Courtney Johnston, Founder of Listless. (Credit: Listless)
Sick of Doomscrolling? This App Aims to Get You Out of a Rut
Listless, founded by Courtney Johnston, provides virtual guidance to customers who are feeling stuck.
Sometimes, we feel anxious. Other times, drained. Maybe a lack of focus comes into play. Lots of people struggle with these sensations – but how does one snap themselves out of it while in the moment? Courtney Johnston launched Listless, an interactive online tool, to address that very problem. The process is simple: “You answer three quick questions about your mood, energy and available time. We match you with a science-backed activity designed for your exact state.” The idea came to her amid her own experience with burnout. “At 35, after over 11 years working in fast-paced technology businesses and managing teams, I hit a wall.” During an ensuing sabbatical, “the idea for Listless came to me, and after a while started to feel like an itch I had to scratch.” Now, she’s helping others along the same journey.
Editor’s Note: Listless has been named to The Story Exchange’s 2026 list of 15 Brilliant Business Ideas. Here’s our lightly edited Q&A, with Johnston.
How is your business different from others in your industry?
Listless doesn’t assume motivation. While other wellness and productivity apps can make people feel low motivation is a character flaw, Listless recognizes that every human’s capacity fluctuates, and that’s not just okay, it’s predictable. Tidying one corner of your desk when you’re feeling really low, can feel like just as much effort as going for a 30-minute jog on a day when you feel great. We celebrate all actions equally and believe tiny actions can generate incredible momentum.
Tell us about your biggest success so far.
Beyond the product launch itself and positive feedback so far, I’m extremely proud to have shipped a secure, functional and thoughtfully designed app as a solo, non-technical founder. AI tools are proving that the gap between “good idea” and “shipped product” is smaller than the startup world pretends. I’m validating that you don’t need a technical co-founder or VC funding to build strong digital products. You need clarity on what you’re solving and the willingness to learn new tools.
What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it?
Current feedback from customers is almost split down the middle. Half are loving adding their own custom activities and managing their to-do lists through Listless, the other half would like to see me build out the generic wellness activities in the app more.
Rather than jump down one path while the data is still inconclusive, I’m running further experiments at the top of the funnel to validate the future product direction. I’m learning how time intensive development is and sticking with the philosophy that ‘slow is smooth and smooth is fast’ when it comes to more strategic decisions.
What is your biggest tip for other startup entrepreneurs?
The boldest thing you can do is start talking to people about your project like it’s a real viable thing. Not everyone is comfortable with entrepreneurship in its early stages. In fact, I’ve found the risk involved with starting a business, the unknowns and the learning curve that needs to be undertaken makes most people extremely uncomfortable. You have to be okay with that and back yourself.
How do you find inspiration on your darkest days?
I use my own app. When I’m overwhelmed about building Listless, I open Listless and let it tell me what to do. Sometimes it’s “write down what’s bothering you.” Sometimes it’s “take a 2 minute dance break.” The product works for me because I designed it to. I tend to return to the core insight that got me started: millions of people are stuck right now, scrolling, knowing they should do something but unable to choose or get started. If Listless helps even a tiny fraction of them take one small action, that’s enough for me.
I also love to read and know that spending 30 minutes focusing on a good fiction novel before getting back to solving whatever the issue of the day might be will always put me in a better, more motivated and optimistic headspace.
What is your go-to song to get motivated on tough days?
“Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + The Machine.
Who is your most important role model?
It’s a curveball and totally unrelated to Listless, but singer-songwriter Patti Smith is someone I’d like to model elements of my life and definitely ethics off. I love how she’s explored different modalities throughout her career and seems to treat work as play. Her seemingly childlike sense of wonder and curiosity, as well as her authenticity and independence, make her pretty well-rounded in my book.
Instagram: @trylistless
Facebook: @Listless App
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