Do productivity apps like Flora do more harm than good? Nefo Y-I, Townley Grammar

Flora has climbed up the App Store charts for apps relating to productivity and development, reaching number 20 (as of the 28th April 2023) and only being bested by integral apps like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook. But where has this sudden popularity emerged from?

Launched in 2017, the app is not only said to increase focus, but increases environmental consciousness by using a reward system of planting trees and creating gardens. 

However for most of its users, young adults aged 18-25 and below, the use of Flora has drifted from increasing focus to heightening competitiveness. Those still in education are seeing the Flora leaderboard as a competition against others rather than themselves. The initial purpose of the app is being placed on the back burner, and learners are turning Flora on whilst in lessons, sleeping or are allowing themselves the freedom to go on other apps on alternative devices like an iPad or a laptop. This increases the hours of ‘focus time’ or revision time logged on the mobile app – but in reality not much studying is being done. 

As a result, a false sense of achievement is being given by this app, causing students to become more lax in terms of their study habits and goals. All in all it is clear that this app, unless used correctly, can be detrimental. 

So perhaps we need to place more focus and emphasis on teaching learners and young adults the importance of self-regulation and honest delayed gratification. After all, there isn’t an app for everything, as much as generation z would like to believe otherwise.