Alarming Scheduling
After MacroDroid and other Android automation tools failed, one developer manually sets timers daily.
In a LessWrong post titled 'Alarming Scheduling,' Jefftk outlines a quirky but relatable productivity hack: each morning, he reviews his work calendar and manually sets a series of timers for each meeting. His goal is to avoid missing meetings without relying on phone vibrations (which he doesn't notice) or a smartwatch (which he can't wear). Despite extensive research into Android automation tools like MacroDroid, none could reliably trigger audio alerts for calendar events. He even notes that MacroDroid 'seemed pretty promising' but ultimately failed.
This manual approach, while wasteful in time, provides an unexpected benefit: reviewing his schedule helps him understand how meetings fit together and where free time lies. The post highlights a gap in modern smartphone automation—reliable, customizable pre-meeting audible alerts without needing to manually set timers. It's a small but telling example of how even tech-savvy individuals sometimes revert to low-tech solutions when automation fails.
- Jefftk tried multiple Android automation tools including MacroDroid, which all failed to produce audible meeting alerts.
- He manually sets timers each morning based on his calendar schedule, saying phrases like 'Set a timer for 9:59' for each meeting.
- The routine doubles as a beneficial daily schedule review, helping him plan his time between meetings.
Why It Matters
Highlights the persistent gap between automation promises and reliable real-world execution in smartphone productivity tools.