I’ve been looking for some time for a way to have a productivity dashboard open in one of my browser tabs… something I could look at in the morning to get inspired and a way to check in with my to-do list. I considered several options for this, including the possibility of creating my own page that I could populate with widgets from the various other services I use. I also looked at existing services, like Trello, that might do the trick. Nothing seemed to fit, though, until I stumbled upon Momentum.
I honestly don’t remember how I found Momentum, but it was during a period where I was investing lots of services online to see if they would be valuable for me. I like productivity tools as long as they’re not too overbearing.
Momentum Dashboard
Momentum is a Chrome extension that creates gorgeous landing page, the basis of which is a beautiful photo from somewhere around the world. This alone makes me feel happy when I sit down at my desk and look at it. You can flip through five different photos options per day, and you can “favorite” photos and go back to them any day/time.
Another little piece of motivation on the dashboard is a daily quote. You can also scroll through five different quotes each day to find one that resonates with you. Like, the images, you can save your favorites.
You’ll notice that right in the middle of the screen is a Pomodoro timer. This is a great productivity tool that helps you work in sprints – a technique that’s proven to help you focus on important tasks.
Plus you get your local weather up in the upper right corner. Click on it to get more detailed weather information.
Your favorite links
In the top left corner of the screen is a Links link where you can add your most important and most often used links. It also includes a link to open the Google apps page and a new Chrome tab. Next to the Links link is a search field. One of my few complaints about this dashboard is that the search results come up in the same window instead of a new one. But you can choose which search engine to use for your searches; Google, Bing or DuckDuckGo.
Daily task list
Another helpful feature of this onilne productivity dashboard is the “to do” feature. You can have multiple “to do” lists based on categories. Plus, you can sync the lists with your productivity software like Todoist, Trello or Asana. I have mine linked to my Google Tasks lists. New tasks and date-specific tasks show up in the dashboard, and when I check them off in the dashboard, they are marked “complete” in Google. Additionally, I can make a task the “focus” that appears underneath the Pomodoro timer.
Space for jotting notes
Lastly is the simple Notes feature. It allows you to take simple text notes while you’re browsing the web. I jot down writing ideas or other things I need to copy and then paste later. I wouldn’t mind if there was some simple formatting available, such as bold, lists, etc. But for now, it’s just plain text.
A simple productivity solution
What I love about this productivity dashboard is its simplicity. In the settings, you can turn features on or off to only show what you want to see. The developers are very responsive to feature requests but are dedicated to keeping the interface clean and attractive.
I highly recommend this free Chrome extension if you’re looking for a place to stay grounded throughout the day.
