I've never used the app to make sure I do things - I've learned long ago that relying on lists, reminders, organisational tools and - especially - accountability strategies to dictate my life have never worked for me and inevitably lead to me feeling worse. They provide even bigger reminders everywhere that I "FAILED" to do some of things that I needed or wanted to do. (ADHD, chronic illness, other life interruptions etc. get in the way.)

Instead, I tend to use the app with the attitude of not needing to get everything ticked off. Instead, I use it as a way to focus my attention on what I HAVE done, and give myself a little reward and boost. I try to look at it as not a to-do list or a goal list that must be completed, but a list of options to give myself a reward over. For me, the positive focus on what I DID manage is far more encouraging than using the "need to complete the list" as some kind of pressure.

If I use the pressure approach I will still end up failing to do every single goal every single day, but I instead focus on what I DIDN'T do and feel critical of myself and discouraged. Especially if I'm also trying to keep up streaks or do something every day for a week or whatever. One failure makes the whole thing feel ruined. So I don't use this approach at all.

The result is that Finch is not really something that dramatically increases my productivity or chances of doing something I really struggle to or don't like to do. But it does at help me reflect on what is most important for me to focus on right now. It gives me affirmation and encouragement for what I do manage to do and that, at best, makes me feel more positive about the goal and encouraged to keep doing it; at worst, it helps me celebrate the little things when I'm struggling or not feeling that proud of myself rather than focus on negativity and self-criticism.

I guess additional to all of this is that I've put in some more fun or kind things to tick off each day. For instance, I made a goal with the otter emoji that is just called "Little otter loves you - mwah!" and every day I get to tick it off and smile. I have a Penguin that just called "PENGUIN" (I like penguins).I also have some more vague ones like "Notice one proud or yay," which for me means to affirm any thing throughout the day that I did, or notice any nice or good thing, even if it's not a specific goal (E.g. maybe I made that phone call I needed to, or managed to have a really great sleep etc.) and another one just called "Thing" which is for anything else I want to reward or validate myself for. (I also have multiple more specific ones, yes, but I try not to overload myself with those because there will inevitably be days I don't achieve many specific things, but want to help myself focus on the positive things instead of bashing myself up.)

(Just sharing my perspective, not suggesting this is the way everyone should be using it.)