ZenClock - Circle Reminder

Inspiration

Most calendar apps are designed for productivity, which often feels like an endless, stressful "to-do list." We realized that while life is a series of cycles - the sun, the seasons, our own biological clocks - our digital tools are stuck in linear, vertical lists. This creates "scroll fatigue" and makes it hard to visualize the shape of our day. We built ZenClock to bring Clarity back to time management, treating time as a continuous flow rather than a cluttered list.

What it does

ZenClock is a circular reminder and calendar app that syncs with your existing events to provide a high-level visual representation of your schedule.

• Focus Chunking: Users can set the clock face to 3, 6, 12, or 24-hour views, helping them focus on the events within that specific "chunk" of time.
• Intuitive Navigation: By moving the central needle clockwise, users can "travel" through their day to see upcoming event arcs.
• Information-Rich Arcs: Each event arc shows the title and time, but also includes a "live" countdown (time until it starts) or a progress tracker (time remaining if already in the event).
• Ambient Focus: Users can take a snapshot of their circular schedule and set it as their wallpaper to stay aware of their day without even opening the app.
• Hybrid Flexibility: For those times when you need a familiar view, ZenClock includes beautifully designed traditional Day, Week, and Month layouts.

How we built it

ZenClock is built with Flutter, leveraging its high-performance rendering engine to create a smooth, 12f0ps circular interface.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest hurdle was the trigonometry of time. Mapping 24 hours (or variable 3/6/12 hour chunks) into a 360-degree circle while accounting for event overlaps required complex math. We had to develop a custom "Grouping Algorithm" to ensure that when two events are close together, they remain legible and don't visually clutter the circle. Another challenge was the background wallpaper export, which required careful handling of platform-specific image rendering to ensure the quality stayed "Zen-level" sharp.

We focused on "The Feel." We spent hours ensuring that when you move the needle or zoom into a time chunk, the movement is as smooth as silk. We used modern design principles to make sure the app looks clean, minimalist, and free of the visual "noise" found in most productivity apps. Everything was built to be lightweight and fast, so it never gets in the way of your day.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are incredibly proud of the UI/UX transition between the circular view and traditional views. It doesn't feel like two different apps; it feels like two perspectives of the same life. Achieving a "Figma-style" minimalist aesthetic while maintaining high technical performance was a major win for us. Also, the "Time Remaining" feature on the arcs has proven to be a game-changer for reducing "meeting anxiety."

What we learned

Building ZenClock taught us that less is often more. We learned a lot about user psychology - specifically, how visualizing time as a "cycle" can lower stress more effectively than seeing it as a "list." Technically, this project deepened our expertise in Flutter's rendering pipeline. Integrating with RevenueCat was surprisingly easy; I finished it in a single day before submission. Truly a game changer!

What's next for ZenClock - Circle Reminder

• Auto-Refresh Wallpaper: The most requested feature - automatically updating your lock screen wallpaper every hour to show your current "Time Chunk."
• Interactive Lock Screen Widgets: Bringing the circular view to the iOS/Android home screens.

Built With

• flutter
• revenuecat