How the Cognitive Productivity Score is calculated

The score is built from eight ingredients. Each ingredient becomes a 0–100 sub-score, then we combine them with weights to produce one number that’s easy to track. The goal isn’t “scientific perfection”—it’s useful feedback you can act on in under a minute.

• Deep Work Score (0–100): Deep work minutes scaled up to 4 hours (240 min). More than 4 hours still counts as 100, because after a point, quality matters more than quantity.
• Sleep Score (0–100): Highest near ~7.5 hours, with gentle penalties for being too low or too high.
• Anti-Distraction Score (0–100): Starts at 100 and drops as distraction minutes grow. We treat 3 hours of distraction as “max penalty.”
• Clarity Score (0–100): Your 1–10 clarity rating mapped to 0–100. Clarity is “what to do next” without hesitation.
• Energy Score (0–100): Your 1–10 mental energy rating mapped to 0–100.
• Anti-Stress Score (0–100): Starts at 100 and decreases as stress increases.
• Breaks Score (0–100): Rewards breaks that match your deep work. Ideal breaks ≈ one break every ~90 minutes of deep work.
• Caffeine Score (0–100): 0–2 servings is treated as neutral-to-helpful; above that, we apply a penalty.

Once we have sub-scores, we compute a weighted sum:

• 22% Deep Work
• 18% Sleep
• 14% Clarity
• 12% Energy
• 12% Anti-Distraction
• 9% Breaks
• 7% Anti-Stress
• 6% Caffeine

Why this mix? Deep work is the output you want. Sleep, clarity and energy set capacity. Distraction and stress are common silent killers. Breaks and caffeine matter—but they’re supporting actors.

How to use this score (and make it go up)

This calculator is best used like a dashboard. You don’t “win” by chasing 100 every day—you win by making your score less random. Most people are productive in bursts and then wonder why it’s not consistent. The Cognitive Productivity Score gives you a simple way to see what changed.

• Morning: enter sleep + clarity + energy + stress (quick check-in).
• End of day: add deep work minutes + distraction minutes + breaks + caffeine.
• Weekly: look at your saved history. Find your “high-score ingredients.”

• Make the next task obvious: write a 1-sentence “next action” before you stop working.
• Protect deep work: one 60–90 minute block with phone off beats “busy all day.”
• Reduce distraction minutes: measure them honestly—then shave 10 minutes per day.
• Sleep consistency: a stable bedtime often beats “sleeping in on weekends.”
• Stress downshift: a short walk or breath reset reduces mental noise.

Screenshot challenge: Post your score with one change you’re trying (“No phone first hour”, “One deep work block”). Friends love comparing scores because it feels like a personality test—but it actually drives behavior.

Realistic examples (so you can sanity-check your score)

Below are three examples to show how the score reacts. You can use these as reference points so the result feels intuitive instead of mysterious.

• Deep work: 150 min
• Sleep: 7.6 h
• Distraction: 35 min
• Clarity: 8/10
• Energy: 7/10
• Stress: 4/10
• Breaks: 2
• Caffeine: 2

This usually lands in the 70–85 range. Deep work + low distraction drive the score.

• Deep work: 60 min
• Sleep: 6.2 h
• Distraction: 140 min
• Clarity: 6/10
• Energy: 6/10
• Stress: 7/10
• Breaks: 6
• Caffeine: 4

This often lands around 45–65. Distractions + stress are the main drag, and deep work is low.

• Deep work: 20 min
• Sleep: 4.8 h
• Distraction: 180 min
• Clarity: 3/10
• Energy: 3/10
• Stress: 8/10
• Breaks: 1
• Caffeine: 1

This tends to score 0–40. The best move is recovery + simplification, not “try harder.”

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this score scientifically validated?

  No. It’s a practical self-tracking model designed to be consistent and actionable. Use it to notice patterns and make small changes.

• What counts as “deep work minutes”?

  Any time you’re doing one cognitively demanding task with minimal context switching: writing, coding, studying, designing, problem-solving.

• How do I estimate distraction minutes?

  Think: scrolling, random tabs, message hopping, “just checking something,” or frequent context switching. If you’re unsure, err on the honest side.

• Why do breaks matter?

  Too few breaks can tank energy later; too many breaks can prevent momentum. Structured breaks help.

• Why doesn’t caffeine always increase the score?

  Beyond moderate amounts, caffeine can increase jitters and disrupt sleep, hurting overall cognitive performance.

• What’s a good score to aim for?

  If you can keep most workdays in the 70+ range, you’re doing great. Under 40 often signals sleep/stress basics.

Small changes that usually improve cognitive productivity

If you want this tool to be more than a fun number, use it as a tiny experiment engine. Pick one lever for three days, change it slightly, and watch what happens to your score. The point isn’t perfection—it’s learning what your brain responds to.

Distraction minutes aren’t just “phone time.” It’s also the hidden tax of context switching: opening five tabs, checking messages “real quick,” or bouncing between tasks before any of them are finished. A simple rule that often works is one screen, one task. Close everything not needed for the next 25 minutes. If that feels scary, write down the “later” items on paper so your brain stops trying to hold them in memory.

Low clarity usually means your brain is doing planning while you’re trying to do execution. Try this: write a single next action that is so specific you could start it immediately. “Work on project” is vague. “Write the intro paragraph for the report” is actionable. Clarity is a multiplier—when it goes up, deep work minutes usually rise automatically.

Energy isn’t only sleep. Hydration, movement, light, and food timing matter. The fastest non-weird reset is: drink water, stand up, walk for 5–10 minutes, then do one focused sprint. If you keep scoring low on energy, the best “productivity hack” is often a consistent sleep window and fewer late-night screens.

Stress is cognitive noise. Even when you’re working, part of your brain is running background processes: worry, urgency, rumination, or perfectionism. A 2-minute “worry dump” can help: write the concern down, then write the next smallest action you can take. You’re not solving the whole problem—you’re reducing the mental load.

Breaks are a balancing act. If you take zero breaks, fatigue usually hits later and deep work quality drops. If you take breaks every 5 minutes, you never build momentum. A good default: work 60–90 minutes, break 5–10 minutes. During the break, move your body or look far away (eye strain is real). Avoid “breaks” that are just more dopamine scrolling.

Pro move: treat your saved score list like a mini lab notebook. When you hit a high score, write what you did differently. After a few weeks you’ll have a personal playbook for “good brain days.”