I ditched my to-do list for a virtual pet app, and my productivity actually improved

Published Aug 5, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT Patrick is a seasoned writer with more than a decade of experience, specializing in any and all things tech. His work has been featured on platforms like CNET, Yahoo, Xfinity, and many other outlets. When not typing away, he can be found with his nose in a book. I am not an organized person, and much of the software I use is an attempt to remedy that. Whether it's Obsidian, apps like Super Productivity, or a slew of different to-do list apps, I've spent a lot of time trying to find a way to keep myself focused and on-task. Most of them work, at least to some degree, but I haven't found one that I can stick with for more than a month or two at a time before I go off the rails. That's part of why Finch stands out; it's a mobile app focused on self-care, encouraging users to brush their teeth, take breaks to stretch, etc. The app is centered around a virtual pet. Think of it like a Tamagotchi that's encouraging you to get your work done. Finishing a task earns points that go towards helping your pet grow, and you can also earn currency that can be spent on virtual outfits, furniture, and more. There's an innocence to the app that's appealing, and the gamified elements make it easier to stick with. I've found myself more excited to mark things off, especially since I'm looking forward to the pet growing. Taking care of my virtual pet means taking care of business It's a surprisingly effective, surprisingly adorable gimmick Focusing on my main tasks each day has never been a problem. Writing an article is something I'll get done without a struggle, but remembering to respond to an email or make a phone call I've been putting off? That's another beast entirely. Smaller tasks tend to pile up, and the mental exertion that goes into jumping from chore to chore drains me in a way that larger projects don't. Finch makes it easy to create to-do list items and assign them to different "self-care" areas. There are nine of these by default: Calm, Nutrition, Movement, Self-kindness, Sleep, Gratitude, Hygiene, Connection, and Productivity. Of course, you can also create your own areas for improvement. You can choose the due date for a task, whether it repeats, what time of day it needs to be finished by, and more. Finishing a quest gives you "energy," and you need to reach a certain level of energy to send your pet on a virtual quest. You get five energy per completed task, and it only requires 15 energy to start the quest, so it's easy to do. Finch isn't built to be difficult; it's meant to make you more productive with a fun, game-like element. The rewards make small tasks feel more meaningful Answering an email can be boring, but not if my little bird gets a new outfit Each adventure your pet goes on lasts for around eight hours, but when it returns, it brings with it a new discovery. For example, mine found a cherry tree, and I could choose whether it should try cherries or not. I told it to try them — after all, trying new things keeps life interesting — and the pet didn't like cherries, but it did earn points towards curiosity. Over time, your pet will develop preferences, find items that can be displayed in its virtual house, and more. In practical terms, the rewards are meaningless. At its heart, Finch is just a game, but it gives small tasks and immediate payoff that comes with a nice dopamine hit. When your cute virtual pet is happy, you're happy. More than that, since I'm looking forward to what rewards my pet might get, I'm more inclined to actually open my to-do list and see what remains to be checked off for the day. The self-care side of things matters, too You can't be productive without taking care of yourself I'm admittedly a bit of a workaholic. Just this week, I've put in three 14+ hour days. During the workday, it's easy to forget to get up and stretch or look away from the screen to give my eyes a break. It's especially tough to remind myself to drink water instead of pounding another cup of coffee. Finch comes preloaded with reminders to do those small things that keep you healthy, and I don't know about all of you, but I definitely benefit from that. A few of the smaller tasks it proposes include washing your face, brushing your teeth, and doing a mindful breathing exercise. It also has one about closing unused browser tabs, which personally feels like it's just a bit targeted. But there is truth to these small tasks; if you want to be more productive, the first step is taking care of yourself. Even a short break from the screen can help you remain more focused, and I've begun to see the benefits of stepping away for just five minutes to stretch my legs and work the kinks out of my shoulders. Finch doesn't replace a real productivity system Finch can help me with small tasks, but it's no good for complex work While Finch is great for reminding me to schedule a phone call or respond to an email, it's not a substitute for a dedicated planner. Take a project like writing a novel; I can't exactly just put "finish novel" into Finch and expect to accomplish that in any meaningful way. Instead, I would need to break it down into bite-sized segments beyond just "Finish chapter two." For something like that, I would need a more powerful tool that allows me to set tasks and subtasks, and Finch isn't that. I never thought a virtual pet would be the key to getting more done I've used Finch quite a bit in the past, but I recently lost access to my old account and had to start fresh. A bit of a bummer, but it gave me the chance to adopt a new virtual pet, and honestly, the gains in the early days of using the app go a lot faster. It keeps things exciting. I never would have thought that a virtual pet app would be more effective than Todoist or something similar, but here we are. Finch Finch is a self-care pet app that helps you feel prepared and positive, one day at a time.