Finally, there’s a smart way to use your phone to become less distracted and more productive!
It’s easy to be distracted by all your phone’s rings, chimes, and buzzes. But what if you could use those same alerts to help increase your focus, sustain attention, and stay on task? Well, now you can. Introducing the Original Beeper App™ that uses random beeps to help prevent your mind from wandering so it can stay focused—even if you have ADHD!
Why Use the Original Beeper App?
Developed by a licensed mental health provider, the evidence-based Original Beeper App™ is proven to enhance focus and attention during work, school and chores—even when at home. It’s guardrails for your brain to keep your focus in its lane.
New Technology Based on Old Science
The Original Beep App is the World's first app that uses a series of random beeps to prevent the user's mind from wandering and becoming distracted.
First, it leverages 50 years old research where researchers discovered that using random audio beeps on a tape recorder (beeper tape) helped test subjects stay focused better.
Second, it uses the same system of random beeps that engaged the attention and focus of highly trained NASA personnel on space missions.
According to Chris Hadfield, NASA Astronaut, "The Quindar tone was the audio beep that was used to turn remote transmitters on/off to communicate with the crew in space. So whenever anyone in Mission Control heard that beep, they knew the crew was talking—so they'd stop talking and pay attention.
How It Works
Customize your settings, then start your session.
During your session, tap the button whenever you hear a beep.
Once the session ends, your results are displayed and recorded.
As Seen On Fox13 News
Develop Self-Regulation
The Original Beeper App™, developed by a licensed mental health provider, is designed to assess your level of attention on any given task and record these results. Research shows that a person who can self-monitor their attentiveness and focus will consistently increase on-task behavior, accuracy, and performance. Self-regulation strategies, championed by Albert Bandura, are proven to be effective procedures for increasing on-task behavior above and beyond the gains of medications or other external methods.
Use It Wherever You Need to Focus
Use at School
Students can use the app when reading, doing math, writing, or on other assignments. The app does not interfere with a teacher’s lesson or require constant teacher involvement to keep students on track.
Use At Work
Engage your attention at work and focus on completing time-consuming or uninteresting tasks. You can wear headphones, so no one else hears the beeps. Use it as your secret weapon to help get your next promotion!
Use at Home
Parents love the Original Beeper App because their children can stay on task with chores, homework, musical practice, and cleaning their room without supervision.
Possible Applications
User Experiences
"The beeps feel like guardrails keeping focus steadily flowing between the lines. If having a day where they are more distracted, increasing the frequency of the beeps tightens the guardrails."
"The randomness of the beeps (at any frequency) is helpful because it prevents my mind from finding a pattern and coasting. It’s like driving on a curvy road instead of a straight one."
"The beeps help me automatically check in and adjust my focus. If my thoughts are drifting out of the lane, the beep brings me right back where I need to be to stay on-task."
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the app do?
By using random, audible prompts (beeps) to remind the user to stay on task, this app helps people who struggle with attention and focus. Use it while reading, doing homework, completing chores and more. This tool can help you stay focused on anything that you may struggle with. Research done nearly 50 years ago using a “beeper tape recording” showed that test subjects using beeps to remind them to stay focused had better results than others who:
- Depended on another person to prompt them to stay on-task
- Relied upon token systems as incentive
- Used medication exclusively
What problem do you solve?
Millions struggle with attention and focus when they need to have consistent, on-task behavior. This app takes nagging out of the equation. It helps the user become more efficient through self-regulation and builds confidence as his or her results improve. The research that demonstrated how a simple beeper tape can help attention and focus was ahead of its time. Now technology has caught up to the research results and through this app. Anyone can use this remarkable and proven technique to support sustained focus.
What is unique about your app?
There is nothing like it in any app store. It is the only tool available that captures the evidence-based beeper tape method of improving focus. Using Fixed and Random Prompts, it makes it much harder to split your attention when working on a task that may be boring, uninteresting or pressed for time.
Why should someone download your app rather than something else?
