Whether you need help with time management, organisation or even getting in the right headspace, there’s a range of productivity apps that can help you get moving.
While it may sound like a bit of an oxymoron to use your smartphone as a means to boost your productivity, the simple fact of the matter is that you’re not the only one who struggles to stay focused. Although we live in an increasingly digital age, technology has also brought with it an extra set of distractions on top of whatever happens to pop up during our day to day lives.
However, our smartphones are capable of some truly magical things if we know how to use them properly. Thanks to larger screens and more powerful processors, your phone can also double as a mobile workstation, calendar and even a pocket organiser, letting you tackle tasks when you’re out and about. When actioned and embraced, productivity apps can help us get organised and free up our time, so that we can get back to doing the things we enjoy – but which are regarded as some of the best or most useful?
If you’re on a mission to get more out of your day or to perhaps get back on top of that ever expanding to-do list, we’ve made a collection of our go-to productivity apps for iOS and Android smartphone users. Whether you need help organising a project or simply need assistance with ‘getting in the zone’, the good news is that if you’ve thought of it – there’s a high chance that there’s an app for it.
Todoist – As a planner app that keeps things efficient with a clean approach to interface and task management, Todoist is one of the best free productivity apps for both Android and iOS users. From jotting down a thought, one-off or recurring tasks, colour-coded priority levels, shared projects, and productivity graphs that record your progress, it’s simple but does the job.
Brain FM – If you struggle to get in the zone when it comes to powering through work, projects or to-do lists, then Brain.FM offers a scientifically backed process to help you get moving. The app offers five free sessions before moving to a subscription model, but essentially the app claims to have mastered the production of music that has been specifically designed to boost concentration, focus and – you guessed it – productivity.
LastPass – Are you one of the many people who struggle with keeping on top of their ever expanding collection of digital passwords and logins? Fear not, as LastPass offers a solution. While users can sync their password vaults across multiple devices for internet login access, the key difference from the standard autosave features in most smartphones is the app’s ability to create and secure encrypted notes.
Evernote – Long regarded as the go-to cross platform note taking app, Evernote far exceeds any standard apps that smartphones already have installed with their factory settings. The app allows users to not just take the notes, but to upload, store and organise pictures, audio, and even videos. The free version lets users upload 60MB worth of content monthly, with paid accounts allowing even more storage options.
Forest – Although considered to be somewhat of an out of the box concept, Forest is one of the productivity apps that’s rapidly increasing in popularity. In a nutshell, the concept helps people to beat their phone addiction, and manage their time in an interesting and arguably quite pleasant way. Users can earn credits by not using their mobile phones – often when they’re not supposed to be – and plant real trees around the world with the credits accumulated.
Toggl – Do you ever feel like time just slips through your hands? Available on both desktop, iOS and Android, Toggl is a time management app that allows users to get organised, and features elements such as tracking reminders, a Pomodoro timer and offline mode. Users can start, stop, and log times and tasks on your mobile phone or desktop with data syncing between the two platforms, allowing you to easily record hours spent on projects or tasks.
Trello – Free for both iOS and Android users, Trello is one of the most popular productivity apps for those that need a little bit of help with project management and tracking tasks. It’s essentially a highly customisable digital bulletin board, and users can set up anything from to do lists, tasks, notes and more. Users create ‘lists’, which are dynamic containers that can be filled with ‘cards’. All of this can be shared with other users, with provisions for creating new cards, adding comments, and assigning tasks.
Pocket – Are you guilty of falling into Wikipedia wormholes when you should be working or doing something else? Pocket is an app that allows users to save them for later, or essentially put the article or link in question in their ‘pocket’. The app is essentially a ‘read it later’ style service, and is a great offline tool that can be used to select and save articles, pictures and videos to come back to at a later time. Think of it like Netflix’s ‘watchlist’ for online links.
Instead of being a slave to your smartphone, this comprehensive range of productivity apps can go a long way with ensuring that your smartphone works for you – and not the other way around. However, if you’re looking for further tips on navigating the digital world, then it’s always worth speaking to the professionals.
SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones.
Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. However, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one.
While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve month warranty, and can be purchased at any of our sixteen store locations. Even if you’re not on the hunt for a new phone, it’s always worth bringing your existing one in for a free health check to ensure it’s performing at its best.
If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.
