Start Now

What is Start Now?

Start Now is a feature of Locked In AI that removes the choosing step entirely: it selects one small, concrete first task from what you already have on your device — an upcoming exam, an active goal, or a topic you have been getting wrong — and opens a 5-minute focus timer for it. You tap one button and you are working.

It exists because of a pattern many students know well: the schedule is beautiful, and the studying never starts. Start Now is for that exact moment — the app decides, you begin, and the first block is short enough that starting feels safe.

Why does planning become procrastination?

Research on procrastination points to emotions, not time-management skill: Sirois and Pychyl (2013) describe procrastination as giving in to feeling good now — avoiding a task because starting it feels bad — which is why the most detailed schedule can still sit untouched. Building the plan delivers the same relief as progress, without the progress.

Choosing adds a second layer of friction. Faced with five possible first steps, an overwhelmed brain compares, second-guesses, and often closes the app. Start Now removes both costs: the task is already decided, and it is small enough that the first minute feels doable.

How does it work?

The card shows one task and one Start button. The task is picked by a rule-based selector that runs on your device — it looks at the exam dates you entered, your active goals, and the topics you have been getting wrong, then chooses one and writes it as a concrete first action. Under the task you will read "Just 5 minutes. You can stop after.", plus an if-then line: "When you tap Start, you'll … for 5 minutes."

That if-then shape is an implementation intention — the format Gollwitzer's research on goal achievement associates with higher follow-through, because it pre-decides when, where, and how you will act. There is deliberately no swap button and no second option: the app decides so you do not have to. If there is nothing on your device yet, the card asks "What are you avoiding right now?" and turns your answer into a fixed 5-minute micro-task.

Does it use AI credits?

No. Start Now is entirely rule-based — the picker runs on your device and the timer runs in your browser. It never calls the AI, so it does not touch your free AI messages, your one-time starter allowance, or any paid credits.

It works the same for guests and signed-in accounts. If you have used up every free AI message, Start Now still works exactly the same way.

Can I stop after 5 minutes?

Yes — that is the design. The card tells you up front that you can stop after 5 minutes, and stopping early is treated as a normal outcome: any time you already focused is banked, and the app closes with a calm "Good start. You can try again anytime." — no guilt, no streak pressure.

The bet is that permission to quit removes the fear of committing. In practice, once the block has started, most people keep going — but the app never requires it.

What happens after a block?

You get a completion screen with real numbers only: the XP you actually earned, how many blocks you started today, and your streak — mentioned only if it actually extended. From there you can tap "Another 10 minutes" to chain straight into a 10-minute block with a small next step, or "Done for now", which closes on a short "That counts." A quiet "Plan my day" link opens the full planner — the full plan is never forced on you right after a block.

After your first completed block, the Home card changes for the rest of the day: instead of the starter task it shows "1 block done today. That counts." with the same "Another 5 minutes" option. It counts your completed blocks honestly and resets the next day.

What data does it keep?

Almost nothing, and all of it stays on your device. The feature keeps a count of blocks completed today (a date and a number, reset daily) and anonymous event counters — numbers and fixed labels such as which button was tapped — so the product can be improved without collecting your content.

Your task names and topic text are never written into those counters, never sent to an AI provider by Start Now, and never synced. This page describes the mechanics; the Privacy Policy describes the wider data handling.

A design based on research — honestly stated

Start Now is a design built on published research: Sirois and Pychyl (2013) on procrastination as short-term mood repair, and Gollwitzer's work on implementation intentions. What we can honestly say is how it works and why it is shaped this way. We do not have outcome studies or success statistics to cite yet — and we will not invent any.

Frequently asked questions

Keep exploring