Why We Started Tethered
Life is better when our mornings start strong, setting the tone for everything that follows.
Our alarm clocks are broken. They don't hold us accountable.
We've all been there. The alarm goes off, and without thinking, we hit snooze. Again. And again. Before we know it, we're rushing through our morning, stressed and behind schedule, promising ourselves that tomorrow will be different.
Traditional alarms have no consequences. They can be dismissed with a barely conscious tap. They don't understand the importance of that early meeting, that morning workout, or simply the peace that comes from starting your day on your own terms.
As a team who struggled with morning consistency ourselves, we realized that the problem wasn't our intentions—it was the lack of real accountability. We needed something that would make us think twice before hitting snooze. Something that would make the cost of sleeping in tangible.
Faced with this problem, we decided to build our own solution: Tethered.
Tethered transforms your alarm into a commitment device. When you set an alarm, you're not just picking a time—you're making a financial pledge to yourself. Complete a simple challenge when your alarm goes off, or pay the price you set.
The challenges are designed to ensure you're truly awake: solve math problems, count your steps, or scan an NFC tag you've placed across the room. These aren't obstacles—they're your bridge from sleep to wakefulness, ensuring you start your day intentionally rather than groggily.
We use Tethered to wake up for our morning runs, to ensure we never miss important meetings, and to maintain consistent sleep schedules. The small financial stake transforms a daily struggle into a daily victory. What started as a way to fix our own morning problems has become a tool that helps thousands of people build better morning habits.
It's not about punishment. It's about keeping promises to yourself.
Every time you complete a morning challenge, you're not just waking up—you're reinforcing your ability to follow through on commitments. Every successful morning builds momentum for the next.
The money isn't the point; it's the commitment. Most of our users never pay a penalty after their first week. The mere possibility is enough to transform their relationship with mornings. They discover that they were always capable of waking up on time—they just needed the right motivation.
Join thousands who've transformed their mornings.
Whether you're training for a marathon, building a business, or simply wanting to enjoy peaceful mornings with your coffee, Tethered helps you show up for yourself, every single day.
We're constantly improving Tethered based on feedback from our community. If you have questions, suggestions, or just want to share your morning victory, reach out to us at team@staytethered.app.
Your best mornings are waiting. Stay Tethered.