps and allows users to organize their schedules, prioritize tasks, and track progress all in one place.
Sunsama aims to streamline workflow management and enhance productivity by providing a centralized platform for planning and execution.
Developed by: Ashutosh Priyadarshy and Travis Meyer
Founders: Ashutosh Priyadarshy and Travis Meyer
Product: Productivity app
Services: Daily planner, helps plan achievable days, set weekly goals, integrate with current productivity tools and calendar system.
Pricing: Free one-month trial, $20 USD/month or $16 USD/month if you pay annually
HEADS UP! As Sunsama is a paid tool, I want to clarify that I am not an affiliate nor compensated in any way for recommending it. My only goal is to share this app in case it can be helpful for someone with ADHD. You can decide for yourself by using the free one-month trial to see if it works for you.
What are the Sunsama Features
Sunsama offers a range of features designed to streamline task and time management.
1. Daily Planning
Each morning, or at your preferred time, Sunsama prompts you to plan your day by dragging tasks from various integrations into your daily agenda.
This practice helps you set clear daily goals and manage your time effectively.
During the daily planning session, you will:
- Reflect on yesterday’s progress.
- Add tasks to your day by dragging them from your objectives, integrated apps, calendars, emails, etc.
- Finalize your daily plan by choosing the order of tasks and estimating the time needed to complete them.
2. Timeboxing
Timeboxing, also known as timeblocking, is a method to convert your task list into a structured daily schedule by assigning specific time slots to each task in your calendar.
Sunsama supports this technique, enabling you to dedicate focused periods to high-priority tasks without interruptions.
This approach helps ensure that you allocate the necessary time to important activities and manage your day more effectively.
3. Integration With Other Tools
Sunsama integrates seamlessly with many tools, such as Asana, Trello, Notion, ClickUp, Jira, GitHub, Todoist.
This allows you to consolidate tasks from different platforms into one unified workspace within Sunsama.
4. Focus Mode
Sunsama offers a Focus Mode feature that helps users concentrate on their tasks by blocking distractions and providing a focused work environment.
The tool offers features for running focus sessions—timed work periods that promote deep, uninterrupted work.
Users can customize the length of these sessions and break times to suit their personal productivity rhythms.
To start a focus session, simply click on your task and press the arrow start button, which resembles a music play button.
This action initiates the timer.
5. Collaboration
The tool facilitates collaboration among team members by allowing them to share tasks, comments, and updates, ensuring everyone stays informed and aligned.
Teams can use Sunsama to see what everyone is working on, making project and task coordination easier.
The app also allows assigning tasks to team members and discussing tasks directly within the platform.
Plus, Sunsama integrates with other tools like Notion, so you don’t have to start from scratch—roll your existing information into Sunsama.
It’s that easy!
6. Reporting and Analytics
Sunsama provides insights into users’ productivity habits and performance through reporting and analytics features, allowing them to identify areas for improvement.
Sunsama offers analytics on how you spend your time, providing valuable insights into your productivity patterns.
Users can track the time spent on tasks, measure efficiency, and adjust their strategies based on data-driven feedback.
The channels feature is particularly useful here, allowing you to easily see how much time was dedicated to blogging, product creation, email marketing, and other activities.
7. Backlog
Yes, Sunsama includes a backlog feature that allows users to capture and store tasks or ideas that are not immediately actionable.
The backlog serves as a repository for tasks that users want to remember or revisit later but do not need to address at the present moment.
This feature helps users keep their task lists organized and focused on current priorities while ensuring that important tasks are not forgotten.
8. Dark Mode
To ease eye strain, especially during late hours, Sunsama offers a dark mode.
This feature enhances usability and reduces eye fatigue during extended work sessions, in addition to improving aesthetics.
To enable dark mode, use the pull-down menu in the top left corner of your web browser screen labeled “Sunsama” and navigate to “Settings.” It’s the last option under “General.”
8. Keyboard Shortcuts
Sunsama offers keyboard shortcuts for quick navigation and task management, enhancing user efficiency and productivity.
For example, to add a task, simply press “A” on the main screen, and the “add a task” menu will pop up—talk about efficiency!
You can learn all the available shortcuts by pressing “?” (control + ?), which will open the keyboard shortcut menu.
9. Mobile App
Sunsama provides a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, allowing users to access their tasks, calendars, and schedules on the go, ensuring productivity from anywhere.
Sunsama has a mobile app that includes most of the desktop features, enabling users to plan and track their tasks on the go.
