Like a lot of people, i always plan backwards from my deadline. For example:

 

Appointment at 9:15

→ 35 min drive, so leave at 8:40

→ 15 mins for breakfast, so eat at 8:25

→ 30 mins to get ready, so alarm at 7:55

 

The math isnt exactly hard but it’s repetitive and tedious. And if one thing changes, you have to redo the entire chain. I used to just plan it out on the notes app on my phone.

 

I also work shifts, so my start time changes constantly, but my pre-work routine stays the same (shower, get dressed, breakfast, drive). So every time my shift changed I had to manually recalculate everything.

 

I couldn’t find an app that handled this exact use case so I built [ReadyBy: Backward Planner](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/readyby-backward-planner/id6757949495)

 

How it works:

• Set your “ReadyBy” time

• Add your tasks

• It calculates your exact start time

• Builds your schedule backwards from your deadline

• Instantly recalculates if anything changes

 

Not a calendar or a to-do list. It just answers one simple question: “when should I start?”

 

There’s also an optional buffer toggle (for when tasks take longer than expected), saved routines for shift work, a live mode to keep you on track and calendar export. Free to download with premium features.

 

This is my first app, so I'd appreciate any feedback. Honestly had a lot of fun building this and I’ve been using it daily myself. Hope others also find it useful, and would love to hear your thoughts.

Built a backward planning app because I was tired of doing time math