This is an evidenced based application. There is no guesswork as to its effectiveness. The process of fixed and variable (random) reinforcement this app uses to enhance attention and focus is unique to anything on the internet.
What’s the best way to set up the device I use the app with?
Set device to “allow notifications”. Change your settings to have your device “never sleep”. Open app and use. If using our app with other applications open on same device, the notification alert will appear, and you will have to switch back and forth. It is more efficient to use one device for the Original Beeper App™ and work on another. The fixed/random prompt alert may interfere with your workflow switching back and forth on the same device. If you change the prompt duration to 6 seconds, that can give you more time to sift through the notifications to push the prompt button.
Why would I use Fixed Prompts?
Fixed prompts can be set at any time the user chooses. The user can set the timer to beep every 10, 20 or 30 seconds or however long they feel they need in between prompts to maintain attention and focus. With the prompts fixed, the user has more control over their attention splitting too soon and too often into their task. This setting is a great place to start as it can keep the prompts close together to remind you to stay on task.
Why would I use Random Prompts?
Random prompts increase persistence in staying on-task over a long period of time which in turn increases self-regulation which allows increased control of your attention and focus over a variety of tasks. With improved self regulation, it makes it harder to split your attention.
What are the differences between the Random Prompt Frequencies?
Prompt frequency means the number of prompts or times the button lights up and the beeps sound off. When set to High Frequency, the button will beep often enough to redirect someone who gets distracted easily and repeatedly. Medium Frequency is for those who need less prompts to stay focused. Many may find that this frequency setting is best to start with in order to gauge how much or how little their focus needs to be redirected. Low Frequency is for those who need limited prompts every few minutes.
How do I print my results?
On the results page, you will see a “printer’ icon on the top right of the page. Press that button so the app can access your photo library. Once accepted, it saves a screenshot to your photo library and you can print your results page from there.
What users have experienced using Original Beeper App™
The beeps feel like guardrails keeping focus steadily flowing between the lines. If having a day where they are more distracted, increasing the frequency of the beeps tightens the guardrails. The randomness of the beeps (at any frequency) is helpful because it prevents the mind from finding a pattern and coasting. It’s like driving on a curvy road instead of a straight one. The beeps help users automatically check in and adjust their focus. If their thoughts are drifting out of the lane, the beep brings them right back where they need to be to stay on-task.
What are some applications for Educators?
During independent study/work, students use app with headphones to guide and enhance on-task behavior. Teachers have used the app to broadcast through classroom speakers effecting all students in class at one time. Teachers used the app during their prep period to increase productivity. Special Ed. Teachers/ School Psychologists have used the app with fixed prompts on silent (vibration or visual only) for behavior observations.
What are some applications for parents?
Keeping children on-task during homework time, chores, practicing hobby/music instrument, drawing, etc.
What are some applications for students?
Use app with headphones during homework or study to stay focused in public places. Use of app with headphones to block out external distractions while at the same time music is played, keeping the user on-task.
What are some applications for work or home?
If your environment is open and near others, you can minimize disruptions by using headphones or silent mode (vibrate or visual) to increase productivity. When you have multiple tasks to accomplish due to time constraint or prioritization, use it to complete one task before moving onto the next task. Use it to work to deadlines and manage multi-tasking efficiently and successfully.
Professional Experiences Using the Beeper App
"As an administrator in a high school, I deal with a lot of kids who are struggling with classroom behavior. I started using the Beeper app this year while working with students who need to complete assignments. Most of the time, these students have a hard time concentrating for any length of time. The Beeper app helps them focus long enough to finish assignments. The students enjoy using it - it becomes a challenge for them to get as much done as possible before the next prompt! " -- J.F., High School Administrator
"The Original Beeper App has helped my classroom management immeasurably! I have used the app on an iPad with individual students using headphones and in a whole group work session over my classroom speakers. The beeper app has helped my kids stay on task during independent work while I am helping with others. The beeper app has become part of my daily routine in study skills class, and independent work time for all my students." - J. B., Teacher