5 Apps To Boost Your Productivity
Technology has evolved exponentially in the past decade. It did a lot of good to us but a lot of bad too.
According to a survey, an average mobile phone user checks his or her device 63 times a day.
There’s more to it.
86% of users fidget with their smartphones while talking to their friends and family.
Technology was introduced to make lives better but instead, it is taking control over your time, choices, and priorities.
Is there a way out?
Definitely YES!
The smartphone you have is a great piece of technology. How you use it depends upon you. Scroll along all day through social media or use some productivity apps to keep your life on track.
I have listed a few applications below that might help you in boosting your productivity.
1. Forest App: Stay Focused
This is one of the first productivity apps that I came across a few years back.
The idea behind the app is simple.
With the growing pollution and other environmental hazards, the need to plant trees is increasing day by day.
What if the number of trees planted on your behalf is directly proportional to the amount of focused work you do?
You cannot touch your phone or the tree (non-real) that is growing will die.
Mind-blowing, right?
You can get the paid version in order to plant real trees on Earth.
I used this app a lot during my early days when I was struggling to be productive.
Availability: Android/iOS
Price: Free (Only Android), $1.99 for the full version
2. Todoist
I have used a lot of to-do apps in the past.
In fact, I have tried most of them that are available on the internet but Todoist is one of the most feature-rich to-do apps out there. Its free version offers much more than a lot of premium apps out there do.
One of the noteworthy things of this app is that it is available for almost every platform which makes it compatible for projects involving collaboration. It also integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar making it easier than ever to schedule the tasks listed out in your Todoist. On top of all this, it has Natural Language Processing which saves your time every time you add a new item.
Making a daily to-do list is an important process of being productive.
If getting your life organized is your top priority, it's a no-brainer to have a to-do list.
Availability: All Platforms
Price: Free, $3 for Premium (for all platforms)
For most people, the free version is sufficient. Some of the other To-Do Apps to look out for are Tick Tick, Any Do and Microsoft To-Do.
Note: If you're an Apple user, do check out Things 3.
3. Google Calendar
For people having too many tasks to accomplish in a day, it is essential to structure your tasks in different time slots to get the most effective output from your day.
Google Calendar helps you do just that. It is simple and easy-to-use. You can have different calendars for different types of activities that you do.
What’s amazing is that it is always in sync with all other Google services that you use like Gmail, Hangouts, etc. So, if you have a meeting, a movie reservation or flight scheduled, it automatically puts the event on the calendar for you.
Google Calendar is one of the important tools to get your life organized and make good use of your time.
Availability: Android/iOS/Web
Price: Free
4. Headspace
“The more regularly and the more deeply you meditate, the sooner you will find yourself acting always from a center of peace.” – J. Donald Walters
Meditation has been one of the oldest practices by man. We have evolved so much over the recent years that it is hard to find time to bring our mind to rest.
Apps like Headspace have brought the practice of Meditation back into the modern era.
There is no reason NOT to meditate. For the little time you put in, the benefits are a ton.
Headspace has 3 basic packs but the Premium version unlocks the entire catalogue available to the user.
Availability: Android/iOS
Price: Free, ₹899 per year (Only for India)
If guided meditation is overwhelming for you, or you just don’t want to spend money on an app yet, take a few minutes off daily and sit quietly reflecting on your day and goals, or try out some meditation podcasts.
5. Google Keep
They say, “Great ideas come when you least expect it” and it turns out they are right.
It often happens that we are in the middle of something and suddenly an idea strikes our mind, or we need to note some information.
Google Keep is a quick, easy and smart way to store all those information that syncs with your Google Account making it accessible to you from any device. It also has an option to label or color your notes and set a reminder for any specific note.
Availability: Android/iOS
Price: Free
Install these apps today and take your productivity to the next level.
Hi! I'm Keyur. I hope this article was helpful to you and you enjoyed reading it. I also deliver short pills of knowledge and lessons. If you'd like to get one every Sunday for free, you can subscribe here and I'll send them your way.
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