Sometimes there are days when work just doesn't quite get going. I find myself unfocused, easily distracted, and constantly forgetting what I wanted to do next.
Normally I don't rely on productivity tools, but rather a dull YouTube playlist and a written to-do list. It's just stupid when I forget the note when I move from the home office to the open-plan office or YouTube keeps asking me whether I'm really still listening or simply switches from the Dark Academia playlist to musical songs.
A Steam “game” promised me the solution to my – admittedly – banal problems. Butfor just 10 eurosand after the recommendations of my colleagues Rae and AK, I wanted to give it a chance.
And what can I say? It works.
Lofi Girl on Steam
The program is calledSpirit City: Lofi Sessionsand is ultimately a virtual space that I can decorate to let a character (e.g. my digital likeness) live and work in it. Logically, there is no classic gameplay. I have a whole range of productivity tools and functions, all of which contribute to leveling up.
As I level up, I get a little in-game currency that I can use to buy new items for my character or the room.
The most important function for me is not the leveling, but the integrated music playerwith a growing selection of lofi playlists. Similar to the famous YouTube playlist, I can listen to some calm sounds here to concentrate on my tasks. Alternatively, I can also import real playlists from YouTube here.
This is a real advantage, especially in an open-plan office, because I can escape the noise of colleagues talking on the phone and the typical office hustle and bustle. Mixed with a mix of background noises put together by myself, such as quiet thunder, cats purring and raindrops, it creates the perfect feel-good atmosphere.
Would you like a little acoustic sample? They're in the trailer:
About tomatoes and to-dos
In addition to nice music and a nice atmosphere, of course I also have onesmall arsenal of calendar note and timer functions. For the sake of clarity, I have listed them for you:
- To-Do-Listen:Here I can create multiple lists and add individual tasks per list. If I check off a point, I get an experience bonus once a day.
- Pomodoro-Timer:Here I can individually set how long my next concentration phase should last and how long the breaks in between are. Colleague Alana explains exactly how the Pomodoro principle works and what it has to do with tomatoes:
- Habits Calendar:Here I can track and check off all my recurring tasks.
- Diary:I can write down my thoughts here. The various general categories give me some food for thought as to what I want to write down there.
I really actively use the to-do list. I've tried working with the timer every now and then, but I can't really get used to the method. But that's primarily because I'm constantly jumping back and forth between tasks in my job, which means I rarely have moments when I can focus on a single task.
The situation is similar with habits and the diary. Although I use it very little, I especially like the suggestions with the diaryWhat are my top priorities for the day
? orWhat am I looking forward to today?
extremely useful.
On a ghost hunt
The last feature is less productive, but all the more playful, what I would like to introduce to you in Spirit City: The Spiritdex. Behind this is a kind of Pokédex for ghosts. By choosing the right background noise, lighting and activity, I can find some creatures that can then move in with me.
I also get a cryptic clue as to where these ghosts are hanging out and a visual clue in the form of a rotating circle in the interface if I have everything set up correctly. Then it's just a matter of waiting (and working) before the Trashnuki or the Hedgelog show up and I'm rewarded with a little entry about them.
Here you can see what the clues look like. Most of them are easy to guess.
As I said: This isn't a groundbreaking concept for taking your productivity to the next level or procrastinating on ghost hunting. All tools can also be clicked together for free via browser extension or programs. For 10 euros, I'm happy to save myself the effort and at the same time have a nice background backdrop and an extra task through ghost hunting.
Enjoy reading on GameStar
Since I started using Spirit City: Lofi Sessions, even in stressful everyday life, I no longer forget that I want to write articles like this one. What I have done now and can finally check off the item on my evergreen to-do list. Yay!
