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🧠 Smart Suggestions - AI-Powered Task Prioritization

Get intelligent, context-aware task recommendations based on your calendar, time of day, and priorities!

Overview​

Smart Suggestions is Mind Your Now's intelligent task recommendation system that helps you decide what to work on next. By analyzing your calendar, current time, task priorities, and deadlines, it automatically suggests the most appropriate tasks at any given moment, eliminating decision fatigue and keeping you focused on what matters most.

Key Benefits​

  • Context-aware recommendations: Suggestions adapt to your schedule, time of day, and available time
  • Automatic prioritization: Overdue tasks and urgent deadlines surface first
  • Calendar integration: Deep work windows and meeting schedules inform suggestions
  • Time-of-day optimization: Morning habits, deep work tasks, and afternoon chores suggested at optimal times
  • Zero configuration: Works automatically with your existing tasks, habits, and calendar

How Smart Suggestions Work​

Priority System​

Smart Suggestions operates within a four-tier priority system that ensures the most important activities always come first:

Priority 0: Recently Completed Tasks (Highest)​

  • Shows task completion confirmation
  • Suggests next task to maintain momentum
  • Visible for 5 minutes after completion
  • Helps maintain flow state

Priority 1: Active Pomodoro Sessions​

  • Active timer sessions take precedence
  • Displays current task and remaining time
  • Ensures focus isn't disrupted by suggestions
  • Paused sessions remain visible

Priority 2: Calendar Meetings​

  • Current meetings block all suggestions
  • Upcoming meetings (within 15 minutes) shown as warnings
  • Respects external commitments that can't be rescheduled
  • Protects scheduled collaboration time

Priority 3: Smart Task Suggestions​

  • Activates when no higher-priority activity exists
  • This is where the intelligent recommendation engine operates
  • Top 3 suggestions shown based on sophisticated scoring

Suggestion Scoring Algorithm​

When generating suggestions (Priority 3), the system uses a two-tier sorting approach:

Tier 1: Overdue Tasks (Highest Priority)​

Overdue tasks always appear first in suggestions, sorted by how overdue they are:

  • Most overdue tasks rank highest
  • Ensures urgent work gets attention
  • Cannot be overridden by other scoring factors
  • Still respects meetings as external commitments

Tier 2: Scored Tasks​

When no overdue tasks exist, suggestions use a sophisticated scoring system:

Base Priority Score (10-30 points):

  • High priority: +30 points
  • Medium priority: +20 points
  • Low priority: +10 points

Time-of-Day Bonuses:

  • Morning Habits (6am-10am): +35 points for habits
    • Optimal time for routine-building activities
    • Capitalizes on fresh mental state
  • Deep Work Time (10am-2pm): +20 points for complex tasks
    • Best window for focused, cognitively demanding work
    • Aligned with peak mental performance
  • Afternoon Chores (2pm-5pm): +15 points for quick chores
    • Good for administrative and physical tasks
    • Natural energy dip makes habits harder

Deep Work Window Detection (+25 points):

  • Identifies calendar gaps >90 minutes
  • Boosts tasks requiring sustained focus
  • Only applies to tasks estimated ≥30 minutes
  • Helps schedule complex work in optimal windows

Meeting Preparation (+15 points):

  • Tasks ≤20 minutes with meeting in 30-90 minutes
  • Encourages quick wins before meetings
  • Prevents starting long tasks that will be interrupted

Duration Matching:

  • Tasks fitting available time: +15 points
  • Tasks with comfortable buffer: +10 bonus points
  • Tasks too long for window: -20 penalty
  • Prevents poor time allocation decisions

Due Date Awareness:

  • Due today: +25 points
  • Due this week: +15 points
  • Overdue: Tier 1 (always first)

Confidence Scoring​

Each suggestion includes a confidence score (0-1) indicating recommendation quality:

  • High confidence (0.7-1.0): Strong match with current context
  • Medium confidence (0.4-0.7): Reasonable suggestion
  • Low confidence (0.0-0.4): Fallback suggestion when few options exist

Confidence is calculated as min(1, max(0, totalScore / 100))

Time-of-Day Optimization​

Morning Window (6am-10am)​

Ideal for: Habits and routine-building activities

Why it works:

  • Fresh mental state supports habit formation
  • Willpower reserves are highest
  • Fewer competing demands
  • Sets positive tone for the day

Example suggestions:

  • Morning meditation or exercise
  • Reading or journaling habits
  • Planning and review routines

Deep Work Window (10am-2pm)​

Ideal for: Complex tasks requiring sustained focus

Why it works:

  • Peak cognitive performance hours
  • Calendar typically has fewer meetings
  • Energy levels sustained through lunch
  • Fewer interruptions expected

Example suggestions:

  • Writing or content creation
  • Complex problem-solving
  • Strategic planning work
  • Technical deep dives

Afternoon Window (2pm-5pm)​

Ideal for: Administrative tasks and quick chores

Why it works:

  • Natural post-lunch energy dip
  • Shorter time before end of day
  • Good for collaborative work
  • Admin tasks require less deep focus

Example suggestions:

  • Email and communication
  • Household chores
  • Quick administrative tasks
  • Meeting preparation

Evening Window (5pm-6am)​

Ideal for: Low-pressure tasks and wind-down activities

Why it works:

  • Reduced mental capacity for complex work
  • Good for reflection and planning
  • Supports work-life boundaries
  • Prevents burnout from overworking

Example suggestions:

  • Light planning for tomorrow
  • Simple habit tracking
  • Review and reflection tasks
  • Personal development activities

Calendar Integration​

Deep Work Window Detection​

Smart Suggestions analyzes your calendar to identify deep work windows - uninterrupted blocks of time ideal for focused work.

Detection criteria:

  • Calendar gaps ≥90 minutes without meetings
  • Excludes internal Mind Your Now events (tasks, habits)
  • Only considers external calendar events
  • Recalculates automatically as calendar changes

How it helps:

  • Complex tasks get +25 point boost during deep work windows
  • Prevents scheduling focused work between meetings
  • Encourages batching similar tasks together
  • Maximizes productivity during uninterrupted time

Available Time Calculation​

The system calculates your available time window:

Without upcoming meetings:

  • Assumes time until end of work day (5pm)
  • Returns 0 if after work hours
  • Enables realistic task suggestions

With upcoming meetings:

  • Calculates minutes until next meeting
  • Filters tasks that won't fit
  • Penalizes tasks too long for window (-20 points)
  • Bonus for tasks with comfortable buffer (+10 points)

Meeting Awareness​

Current meetings:

  • Block all suggestions entirely
  • Show "In Meeting" status
  • Display meeting end time
  • Respect external commitments

Upcoming meetings (within 15 minutes):

  • Warning notification shown
  • Short tasks suggested (under 20 minutes)
  • Prevents starting work that will be interrupted
  • Prepares you for upcoming commitment

Technical Implementation​

Hook Architecture​

Smart Suggestions is implemented in the useCurrentActivity hook:

import { useCurrentActivity } from '../hooks/useCurrentActivity';

// Basic usage
const { type, priority, suggestions, currentMeeting } = useCurrentActivity();

// With options
const context = useCurrentActivity({
  refreshInterval: 30000,        // Refresh every 30 seconds
  enableSmartSuggestions: true,  // Enable suggestions
  enableCalendarIntegration: true // Include calendar
});

Suggestion Interface​

interface SmartSuggestion {
  taskId: string;
  title: string;
  taskType: 'TASK' | 'HABIT' | 'CHORE';
  estimatedMinutes?: number;
  priority: 'high' | 'medium' | 'low';
  confidence: number; // 0-1 score
  reason: string;     // Human-readable explanation
}

State Management​

The hook automatically refreshes every 30 seconds (configurable) to keep suggestions current:

const context = useCurrentActivity({
  refreshInterval: 60000, // Update every minute
});

// Check current activity type
if (context.type === 'SUGGESTION') {
  const topSuggestion = context.suggestions?.[0];
  console.log(`Recommended: ${topSuggestion?.title}`);
  console.log(`Reason: ${topSuggestion?.reason}`);
}

Activity Detection Flow​

graph TD
    A[Start] --> B{Recently completed task?}
    B -->|Yes| C[Show completion + next suggestion]
    B -->|No| D{Active Pomodoro?}
    D -->|Yes| E[Show Pomodoro session]
    D -->|No| F{Current/upcoming meeting?}
    F -->|Yes| G[Show meeting info]
    F -->|No| H[Generate smart suggestions]
    H --> I{Any tasks available?}
    I -->|Yes| J[Show top 3 suggestions]
    I -->|No| K[Show IDLE state]

Integration Points​

🗓️ Calendar Events​

Smart Suggestions seamlessly integrates with your connected calendars:

Google Calendar:

  • Syncs external meetings automatically
  • Identifies deep work windows
  • Calculates available time accurately
  • Respects meeting commitments

Meeting Detection:

  • Only considers non-Mind Your Now events
  • Filters out your task/habit calendar entries
  • Updates in real-time as calendar changes

⏰ Pomodoro Timer​

When you start a Pomodoro session:

  • Smart Suggestions pauses automatically
  • Current task displays in focus mode
  • Timer takes Priority 1 (above suggestions)
  • Suggestions resume after session completes

✅ Task Completion​

After completing any task:

  • Completion confirmation shown (Priority 0)
  • Next high-priority task suggested
  • Auto-start option available
  • Maintains momentum and flow state

📋 Task Properties​

Suggestions consider all task metadata:

  • Priority: High/Medium/Low designation
  • Due dates: Overdue and upcoming deadlines
  • Duration: Estimated time to complete
  • Task type: Task/Habit/Chore classification
  • Completion status: Filters out finished items
  • Archive status: Ignores archived tasks

