Every person has 24 hours in a day, but it can seem as if some people use their given 24 hours more effectively and productively than others. If you’re juggling a lot, such as work, school, and family life, you might find yourself wondering how you’ll balance it all and what you can do to make sure you accomplish A, B, and C without any hiccups.
Fortunately, there are multiple apps out there that aim to help you get your life in order, improve your time management skills, and help you avoid distractions. If you need some help staying on track with projects and assignments or some help taking care of all of life’s little details, these seven apps are worth checking out.
1. Evernote
What does Evernote do? A more accurate question might be: What can’t Evernote do? Around 225 million people use some form of the app1, which is available in both free and premium, paid versions.
With the free version of the app, you can record audio notes, create to-do lists, and upload files such as receipts and PDF documents. You can also save quotes, images, and pages from the web. The paid, premium version of the app allows you to share your notes and to-do lists with others, view different versions of your notes, and search within PDF documents.
2. Flippd
The average adult in the US spends more than 11 hours per day using some type of media, including around three hours using a smartphone or tablet2. It can be challenging to put the phone or tablet away and focus on your work.
Flippd is an app that “locks” your phone for a designated amount of time. During a “full lock,” it hides the apps you’ve installed, so that you can’t check Facebook or scroll Instagram. The app also has a feature that it calls “Mindful Moments,” which doesn’t fully lock the phone, but gives you a gentle reminder if you try to use your phone before the “Moment” (which can be anywhere from an hour to all day) is over.
3. Grammarly
Grammarly isn’t so much a time management or productivity app as it is a self-improvement app. It’s a grammar and spelling checker that serves as a second set of eyes before you send an email or post on social media.
The premium version of Grammarly isn’t exactly cheap but can be worth the cost if you regularly need to hand in papers or other written documents for your classes. It works on a variety of office editing tools, including Google Docs. You can install a Grammarly browser extension which will check your spelling and grammar in any text box you write in.
4. IFTTT
Sometimes, it’s the small details in life that can trip you up. The IFTTT (If this, then that) app helps you sync and connect your apps and devices, so that one action triggers a series of responses. For example, you can program the app to turn on your exterior light after you use a delivery service app (like Grubhub) to order food. You can program IFTTT to connect your social media accounts, so that you end up tweeting after posting a picture to Instagram and so on.
5. 1Password
Your passwords keep your personal data safe, but as more and more websites and programs require a password, it can be tricky to remember all of them. The recommendations that your passwords be at least 12 characters long and contain numbers and symbols can make it even more difficult to keep track of them3.
That’s where an app such as 1Password can come in handy. The program is a secure vault that remembers your passwords and lets you log into your various accounts with just a few taps or the press of a button. The app works on all devices and operating systems and includes features such as a digital wallet, which stores your payment information securely.
There’s no free version of 1Password available, but individual plans start at a few dollars per month.
6. Toggl
One way to improve your productivity and time management is to pay attention to how long it takes you to complete certain tasks. Toggl is a time tracker that lets you record how long various tasks or projects take and review the time you spend working on things. This can help you refine the way you approach tasks and identify ways in which you can increase efficiency.
7. Trello
Whether at work or school, you are likely to have to collaborate with a team at some point. Trello is an app that’s made for group collaborations and team projects. With the app, you can create cards or to-do items for tasks that need to be started, tasks that people are working on, and completed tasks. Using Trello lets you bounce ideas off of your team, gather your thoughts or ideas on a project, and see how much further you must go.
Don’t forget that your academic advisors, counselors, and tutors at AHU Online are here to provide you with support and assistance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you need help balancing your work, school, and family commitments or want some points on time management, get in touch with us today.
Sources:
- “Why Evernote?,” Evernote, accessed January 23, 2019, https://evernote.com/why-evernote.
- “Time Flies: US Adults Now Spend Nearly Half a Day Interacting With Media,” Nielsen, published online July 31, 2018, https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2018/time-flies-us-adults-now-spend-nearly-half-a-day-interacting-with-media.html.
- “Tips for Strong, Secure Passwords & Other Authentication Tools,” ConnectSafely, published online May 4, 2018, https://www.connectsafely.org/tips-to-create-and-manage-strong-passwords/.
