I Lost My Job, But I Regained My Focus
From SaaS chaos to a quiet timer: why I traded the notification storm for a small app—and a calmer mind.
The "99+" Reality: My Life in the SaaS Echo Chamber
Before I became an independent developer, I worked in the SaaS industry. On the surface, it was an environment defined by "efficiency" and "cutting-edge collaboration." In reality, it was a world of digital fragmentation.
As a Customer Success Manager, I was the bridge between my company and multiple large clients. My communication tools—enterprise platforms like Lark (similar to Slack or Teams)—never stopped screaming for attention. I wasn't a strategist; I was a 24/7 human router for notifications.
- The information courier: My day was spent moving information from Group A to Group B, ensuring everyone was "on the same page" while I had no time to read the page myself.
- Hunted by algorithms: It wasn't just humans; it was the bots. AI-driven reminders tracked my every move: "Have you updated the CRM?" "Weekly report due in 2 hours." "Follow-up record missing."
I was a high-speed gear in a massive machine, spinning faster and faster but going nowhere. My ability to think deeply was eroding. Work had become a series of knee-jerk reactions to red notification dots.
Leaving SaaS: How I Found a Better Way to Focus
Then, I experienced an unplanned exit—I was laid off.
When my corporate accounts were deactivated and those pulsating group chats vanished instantly, I felt something I didn't expect. Alongside the uncertainty of being unemployed, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
For the first time in a long while, the suffocating noise of "instant collaboration" stopped. In that silence, I had a realization: Why, in an environment equipped with the world's best productivity tools, was I less productive than ever? Why had focusing for even 25 minutes become a luxury I couldn't afford?
Building PurrrrrFocus: A Sanctuary for Deep Work
I decided to channel that exhaustion into my first independent project.
The birth of PurrrrrFocus wasn't just about building another app; it was an act of self-recovery. I had felt myself drowning in a sea of notifications, so I wanted to build a lifeboat—not just for me, but for anyone still stuck in that storm.
- More than a timer, it's a ritual: There is no shortage of Pomodoro timers, but most miss the point. What's missing is a "sanctuary." When you start a session in PurrrrrFocus, the cat is a signal to the world: "For the next 25 minutes, I do not belong to my inbox, my clients, or my boss. I belong to my work."
- Healing over pressure: In the corporate world, we are chased by cold progress bars and demanding bots. I wanted to replace that pressure with the soothing presence of a companion—a gentle way to reclaim your headspace.
- Quiet by design: Relaxed, Challenged, and Whitelist focus modes, widgets, Live Activity, and fully offline privacy—built so the app respects your attention instead of competing for it.
Final Thoughts: Taking Back Control
Leaving the SaaS world wasn't my choice, but it became my greatest opportunity. It taught me one hard truth: In the modern age, your attention is your most valuable asset—and everyone is trying to steal it.
I didn't build this app to make you a more efficient machine. I built it to help you reclaim your sovereignty from the trivial. Even if it's just two high-quality focus sessions a day, those are moments where you are finally back in control.
This is the story behind PurrrrrFocus. A longer version with practical follow-up guides lives on the PurrrrrFocus blog.
Featured in this story
PurrrrrFocus
A Zen Pomodoro timer with cat companions—built for calm focus, not notification anxiety.
- Relaxed, Challenged & Whitelist focus modes
- Widgets, Live Activity & offline privacy
- Guochao-inspired calm for deep work
TapPause
A single-tap pause ritual between focus blocks—rest without streaks or pressure.
- Friction-free breaks
- 100% offline
- Pairs well with Pomodoro rhythms