How the Productivity Score is calculated (0–100)

Most “productivity” tools either track output (what you finished) or time (how long you worked). The problem is that both can lie: you can work for 10 hours and still feel stuck, or you can finish a lot of easy tasks while avoiding the one high-value thing. This calculator solves that by combining four signals into a single score: Output, Focus, Energy, and Balance.

Think of the final score as a “daily snapshot.” It’s not meant to judge you — it’s meant to help you notice patterns. If your score is low, you don’t need motivation. You need a diagnosis: was it a planning issue (Output), distraction issue (Focus), energy issue (Energy), or sustainability issue (Balance)? The breakdown makes the answer obvious.

Output is measured by comparing how many tasks you completed to how many you planned:

• Completion ratio = completed tasks ÷ planned tasks
• Output score = clamp(completion ratio, 0, 1.25) mapped to 0–100

Why allow up to 1.25 (125%)? Because some days you finish more than planned — maybe you were on a roll, maybe tasks were smaller than you thought, or maybe a surprise opportunity appeared. We give a small bonus, but we cap it so the score doesn’t become “cheat by planning one task and doing two.”

Focus is based on your deep work ratio and an interruption penalty:

• Deep work ratio = deep focus minutes ÷ total work minutes
• Base focus = deep work ratio × 100
• Interruption penalty = 2 points per interruption (scaled gently for long days)
• Focus score = clamp(base focus − penalty, 0, 100)

Here’s the intuition: deep work is the part of your day where you’re actually pushing the needle — writing, building, studying, creating, solving. Total work includes meetings, email, admin, Slack, and context switching. You can absolutely be productive without “deep work,” but most people who want a higher score are trying to increase it.

Energy combines sleep, self-rated energy, and movement:

• Sleep score: optimal is roughly 7–9 hours (too little or too much reduces the score).
• Energy rating: your 1–10 rating is mapped to 0–100.
• Movement boost: up to a small bonus for 0–60 minutes of activity.

Why include energy at all? Because it’s the multiplier behind everything. When energy is low, your attention collapses, your impulse control drops, and your “easy” tasks start taking forever. The goal isn’t to “force productivity” — it’s to create conditions where productivity happens naturally.

Some productivity metrics accidentally reward overwork. That’s not the vibe here. Balance aims to keep the score honest by adding a light sustainability check:

• Working a reasonable amount of time (roughly up to ~8–9 hours) keeps balance high.
• Very long days (10–14+ hours) gently reduce balance — because high output at the cost of burnout isn’t sustainable.

The final score is a weighted average:

• 40% Output
• 30% Focus
• 20% Energy
• 10% Balance

Why these weights? Output and focus are the two most actionable levers day-to-day: you can plan better, reduce distractions, and improve task design. Energy matters a lot, but it’s sometimes constrained (kids, travel, health). Balance prevents “hero days” from looking like the only way to win. If you track this for a week, you’ll quickly learn which lever moves your score most.

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

These examples show how the score behaves with different kinds of days. You don’t need to match them exactly — they’re just reference points to help you interpret the result.

• Planned 8 tasks, completed 6
• Deep focus 120 minutes, total work 420 minutes (2 hours deep work in a 7-hour day)
• Interruptions: 9
• Sleep: 7.3 hours, Energy: 7/10, Movement: 20 minutes

This day usually lands in the 65–80 range depending on interruptions and deep work ratio. Output is strong, focus is decent, energy supports the work, and the day is sustainable. This is the kind of day you can repeat.

• Planned 10, completed 9
• Deep focus 30 minutes, total work 480 minutes
• Interruptions: 18
• Sleep: 7.0, Energy: 6/10, Movement: 0

Output will look excellent, but Focus will drag the total score down. You may still land around 55–75, which is fair: you accomplished a lot, but it was expensive in attention. If this is your normal week, the fix is not “work harder.” The fix is protecting focus blocks.

• Planned 6, completed 3
• Deep focus 210 minutes, total work 360 minutes
• Interruptions: 4
• Sleep: 6.0, Energy: 5/10, Movement: 15

This is a classic “I worked hard but my checklist looks empty” day. The Focus score is high, but Output is lower. Your total might be 55–75. If the three completed tasks included a high-impact deliverable, that’s still a great day. Tip: in your task list, write the big deliverable as a task (not 20 sub-tasks), so your Output score matches reality.

• Planned 12, completed 10
• Deep focus 90 minutes, total work 780 minutes (13 hours)
• Interruptions: 25
• Sleep: 5.2, Energy: 4/10, Movement: 0

This can still produce a “decent” score, but Balance + Energy will push it down — often into the 40–65 range. That’s intentional: the calculator is saying, “Yes, you pushed through… but it’s not repeatable.” If you see this pattern often, the most productive move is recovery.

• Planned 8, completed 2
• Deep focus 20 minutes, total work 240 minutes
• Interruptions: 16
• Sleep: 4.8, Energy: 3/10, Movement: 0

Expect a score that can land in the 15–40 range. This isn’t a moral failure — it’s a signal. Usually the lever is Energy (sleep debt) and Focus (interruptions). The “win” on these days is a reset: sleep, simplify, and rebuild momentum tomorrow.

How to use this score to improve (without burning out)

The best way to use this calculator is not to chase 100. A perfect score is rare and honestly unnecessary. What you want is a score that is repeatable. Repeatable productivity beats occasional heroic productivity every time.

After you calculate, check the breakdown cards: Output, Focus, Energy, Balance. Your lowest category is usually your best improvement lever.

Choose one small action for tomorrow based on the weakest category:

• Low Output: reduce planned tasks, make tasks clearer, or break one task into a “next action.”
• Low Focus: schedule one protected 45–90 minute deep work block (phone away, notifications off).
• Low Energy: prioritize sleep, hydration, sunlight, and a 10-minute walk.
• Low Balance: cut scope — the most productive move may be finishing fewer things.

Save your day (the “Save Day” button) and look for weekly averages. A score that rises from 52 → 60 is meaningful. A single 92 is fun, but it’s not a system.

If you want accountability without stress, share your score with a friend or group chat. Don’t compete on “highest score.” Instead share one sentence: “What would improve my score tomorrow?” That turns the tool into a mini-coaching loop.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this Productivity Score scientifically validated?

  No. It’s a practical, self-reflection metric. The categories are based on common productivity principles (task completion, deep work, attention fragmentation, and recovery), but it’s not a diagnostic or clinical tool.

• What if I don’t use a to-do list?

  You can still estimate planned and completed tasks. If you prefer, treat “planned tasks” as the number of outcomes you intended to finish. Even a rough estimate is useful when you compare week-to-week.

• Can I get a high score on a day with lots of meetings?

  Yes — if you complete what you planned and protect even a small deep-work block. Meeting-heavy days often lower Focus, but Output can remain strong. The score is meant to show that trade-off, not punish you.

• Why does sleep affect my score?

  Because your brain is the productivity engine. When sleep is low, your focus and impulse control drop. The calculator reflects that reality: sometimes the best productivity move is recovery.

• What’s a “good” score?

  Many people sit between 45–70 on normal workdays. A score of 70+ usually means you had decent deep work and finished most of what you planned. A score below 40 often signals either low energy, too many interruptions, or unrealistic planning.

• Does this score work for students, creators, founders, and parents?

  Yes — just adapt “tasks” to your world. A student’s task could be “finish problem set section,” a creator’s task could be “publish draft,” and a parent’s task could be “appointments + household admin.” The score is about intention, focus, and energy.