Three Rods. Ten Tasks. That's It.
An abacus for your life. No AI assistants. No gamification. No "insights dashboard." Just you deciding what matters, then doing it.
Position what matters most at the top. Can't add an 11th task? Good. The limit forces honesty — most productivity systems let you pretend you can do everything. Suanpan doesn't.
Why Suanpan?
A fundamentally different way to think about your tasks
Position Over Priority
Organize tasks by relative position within meaningful categories, eliminating decision fatigue.
Rods, Not Lists
Three purposeful categories (Mine, Family, Work) replace overwhelming to-do lists.
Natural Flow
Work from top to bottom within each rod, creating clear workflow without jumping around.
Your First 10 Minutes
No elaborate systems. No productivity theater.
Brain Dump
Open each rod. Type every task screaming in your head. Aim for 5–10 per column. More than 10? Admit some things won't happen.
Position Them
If you could only do one thing in this column today, what would it be? Drag it to the top. Then ask the same question about what's left.
Do the Top One
Open the app. Do the top task. Check it off. The next one surfaces. Repeat. No planning, no reviewing, no "setting intentions."
Keep It Simple
Don't create custom columns yet.
Three is enough for 90% of life. More columns = more decision fatigue.
Don't assign dates to everything.
Dates are for deadlines, not wishes. If it's just "someday," position it and let it surface.
Don't make elaborate systems.
No color coding. No tags. No nested projects. Just tasks, positioned, done.
Questions?
Everything you need to know
What is the Abacus Method?
The Abacus Method organizes tasks by position within purposeful categories (rods) rather than arbitrary priority levels. Work flows naturally from top to bottom, eliminating decision fatigue.
How is this different from other task managers?
Traditional apps use priority labels. The Abacus Method uses relative position within categories (Mine, Family, Work), making priority contextual and visual.
Does the app store my data online?
No. All task data stays on your device only. We don't collect, store, or transmit any personal information or task content.
What are the three rods?
Mine (personal goals), Family (relationships and household), and Work (professional tasks). These mirror the Eisenhower Matrix's life areas.