This ensures productivity remains high even when away from the main work environment.
I particularly love the dark mode on the mobile app, and it replicates nearly all the functionality of the web browser version—super convenient!
10. Calendar Integration
The tool integrates with popular calendar apps, such as Google Calendar and Outlook, enabling users to sync their schedules and seamlessly manage their time.
How Much Does it Cost?
Sunsama differs from other productivity tools in that it operates on a single pricing model where users gain access to all available features for one fixed price.
You might wonder why there’s a cost associated with Sunsama when other tools offer free options.
Sunsama addresses this question by highlighting the drawbacks of free plans, emphasizing that they create unfavorable incentives and are ultimately unsustainable.
They underscore their stance with a screenshot of their pricing manifesto, which advocates against perpetual free plans.
This philosophy is further elaborated upon in their manifesto, where they argue against lifetime deals as they do not foster long-term commitment from customers or provide sufficient motivation for continuous product improvement.
Instead, Sunsama prioritizes monthly paying customers, using their feedback to drive ongoing enhancements.
Sunsama is priced at $20 USD per month, with a discounted rate of $16 USD per month available for annual subscriptions.
How is Sunsama Different From other ADHD-friendly Apps for Learners?
Sunsama can be beneficial for individuals with ADHD, as it offers features designed to help users stay organized, manage their time effectively, and prioritize tasks.:
✅ Task Management
Sunsama allows users to create, organize, and prioritize tasks, helping ADHD learners break down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps and stay focused on their goals.
✅ Calendar Integration
The integration with calendar apps enables users to sync their schedules, set reminders, and plan their day effectively, which can be helpful for learners with ADHD who struggle with time management and forgetfulness.
✅ Focus Mode
Sunsama offers a focus mode feature that helps users concentrate on their tasks by minimizing distractions and creating a focused work environment, which can be beneficial for people with ADHD who struggle with staying on task.
✅ Customizable Views
Users can customize their tasks and calendar views according to their preferences, allowing them to organize information in a way that works best for them and reduces cognitive overload.
More Benefits:
Sunsama is Simple.
Sunsama offers a streamlined experience without sacrificing functionality.
It provides all the necessary tools to efficiently plan your day without bombarding you with countless ways to achieve the same goal.
Quick & Easy to Get Started
Another advantage of Sunsama is its quick setup time.
You can get started and be fully operational in less than 60 minutes.
No templates to buy and learn how to use.
This easy onboarding process allows you to start using it immediately.
For more productivity tools you can read:
How to Use The Mirror Technique for Language Mastery
Time Audit: Tried-and-True Tool to Be Productive & Learn English Faster
The Pomodoro Technique: How to Use It For Productivity
How to Learn English Faster with The 2-Minute Rule
Conclusion: ADHD-friendly Apps For Learners
If you are looking for ADHD-friendly apps for learners Sunsama offers several benefits that can be particularly helpful for ADHD language learners.
Its structured task management system helps organize tasks clearly, reducing the overwhelm often felt by having an unorganized to-do list.
By focusing on daily planning, Sunsama allows users to break their day into manageable chunks, making it easier to stay focused on specific language learning activities.
The time-blocking feature is particularly useful, allowing learners to allocate specific periods for study, practice, and breaks, which helps in maintaining focus and managing time effectively.
Sunsama’s Focus Mode minimizes distractions, creating an environment that supports sustained attention and concentration—crucial for effective language learning.
Regular reminders and notifications ensure that learners stay on track with their study plans and deadlines, reducing the likelihood of forgetting important tasks.
Integration with other productivity tools and calendars means all necessary information is in one place, reducing the chaos of managing multiple apps.
Tracking progress on tasks and projects provides a sense of accomplishment and motivation, essential for maintaining momentum in language learning.
The ability to customize views and organize tasks according to personal preferences allows learners to create a system that works best for their unique needs.
Sunsama’s straightforward and user-friendly interface reduces cognitive load, making it easier to use without feeling overwhelmed.
Finally, the quick and easy onboarding process ensures that learners can start benefiting from Sunsama’s features immediately, without a steep learning curve.
These aspects collectively help ADHD language learners manage their time and tasks more effectively, improving their productivity and reducing stress.
If you want to give it a try, use this link to get a free month of Sunsama. Typically, you would only get a 14-day free trial, but this link extends it to a full month.
So, what’s your next step?
Sign up for your free one-month trial of Sunsama and share your experience with others!
Thanks for reading,
M.K.
