Review: How I study using a productivity app: Yeolpumta

In April of 2021, I started using an application called Yeolpumta, (열품타) developed by UnCheon Baek, on a daily basis. In Korean, the application name is an abbreviation for “Yeoljeong pumeun taimeo” (열정 품은 타이머), which means “Enthusiastic timer” in literal translation. Like the name suggests, the application is a timer to keep track of one’s study hours and minutes.

Once Yeolpumta is opened, the application displays a screen with a timer, a goals/subjects category, and studying time for each subject. One can create a desired list of subjects that they are studying and label the subject with a customized color, ranging from coral to earl grey.

The highlight of this application is that one can see others who are studying along with them. When one clicks the timer, the application then switches to a screen full of small figures who are studying in real time. In addition, one cannot leave the application because if he or she happens to do so, the timer stops.

However, if one uses the function of “Allowed Apps,” one can use other applications, such as GoodNotes, Gmail, and Google Classroom, while also recording his or her study time. Although there is an overall timer that keeps track, there is also an “Allowed apps” timer. So, once one is finished with certain applications outside of Yeolpumta, he or she would want to return to the application. Furthermore, there is a concentration timer, which is a timer that records without any breaks.

Another highlight of Yeolpumta is that there are daily, weekly, monthly, and grade level ranks for the same time zone. For example, since I live in California, I am competing with those who are also residing in the same time zone of GMT-7, such as Vancouver. This is actually an improved feature in the application compared to when I used it last year, as I would be studying with students across the world. To me, it was really confusing and hectic since there would be thousands of people studying at the same time, whether it be day or night. Now, I feel so relieved at how the application has became more organized and much easier to utilize and see visually.

As earlier stated, there are also grade level ranks, which are based on the type of school level you are in, which can be selected from the choices of elementary school, middle school, high school, university, language, and other. There is an individual rank for each category one is in and also the entire categories that are available. These ranks help people to know where they stand, in terms of studying, in both a small population and a large population. Furthermore, the top three for the daily, weekly, and monthly ranks are featured at the top of the ranking category.

What happens when you fall asleep while studying? Don’t worry because you are not the only one. I have experienced this multiple times throughout my studying sessions, and thankfully, the application allows you to manage your studying subjects by letting you edit and delete time.

Additionally, according to the Yeolpumta application, a time record of nine hours or more and a total of 20 hours or more will result in an exclusion from the rankings, because while some may be able to concentrate for nine hours straight, it is typically hard for the average human being, as there are restroom and food breaks after several hours of being in the same position.

After using this application every day, I feel the need to be productive due to the visual studying timer in front of me. There are so many insights into the application and so much more to explore within it. From ranks to planners, Yeolpumta is the absolute productivity application for me, especially during the month of Advanced Placement testing.