Tips for Better Suggestions​

🎯 Set Accurate Task Properties​

Priorities:

  • Use "High" sparingly for truly urgent work
  • "Medium" for important regular work
  • "Low" for nice-to-have tasks
  • Overdue tasks override priority

Estimates:

  • Set realistic duration estimates
  • Include setup/cleanup time
  • Consider complexity and focus needs
  • Helps with deep work window matching

Due Dates:

  • Add deadlines to time-sensitive tasks
  • Use calendar for external commitments
  • Overdue items always surface first
  • "Due today" gets significant boost

📅 Keep Calendar Updated​

Connect calendars:

  • Link Google Calendar for best results
  • Ensure meeting times are accurate
  • Calendar gaps enable deep work detection
  • Real-time sync improves suggestions

Mark time blocks:

  • Block focus time on calendar
  • Prevents interruption suggestions
  • Creates reliable deep work windows
  • Helps colleagues respect your focus time

🕐 Work with Natural Rhythms​

Morning:

  • Complete suggested habits first
  • Build consistent routines
  • Use fresh mental state effectively
  • Set positive momentum

Midday:

  • Tackle complex tasks in deep work windows
  • Batch similar work together
  • Minimize context switching
  • Protect uninterrupted time

Afternoon:

  • Handle administrative tasks
  • Quick wins and chores
  • Collaborative work
  • Meeting preparation

Evening:

  • Avoid starting complex work
  • Light planning and review
  • Habit check-ins
  • Tomorrow's preparation

🔄 Refresh Understanding​

The system learns from your patterns:

  • Complete tasks fully to improve next suggestions
  • Mark habits done at consistent times
  • Update priorities as work evolves
  • Archive completed projects
  • Keep task list current

Troubleshooting​

No suggestions appearing​

Possible causes:

  1. All tasks completed or archived
  2. Smart suggestions disabled in settings
  3. Task list empty
  4. Higher priority activity active (Pomodoro/meeting)

Solutions:

  • Add new tasks to your list
  • Check settings for disabled suggestions
  • Verify tasks aren't all marked complete
  • Wait for Pomodoro/meeting to end

Unexpected task suggestions​

Common scenarios:

  1. Overdue task not showing: Check if there's an active meeting (Priority 2 > overdue)
  2. Wrong time-of-day task: Verify system time and time zone settings
  3. Long task suggested before meeting: Meeting might be >90 minutes away
  4. Habit not suggested in morning: Check habit completion status and priority

Debugging tips:

  • Check task priorities and due dates
  • Verify calendar integration is working
  • Review available time window calculation
  • Ensure tasks have reasonable duration estimates

Calendar integration issues​

Symptoms:

  • Deep work windows not detected
  • Meetings not blocking suggestions
  • Available time calculations wrong

Solutions:

  • Reconnect calendar in settings
  • Verify calendar permissions granted
  • Check for calendar sync errors
  • Ensure meeting times are correct
  • Refresh calendar connection

Suggestions not refreshing​

Expected behavior:

  • Auto-refresh every 30 seconds by default
  • Manual refresh on page reload
  • Immediate refresh after task completion

If not working:

  • Check browser console for errors
  • Verify internet connection
  • Try hard refresh (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R)
  • Clear browser cache if persistent

Advanced Usage​

Custom Refresh Intervals​

Adjust suggestion refresh frequency:

// Faster updates (every 15 seconds)
const context = useCurrentActivity({
  refreshInterval: 15000
});

// Slower updates (every 2 minutes) - saves battery
const context = useCurrentActivity({
  refreshInterval: 120000
});

Disabling Features​

Selectively disable suggestion components:

// Disable smart suggestions entirely
const context = useCurrentActivity({
  enableSmartSuggestions: false
});

// Disable calendar integration
const context = useCurrentActivity({
  enableCalendarIntegration: false
});

Accessing Raw Data​

Get detailed suggestion data for custom UI:

const context = useCurrentActivity();

if (context.type === 'SUGGESTION') {
  context.suggestions?.forEach(suggestion => {
    console.log({
      task: suggestion.title,
      type: suggestion.taskType,
      priority: suggestion.priority,
      confidence: suggestion.confidence,
      reason: suggestion.reason,
      duration: suggestion.estimatedMinutes
    });
  });
}

Future Enhancements​

Smart Suggestions will continue evolving with:

  • Machine learning: Personalized suggestions based on completion patterns
  • Energy level detection: Suggestions adapted to your productive hours
  • Collaboration awareness: Team member availability in suggestions
  • Weather integration: Outdoor chore suggestions based on conditions
  • Habit streak protection: Extra boost for habits at risk of breaking
  • Context switching costs: Penalty for tasks requiring different mental modes
  • Project momentum: Boost for tasks in active projects

What's Next?​

Smart Suggestions works seamlessly with other Mind Your Now features:

Ready to let AI handle task prioritization? Your smart suggestions are already working behind the scenes!