Being productive means getting the important things done in the time that you have. Here’s the best apps to help you.
We need all the help we can get to be productive in today’s world of instant communication and constant distractions. Being productive means getting the important things done in the time that you have. So let’s look at some apps that can help you stay on track and save some valuable time.
There are hundreds of productivity apps out there. If we are not careful, we can be unproductive trying out lots of different ones. Here, we present apps we have tried and tested to save you valuable time.
Most of these apps or software have a “fremium” version that provides basic functionality. This allows you test out the app before paying for more advanced features.
Google Keep
A great app for making lists or keeping ideas and notes. Effectively a digital post-it pad on your phone or laptop. Google Keep is an option on the share menu so it lets you save a clickable link to an article or website to read later, helping you manage your time and stay focused.
IFTTT
If This, Then That (IFTTT) can automate the routine jobs you do or possibly forget to do. It can connect between different apps or programmes based on a ‘recipe’ which is a simple list of instructions you create. An action or event in one app can trigger a task completion in the other. Here are some examples:
- Mute your phone in meetings by automatically setting your Android phone to silent according to your Google Calendar appointments.
- Track your work hours for a client by setting the location to automatically note your arrival and departure time in Google Calendar.
Try it out – the possibilities are endless and only limited by your own imagination.
Trello
This is collaboration tool that organises projects into boards so you can see what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and how things are progressing. It helps you manage projects, cut down on status report emails and provides visibility for everyone involved. I even love it even for projects I am working on alone. The visual Kanzan board format is motivating and helps keep things on track.
Focus (Pomodoro)
Timed working is a great productivity technique to help you stay on track and get more done. Focus is an app that makes it easy to set and reset timers for your blocks of work.
RescueTime
This app helps increase your productivity by monitoring your computer use and informing you when and how you’re both productive and distracted. It provides a weekly report which gives you great insights and motivates you to make changes.
TripIt
If you travel a lot this app can help you manage those trips. The app automatically connects to your email account, finds travel related emails, and turns them into a travel itinerary. TripIt will recognise bookings on all the major search and booking sites as well as airlines, car rental, hotels, restaurant reservations, etc.
Forest
Forest helps you deal with smartphone distraction. It monitors your smartphone usage and rewards you for not checking while staying focused on your work. The app is cute, you plant a tree which will grow as you work. In the paid version you receive credits, which you can use to plant a real tree in a developing country through Trees for the Future.
Productivity and saving the planet – what’s not to love?
Take Control in 2019
So now you have seven ideas to get you started with productivity apps. Check back in the coming months as we review more great apps to help you protect your valuable time. For more on productivity, check the articles section on BeProductive.
By Moira Dunne.
Photo by William Hook from Unsplash.
