After all, it’s almost 2020; why not use all the tools we can to keep us productive?
Let’s get real for a second. Productivity is hard. Even the most disciplined girl bosses out there have those days. You know what I’m talking about. The days where your to-do list is a mile long, but all you can think about are your weekend plans or watching the next episode of your favorite series when you get home. I want you to know you’re not alone in your struggle to be productive and disciplined all the time. That’s why I made a list of a few apps that help me stay productive. Here are 4 of the best productivity apps to finish the year strong!
P.S. To get my full list of the top ten tools I use to run my business, including apps for maximum productivity, sign up for my newsletter!
1. Milanote
2. Tomato Timer
This one you may have never heard of, but this is a LIFESAVER when you’re struggling to be productive. The Tomato Timer is officially called the Pomodoro Technique and was created by an Italian college student who couldn’t concentrate while studying.
He grabbed his tomato-shaped kitchen timer and set the timer. During that time, he had to work for 10-25 minutes straight – without distractions, TV, music, laundry, etc. After the timer went off, he allowed himself to take a break, 5 or 10 minutes.
Today, there are several apps for the Tomato Timer. It allows you to work for a solid amount of time, focusing on working in sprints and then rewarding yourself with a break. There’s something about knowing you get to reward yourself at the end of the 25 minutes of work that is so encouraging and allows you to put off distractions during your work time. Try it out!
3. Google Calendar
I know, I know. We all know what Google Calendar is, but don’t underestimate its usefulness! It is easy to use and extremely convenient, especially if you use Gmail. When a client or a coworker sends you a time and date for a meeting, Google Calendar will add it to your calendar automatically. This also works for reservations and flights!
You can also sync calendars – your work calendar, your personal calendar, your family calendar, etc. It sounds simple, but it is SO nice to have a one-stop-shop for all your upcoming plans. You can see immediately if you have a scheduling conflict or if events overlap. Scheduling catastrophe = avoided.
Even if you are the most organized girl boss out there, it’s always good to have an automatic reminder on your phone about appointments, meetings, reservations, etc. The way you can easily access your calendars, to-do lists, and time-sensitive events make this one of the best apps for boosting your productivity.
4. Pocket
I don’t know about you guys, but one of the biggest hindrances to my productivity is stopping to read articles. I am a sucker for a good article and want to read them right away because I know I will never find my way back to it. The Pocket app allows you to save articles and let you access and read them later.
You send the article to Pocket and read it when you are ready. This is a desktop and phone app, so you can save articles in both places. I don’t even want to admit how many articles I have saved in my Pocket, but it’s well over 1,000!
I also use Pocket when I’m looking for an article I know I saved…the search feature is great. Now, I can also do this in Evernote, but Pocket is really made just for saving all the content you want to read later.
Keep being amazing, ladies! Let me know what apps you use to stay productive!
