Need a solution to push an iOS notification once an hour at random time

January 17, 2018 4:49 PM

I'm looking for a app/platform/solution for my iPhone that will do the following -Select from a pre-filled list/database of quotes, Bible verses, and random musings -Send a push notification to my iPhone once an hour, but at a random time during that hour -Repeat, but with a new entry from the list, preferably shuffled and randomized

Basically, this would be a self-motivational tool in which the semi-random nature decreases the likelihood of ignoring the notification.

I'm not a programmer, so I can't make a custom app, but I signed up for a Pushover account, so if there's a solution that involves some sort of email or RSS bot, that could work too.

posted by beammeup4 to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

You can do this with Zapier but I'm not sure about the random time aspect. I'd put all the quotes into a google doc with an ID number column (column a) and the quotes in column b. Then get a random value. Then get it to return the content of column b whose id number matches the random value. Then have it send it to you in a text.
I think you'll have to pay for a subscription for this.
posted by bleep at 5:55 PM on January 17, 2018

You could probably do this entirely inside the Workflow app. It would take some experimentation and learning, because it is basically simple coding (although without code syntax).
posted by adamrice at 6:34 PM on January 17, 2018

I did something similar with IFTTT but just with email (that is, it would send me an email—I set it to morning and evening—with one random choice from a list of gentle reminders of things like drink water and be nicer to people and do your damned job). I got really got at ignoring it. Now I can't figure out how to stop it, so I filter it to the trash.
posted by clone boulevard at 6:42 PM on January 17, 2018

I use an app called Randomly RemindMe that does exactly what you are asking for. Unfortunately it's Android only, but I just wanted to let you know that someone out there has done this and hopefully you'll find something for iOS and not need to recode the wheel.
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:04 PM on January 17, 2018 [1 favorite]