Diurnal

Diurnal operates as a Mac-based notepad which lets users work with freeform pages and organized to-do lists while avoiding the standard maintenance required by task management programs. Press ⇧⌘A and start writing, every paragraph becomes a task automatically.

Write Naturally

The pad opens instantly with a keyboard shortcut. Users can enter "pay rent friday 4pm #home" into Diurnal which will identify the day and reminder settings and tag information during the writing process. The first line of a paragraph becomes the task title, lines underneath become notes, and a blank line starts the next task. You can use bold text and lists and checklists in this app exactly as you would in your preferred notes application.

No Overdue Pile

Unlike traditional to-do apps, nothing on the page ever turns overdue. The system generates daily alerts for any work assignments which received no updates during the previous 24-hour period. The task will remain active when you select yes. Diurnal will move it to next week after two days of silence and then it will return to you when the upcoming week begins. You are always told what moved.

Three Modes for Different Needs

• Write: Users can record their ideas right away through the system which recognizes dates and times and tags from their natural speech

• Plan: View and organize tasks by date, tag, or status with a clean timeline interface

• Focus: Use the built-in Pomodoro timer to work on specific tasks with 15, 25, or 50 minute sessions

Key Features

• Quick capture with ⇧⌘A keyboard shortcut

• Natural language date and tag parsing

• Auto-clean system that prevents task pileup

• Optional calendar integration

• Offline functionality

• Tag-based organization

• Native macOS experience supporting Big Sur, Sonoma, and Sequoia

• Available for Apple silicon and Intel Macs

• Notarized by Apple for security

• Homebrew installation support

Who It Is For

Diurnal is built for Mac users who want the simplicity of a notepad combined with the structure of a task manager. The tool serves users who believe regular to-do software requires too much upkeep and those who stop using task management software because their backlog of overdue items becomes unmanageable. The design of Diurnal works best for users who want to start with an empty document before developing their organization system through natural evolution.

Why It Stands Out

Most task managers force you into a rigid structure from the start. Diurnal uses a different method which lets you start with an empty canvas before you can build organizational systems when you require them. The auto-clean feature stands out because it stops users from building up overdue tasks which leads them to stop using their task management applications. The system prevents unfinished tasks from turning red while they check in with users before moving themselves to an appropriate time slot when users fail to respond.

The natural language input means you can type the way you think. Users can avoid entering separate information because the system automatically extracts title details and date and time information and category data from their inputs. Users can write naturally because Diurnal understands their writing. The three-mode system provides users with three different display options which serve their needs for capturing information quickly and conducting detailed planning and executing tasks with focus.