diff --git a/app/page.tsx b/app/page.tsx
index 8906f1d..ea7476c 100644
--- a/app/page.tsx
+++ b/app/page.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import ListCard from '@/components/ListCard'
 import NewListButton from '@/components/NewListButton'
 import GlobalSearch from '@/components/GlobalSearch'
 import EmptyState from '@/components/EmptyState'
+import RealtimeUpdater from '@/components/RealtimeUpdater'
 import Link from 'next/link'
 import { getServerSession } from 'next-auth'
 import { authOptions } from '@/pages/api/auth/[...nextauth]'
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ export default async function Home() {
 
   return (
     <main className="container mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6 py-6 sm:py-8 max-w-7xl">
+      <RealtimeUpdater pollInterval={3000} />
       <div className="flex flex-col sm:flex-row items-start sm:items-center justify-between gap-4 mb-6 sm:mb-8">
         <h1 className="text-2xl sm:text-3xl lg:text-4xl font-bold text-gray-900">Ultimate Lists</h1>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
diff --git a/components/DeleteItemButton.tsx b/components/DeleteItemButton.tsx
index d435e2c..cb92706 100644
--- a/components/DeleteItemButton.tsx
+++ b/components/DeleteItemButton.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export default function DeleteItemButton({ itemId, listId, variant = 'full' }: D
     try {
       await deleteItem(itemId)
       showToast('Task deleted successfully', 'success')
+      setShowConfirm(false)
       if (listId) {
         router.push(`/list/${listId}`)
       } else {
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export default function DeleteItemButton({ itemId, listId, variant = 'full' }: D
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error deleting item:', error)
       showToast('Failed to delete task', 'error')
+    } finally {
       setIsDeleting(false)
       setShowConfirm(false)
     }
diff --git a/components/RealtimeUpdater.tsx b/components/RealtimeUpdater.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7c92f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/RealtimeUpdater.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useRealtimeSync } from '@/hooks/useRealtimeSync'
+
+interface RealtimeUpdaterProps {
+  listId?: string
+  pollInterval?: number
+}
+
+/**
+ * Component that enables real-time updates for a page
+ * Just include this component and it will poll for updates
+ */
+export default function RealtimeUpdater({ listId, pollInterval = 3000 }: RealtimeUpdaterProps) {
+  useRealtimeSync({
+    listId,
+    enabled: true,
+    pollInterval,
+  })
+
+  return null
+}
diff --git a/hooks/useRealtimeSync.ts b/hooks/useRealtimeSync.ts
index b4f28eb..6f3803a 100644
--- a/hooks/useRealtimeSync.ts
+++ b/hooks/useRealtimeSync.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 'use client'
 
-import { useEffect, useRef, useCallback, useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from 'react'
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
 
 interface UseRealtimeSyncOptions {
-  listId: string
+  listId?: string
   enabled?: boolean
   pollInterval?: number
   onUpdate?: () => void
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ interface UseRealtimeSyncOptions {
 
 /**
  * Hook to enable real-time synchronization of list data
- * Polls the server for updates and refreshes the page when changes are detected
+ * Polls the server for updates by refreshing the route
  */
 export function useRealtimeSync({
   listId,
@@ -21,48 +21,14 @@ export function useRealtimeSync({
   onUpdate
 }: UseRealtimeSyncOptions) {
   const router = useRouter()
-  const [lastUpdated, setLastUpdated] = useState<number>(Date.now())
   const intervalRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null)
-  const isPollingRef = useRef(false)
 
-  const checkForUpdates = useCallback(async () => {
-    // Prevent concurrent polling
-    if (isPollingRef.current) return
-    
-    try {
-      isPollingRef.current = true
-      
-      // Fetch the latest update timestamp for the list
-      const response = await fetch(`/api/lists/${listId}/last-updated`, {
-        method: 'GET',
-        headers: {
-          'Cache-Control': 'no-cache',
-        },
-      })
-
-      if (response.ok) {
-        const data = await response.json()
-        const serverTimestamp = new Date(data.lastUpdated).getTime()
-        
-        // If server timestamp is newer than our last known update, refresh
-        if (serverTimestamp > lastUpdated) {
-          setLastUpdated(serverTimestamp)
-          
-          // Refresh the current route to get latest data
-          router.refresh()
-          
-          // Call optional callback
-          if (onUpdate) {
-            onUpdate()
-          }
-        }
-      }
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error('Error checking for updates:', error)
-    } finally {
-      isPollingRef.current = false
+  const refresh = useCallback(() => {
+    router.refresh()
+    if (onUpdate) {
+      onUpdate()
     }
-  }, [listId, lastUpdated, router, onUpdate])
+  }, [router, onUpdate])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!enabled) {
@@ -74,7 +40,7 @@ export function useRealtimeSync({
     }
 
     // Start polling
-    intervalRef.current = setInterval(checkForUpdates, pollInterval)
+    intervalRef.current = setInterval(refresh, pollInterval)
 
     // Cleanup on unmount
     return () => {
@@ -83,13 +49,13 @@ export function useRealtimeSync({
         intervalRef.current = null
       }
     }
-  }, [enabled, pollInterval, checkForUpdates])
+  }, [enabled, pollInterval, refresh])
 
-  // Also check for updates when the page becomes visible again
+  // Also refresh when the page becomes visible again
   useEffect(() => {
     const handleVisibilityChange = () => {
       if (document.visibilityState === 'visible' && enabled) {
-        checkForUpdates()
+        refresh()
       }
     }
 
@@ -97,10 +63,9 @@ export function useRealtimeSync({
     return () => {
       document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', handleVisibilityChange)
     }
-  }, [enabled, checkForUpdates])
+  }, [enabled, refresh])
 
   return {
-    lastUpdated,
-    checkForUpdates,
+    refresh,
   }
 }
diff --git a/hooks/useRealtimeUpdates.ts b/hooks/useRealtimeUpdates.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62809cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hooks/useRealtimeUpdates.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { useEffect, useCallback } from 'react'
+import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'
+
+/**
+ * Hook for real-time updates via polling
+ * Refreshes data at regular intervals to show changes from other users/browsers
+ */
+export function useRealtimeUpdates(intervalMs: number = 3000) {
+  const router = useRouter()
+
+  const refresh = useCallback(() => {
+    router.refresh()
+  }, [router])
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    // Poll for updates
+    const interval = setInterval(() => {
+      refresh()
+    }, intervalMs)
+
+    // Also refresh when window regains focus
+    const handleFocus = () => {
+      refresh()
+    }
+
+    window.addEventListener('focus', handleFocus)
+
+    return () => {
+      clearInterval(interval)
+      window.removeEventListener('focus', handleFocus)
+    }
+  }, [intervalMs, refresh])
+
+  return { refresh }
+}