〰️ How-To Guide

How to use
Chart Your Flow

A short guide to designing your transitions, building your channels, and watching your flow evolve over time.

The core idea
"Momentum isn't lost during your activities — it's lost between them. Chart Your Flow designs those moments."
The seven steps
1
Getting started

Choose your activity type

Tap Start a new activity on the home screen. You'll see a grid of nine activity types — choose the one that matches what you're about to do.

The nine activity types
💼Work
🎨Creative
🏃Exercise
📚Learning
🤝Social
🛒Errands
😴Rest
🧘Personal
🍽️Meal
💡 Tip
  • Don't just track work. Meals, rest, and exercise are all flow junctions where drift commonly happens. Tracking them gives the app a complete picture of your day.
2
Setting up

Name your intention & set a duration

Give your session a brief name — what specifically are you doing? Then pick a duration. The timer is optional, but giving a session a defined end point makes it much easier to transition out of cleanly.

Available durations
15 minutes — Quick sprint
Good for a single focused task or a short errand batch.
🌊
25–45 minutes — Focused block
The sweet spot for most deep work. Flow state typically builds after 15–20 minutes.
🏔
60–90 minutes — Deep work
For complex creative or analytical work. Plan a designed break afterward.
Open — No timer
Use when the session length is genuinely unpredictable. You can still exit and transition at any time.
3
In session

Work inside your channel

The app runs a live timer and shows a flow bar tracking your progress. A rotating insight appears below — these are constructal principles relevant to your current activity type.

The most important rule during a session: don't just walk away. When you're ready to stop, always tap the transition button rather than closing the app. That's where the value lives.

⚡ During your session
  • Protect the channel. Treat the session like a river with banks — don't let interruptions spill across the edges.
  • When the timer ends, the app automatically moves you to the exit ritual. No action needed.
  • Need to stop early? Tap "Design my transition" at any time to exit intentionally.
4
The core habit

Complete the exit ritual

This is the most important step in the app. Before leaving any activity, you answer two quick questions. This takes 30 seconds and prevents 20 minutes of drift.

The two exit questions
📍
Where are you right now?
One or two sentences about your current state in the activity. "Finished the nav component, halfway through the hero section." This is your re-entry anchor.
First action when you return
The single next step, already decided. "Write the CTA copy for the hero." Pre-deciding removes all re-entry friction.
🎙 Voice input
  • Tap "Speak instead of type" to dictate your exit note hands-free. Faster, and keeps you in the mental space of the work while you capture it.
  • Voice input works in Chrome on desktop and mobile.
5
Transition

Choose your transition channel

Select where you're flowing to — not just "take a break." Each option has a suggested duration and its own countdown timer. The transition channel gives your break a defined end point so it flows naturally back into your next activity.

Transition channel options
Return to same activity
Skips the break screen and takes you directly to re-entry. Use for very short pauses.
🏃
Movement, Meal, Rest, Personal
Purpose-built break channels with natural endpoints. Each has a countdown timer so the break doesn't expand indefinitely.
💼
Switch to a different activity
Moving from work to a creative project, or from exercise to learning. The re-entry note waits for you when you return to the original activity.
🌊
Open break
No set plan, but still has a 15-minute default countdown. Even open breaks flow better with a soft boundary.
6
Re-entry

Follow the re-entry ritual

When your break ends, tap "Ready to return." The app surfaces your exit note — both where you left off and your first action — before you do anything else.

Read the note. Then do the first action immediately. Don't check messages first. Don't tidy your desk first. The note is your tributary back into the main channel — follow it directly and momentum rebuilds in seconds.

🎯 The re-entry rule
  • Your first action should feel almost too small and easy. That's intentional. A narrow re-entry channel builds speed quickly. You're not trying to re-enter at full intensity — you're just starting the flow.
  • If you closed the app mid-break, your exit note is still waiting on the home screen when you return.
7
Progress

Watch your system evolve

Tap the Progress tab (⭐) to see your Flow Score, milestones, and pattern-aware friction tips. The system learns from your sessions and surfaces insights specific to your usage — not generic advice.

Your Flow Score (0–100)
Sessions
28 pts
+4 per session
Day streak
21 pts
+3 per day
Exit ritual
20 pts
% with exit notes
Variety + Deep work
31 pts
Activity types & 45+ min sessions
💡 Growing faster
  • The exit ritual score is the highest-leverage component. Complete an exit note on every session and you'll earn 20 points regardless of how long or how often you work.
  • Friction tips update automatically as your patterns change. Check back after every 3–5 sessions for new insights.
  • Early milestones unlock within your first three sessions. Look for 🌱 First Channel, 🔀 Junction Designer, and 🎨 Multi-Channel.
The three-part transition — at a glance
1
Exit Note
Capture where you are and your first action on return
~30 seconds
2
Transition Channel
A defined break with a natural endpoint and countdown
5–30 minutes
3
Re-entry Ritual
Read your note, follow your first action immediately
~15 seconds
Quick reference
Home screen
Start a new activity, or return to a pending transition from a previous session.
Progress tab ⭐
Your Flow Score, milestone achievements, and pattern-aware friction tips. Check after every few sessions.
History tab 📈
Every saved session with activity type, duration, exit notes, and transition channel. Includes activity breakdown stats.
Score badge
Visible in the top-right corner on every screen. Tap it to jump directly to the Progress tab.
Streak badge 🔥
Number of consecutive days with at least one completed session. Resets if you miss a day.
Pending transition
If you close the app mid-break, your exit note is preserved and shown on the home screen when you return.
Voice input 🎙
Available on exit note fields. Requires Chrome browser. Tap to start, tap again to stop recording.
Session ends
Tap "Complete this session" on the re-entry screen to save it to history and return home.