Abstract:

Knowledge workers face increasing challenges in managing nu-
merous digital tasks, often leading to long task lists that distract
from completing the most important ones. We present AIRbar, a
task management tool designed to enhance Awareness, Intention, and Retrospection (AIR) in daily task management. AIRbar prompts workers to prioritize a maximum of three daily tasks, displays them in an always-on glanceable widget, and facilitates end-of-day reflection to improve task completion and self-awareness. In a 4-week field study with 35 participants, we found that AIRbar increased task completion rates, improved focus and motivation, and positively influenced perceptions of work processes. These findings suggest that limiting the number of tasks and ensuring continuous visibility of priorities can address key challenges in modern task management, providing actionable insights for designing future
task management systems.

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