6 Types of Apps You Need for a Productive Day
Productivity does not always come by chance. Having a productive day, or several productive days in a row, requires you to have a system or set of practices combined with specific apps that improve your workflow and help you make the most of your time.
Whether you have already designed your productivity system or are still in the process of finding one that works for you, there’s no doubt that the following types of apps will play a significant role in helping you stay on track and be productive.
1. Note-Taking App
First, you need something to capture all those ideas and thoughts that pop into your head throughout the day, as well as key points from podcasts, meetings, or seminars you attend. A good notebook and pen would have sufficed for this a few years ago. However, you now have a convenient handheld device that accompanies you where ever you go, which is ideal because you could’t tell when you will have your next big idea.
This is why a note-taking app is a must for anyone who wants to have a productive day. Not only will it help you capture ideas quickly and easily, but most of them allow you to access your notes from anywhere and on any device. Although there are several excellent choices available, we recommend trying Evernote.
Evernote is easy to use and enables you to take notes, create to-do lists, chat with other users, add reminders, and attach various file types, making it ideal for anyone looking to boost their productivity. In addition, Evernote automatically synchronizes all your data across devices, so you can be sure that your notes are always up-to-date.
Download:Evernote forAndroid|iOS(Free, premium version available)
2. To-Do List App
All those brilliant ideas and tasks can fog your mind and make it hard to focus on anything if you don’t have a way to organize them. Think about those days when you had a mountain of things to do and relied on your memory to keep track, only to realize that you had forgotten half of what was on your list. Besides forgetting, attempting to manage everything in your head can be confusing and overwhelming.
A to-do list app helps you declutter your mind by allowing you to assess your ideas and tasks, store them in one place, break them down, and turn them into actionable items. This way, you could prioritize what is important, set deadlines, and be confident that nothing will slip through the cracks.
You can start each day (or do it the night before) by creating amight-do list, where you brainstorm everything you need or want to accomplish. After assessing each item on the list, you can then transfer the most important tasks to yourto-do listfor the day, where you will sort them according to priority.
There areseveral innovative to-do appsthat you can use, including TickTick. This is a to-do and task management app that can help you keep track of everything, from work and family obligations to personal projects and habits. It also has a Pomodoro timer feature that you can use to boost your productivity by breaking down your time into manageable chunks and taking breaks in between. You can also use TickTick toprepare your to-do list using the Eisenhower matrix.
Download:TickTick forAndroid|iOS(Free, premium version available)
3. Calendar App
It’s hard to have a productive day if you don’t have a good handle on your schedule. Ideally, your to-do list and calendar app should work in tandem, as most of what you need to do is time-bound. This is why you need a great calendar app to help you organize your days and block time for specific tasks.
Although your iOS or Android device comes with a default calendar app, you might consider using a third-party calendar app that better suits your needs. For example, if you need toschedule lots of meetings, consider using Calendly, as it allows you to quickly check your availability and easily send invitations. This tool is especially useful for remote workers or those who often need to coordinate schedules with colleagues.
Download:Calendly forAndroid|iOS(Free, premium version available)
4. Cloud Storage Solution
Think about how much time you would save if you could easily access all your files from one central location—you don’t have to move from one PC to another with a USB drive, wonder if you saved that document on your smartphone or PC, or waste hours looking for a particular file.
With a cloud storage solution, you can upload all your files in one place and access them anytime, anywhere. This is especially useful if you need to collaborate with others on a project, as you can easily share files and receive feedback in real time.
Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud storage solutions available. It works on Android and iOS devices and PCs, making it an excellent option for those who are always on the go. It also integrates well with third-party apps like Slack, Asana, and Evernote.
Download:Google Drive forAndroid|iOS(Free, premium version available)
5. Email App
These days, our email addresses have become like our online identities. It’s the first thing we give out when we need to sign up for a new service, and we also use them for work, personal correspondence, online shopping, and more.
This means you likely have more than one email address to manage and organize all your messages from different sources. However, it can be challenging to keep track of everything. This is why you need a good email app to help you manage all your messages in one place, stay on top of critical messages, and organize your inbox.
You can use an email app likeSpike to make your email experience more productive. Spike consolidates all your messages from different email accounts and organizes them in one place. It also has features like reminders, scheduling, and Super Search to help you find what you’re looking for quickly.
Download:Spike forAndroid|iOS(Free, in-app purchases)
6. Read-It-Later App
You know that moment when you find an interesting article but don’t have time to read it right then? You might not want to get distracted at that time, but you also know you will forget about the article if you don’t save it for later. This is where a read-it-later app comes in handy.
With a read-it-later app, like Instapaper, you could save articles or web pages to read later at your convenience. This tool also allows you to save articles for offline reading, highlight important passages, add notes, and more.
Download:Instapaper forAndroid|iOS(Free, premium version available)
Leverage These Apps to Get More Done in Less Time
Using the right types of apps allows you to be more productive, organized, and efficient with your time. However, one of the things you will need to do to maximize these productivity tools is set up or look for a system to support them. This will make it easier for you to use them and get the most out of them.
Are you struggling to get the most out of your productivity tools? Here are some things you can do to use them more effectively.
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