There just aren’t enough hours in the day. As soon as one job is done, it’s on to the next. Figuring out, by yourself, what needs to be done and when can seem very daunting and overwhelming- big and small tasks alike. In fact, it may even seem as if it’s those menial tasks that take up most of your time. Thankfully, you don’t have to go it alone! Here are five life-saving productivity apps to help you get your work done when and how you need it done.
5. Forest
One of the top five productivity apps on Apple’s App Store, the Forest app is designed to help you stay focused and on task. This app enables you to designate certain blocks of time as technology-free. You begin by simply setting a timer. This, in turn, plants a tree. During the set period of time you will not be allowed to check any messages, answer any phone calls, or visit any websites on your mobile device. Completing your task without getting distracted by your phone allows you to grow a tree. If you do become distracted and use your phone, then the tree will die. Each time you successfully complete your task and allow the period of time to pass before using your phone again, you will grow a tree. After a while, all of your trees will create a forest- a forest of productivity!
This visually brilliant way of keeping track of your productivity is not only super motivating, but also extremely rewarding. (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/forest-stay-focused/id866450515?mt=8)
4. FocusList
The FocusList app is centered very heavily around the concentration-deepening Pomodoro Technique. This means picking one task at a time, working on it for 25 minutes, taking a five-minute break, then starting another session of 25 minutes to continuously chip away at the set task. You will keep doing this until your task has been completed. Then, thanks to FocusList’s option to create a task list, you can choose what to work on next, all while tracking your time and how many sessions you’ve spent working on those tasks.
A proven method, this app is just what you need to get that work done!(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/focuslist-focus-timer-and-daily-planner/id1083376166?mt=8)
3. Cisco Webex Teams
The Cisco Webex Teams app is a neat way to manage whatever teamcentric tasks your work may involve. Acting as a virtual assistant, this app will send you an email each morning as a reminder of what your day is going to look like. Your tasks will be listed, as well as the times for each of those tasks, and you will also be reminded of upcoming meetings and projects. Webex Teams even reminds the other party involved about your meetings and projects.
Your productivity will soar when you have Webex Teams keeping track of those fine details for you. (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cisco-webex-teams/id833967564?mt=8)
2. Buffer
The Buffer app is an essential tool for keeping up with your social media needs. This social media management app makes marketing easier than ever by allowing you to pre-post, and then later post at the desired time, so that you won’t have to constantly be worrying about what time it is. Since at certain times of the day social media platforms are most active, Buffer lets you plan your posts for those certain times of the day. This way, your posts will be seen by as many of your followers as possible. Buffer also allows you to see various analytics, such as how well you’re trending on social media.
Buffer is a most invaluable app for those of us who need that extra boost of confidence when it comes to staying on schedule. (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buffer-social-media-manager/id490474324?mt=8)
1. Blinkist
Blinkist is a miracle worker and major time saver. Say you need to read through a large amount of material as part of a research project. The Blinkist app, one of Apple’s best apps of 2017, makes it so that you can skip the filler and get straight to the key ideas. Blinkist is capable of taking a book about your field, summarizing its contents, then reading that summary back to you. Just like that, your knowledge has grown, and your research project is complete.
With all of that saved time and energy, productivity strikes again! (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blinkist-always-learning/id568839295?mt=8)
When our days seem too short and our to-do lists too long, being productive can appear to be nearly impossible. That’s why it’s important to have a backup plan. There are motivational apps, such as Forest, concentration promoting apps, such as FocusList, organizational apps, such as Cisco Webex Teams, planning apps, such as Buffer, and time saving apps, like Blinkist. Whether the tasks are big or small, you don’t have to tackle them alone. These five essential productivity apps will help you immensely in getting your work done.