The Problem: Productivity Tools That Create More Work
Most task management apps solve the wrong problem. They give you infinite lists, nested projects, tags, priorities, due dates, and integrations — then wonder why you spend more time organizing tasks than completing them.
As the team behind Only3, we'd watched this pattern repeat across dozens of client engagements. Project managers drowning in Jira backlogs. Founders with 47 items on their "today" list. Developers context-switching between six different tools. The tools designed to reduce overwhelm were causing it.
47 tasks isn't productivity. It's procrastination with extra steps.
The Hypothesis: Less Is More
We started with a simple question: what if a task manager only let you have three tasks?
Not three categories. Not three projects. Three tasks, total. If you want to add a fourth, you have to finish or remove one first. And if you don't finish a task within 24 hours, it auto-archives — because if it sat there for a day without getting done, it probably wasn't that important.
This constraint-based approach draws from research on decision fatigue and the paradox of choice. When options are limited, people make faster decisions and experience less anxiety about what they're missing.
Technical Architecture
Web Application
The web app is built on Next.js with server-side rendering for fast initial loads. State management uses React's built-in hooks — no Redux, no Zustand. When your entire state is three items, you don't need a state management library.
The backend runs serverless functions handling authentication, task CRUD, and Stripe subscription management. Data lives in a PostgreSQL database with row-level security ensuring users can only access their own tasks.
Native iOS App
The iOS app is built in Swift with SwiftUI for the interface. We chose native over React Native for two reasons:
- Haptic feedback — the satisfying tactile response when completing a task is core to the experience
- Widget support — iOS home screen widgets let users see their three tasks at a glance without opening the app
Real-time sync between web and iOS uses WebSocket connections, with a conflict resolution strategy that favors the most recent write (last-write-wins). For three tasks with single-user access, this is more than sufficient.
ADHD-Friendly Design
The UI was designed with input from ADHD community members. Key decisions:
- Calming color palette — no aggressive reds or urgent oranges
- Minimal visual clutter — no sidebars, no navigation hierarchies
- Completion streaks — positive reinforcement through streak tracking, not guilt-driven notifications
- No due dates — the 24-hour auto-archive replaces manual deadline management
Results
Only3 launched at only3.dev with a 30-day free trial. Early user feedback confirmed the hypothesis: people who struggled with traditional task managers found the constraint liberating rather than limiting.
The technical simplicity of the constraint also kept development costs low — no complex drag-and-drop, no nested hierarchies, no permission models. The entire codebase is lean enough for a small team to maintain indefinitely.