Skip to main content

My Top 5 Free Productivity Apps

how to become more productive using apps

Today I want to show you some of the apps that have been instrumental in my staying productive and achieving my goals. Productivity is extremely important to me and these 5 apps I'm about to show you make up my faithful entourage in the battle toward a completed to-do list. I'm sad to say that one of the apps is no longer available. Somehow it hasn't disappeared from my phone. I'd cry like a baby if one day it's not there anymore.

Finding the right productivity setup was difficult for me. I kept crushing on various physical and digital management tools, methods and techniques, minimalistic designs, and colorful abundant journals and ideas of what my future setup should be so I'd be able to achieve streamlined productivity. I made lists, set up notebooks and bullet journals, started looking for a planner to buy, downloaded dozens of apps both on computer and mobile. All of that took up too much time and I kept focusing on trying out all of those things instead of doing my best to settle on one thing at a time and see how far I could go with it. Creating a productivity setup was more of a focus for me than being productive and finding tools that worked for me for the long haul. I never improved or got things done, I just wasted a lot of time.

Through it all, however, I realized that I needed simplicity and ease of use. I needed only a few tools, synching them together wasn't necessary for me, and I wanted to create a separation between various projects. Once I realized that much, figuring out which apps would work for me was easy. Here are my favorite five:

1. Trello

I've been using this project manager for over two years. I use it mainly for content creation for my blog and social media. It's for both mobile and desktop. It allows the creation of board and lists, great for teams and individuals alike. The app is ready to use right off the bat. With most managers, I had to look around first but Trello gets the ball rolling immediately. At the same time, it's a powerful tool and the UI is smooth and comfortable. Trello also works with Unspalsh to provide a vast library of images to customize boards.

2. OneNote

This is what I use for creative writing. I write my novel and short stories on there and organize all my creative writing solely on OneNote. I also compile HTML codes and random tidbits in a separate notebook. Before Trello, I used One Note for my old blog but found I needed more separation between my editorial calendar and my creative writing. The layout and structure also didn't work for blogging.
a productivity app based on Pomodoro

3. Focus in Flow

This next app is sadly no longer available. I still have it on my phone and I pray it never disappears. This is my work tracker. It's a Pomodoro-based timer app that allows me to set up daily, weekly, and monthly loops. There are countless Pomodoro-based apps out there but I haven't been able to find anything similar to this in functionality and design. This is the cutest app and I love it when design and function meet in a productive synchrony. It's also motivating for me to see the count of sessions rise daily, getting closer to my goal. The color scheme and the cartoon characters also motivate me to keep using the app.

4. Wunderlist

There are so many apps out there for listmaking that offer plethoras of functions. I only need one thing, however, and that is to jot down reminders and tasks without fiddling around. Wunderlist provides me with that and if I want more I can get more from it and organize as well as set intervals for tasks and so on. While the app is on its way out of the scene, there're plenty of similar ones. Look for the functions you need whatever those are and do your best t to download an app just because it offers many functions if you're not going to be using them. I used to make that mistake with every app and it distracted me from using it because I kept trying to adjust myself to the app instead of vice versa.



5. Speechnotes

Everything I do requires writing but sometimes I can't type on my phone or I just don't want to. This is where Speechnotes comes in. From the speech-to-text apps I've tried, this one is by far the most accurate one. At least I can edit the text with this one instead of staring dumbfounded at a jumbled useless mess. I use Speechnotes when I'm washing the dishes, doing chores, commuting, or feel like my thoughts flow better while talking instead of typing. It's a handy tool to have. I can also save several documents on the app and share it with other apps such as Trello in text form. You might prefer transcribing a voice recording instead, it's up to you and what helps you work better.

~~~
How is your quest for the perfect tool going? Have you found any loves or are you still struggling with the pull of a dozen directions? Tell me about you productivity setup in the comments so I and other readers can help you out on this little adventure. Also, if you think there is an app I need to try, please share that as well! 
If you enjoyed this post, you might want to subscribe below to stay updated with upcoming content!
5 free productivity apps image for pinterest

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

11 Tiny Habits that will Significantly Improve your Physical and Mental Wellbeing

For almost every person the first step towards improving in any aspect of life entails setting big goals- they say they're gonna start working out more, start eating healthier, start this and that more... Firstly, I call those ''intentions'' not "goals". Secondly, that is probably why so many people don't succeed. They believe the vague sentiments are their goals and those are some pretty daunting goals because instead of getting from point A to B, these "goals" assume going through the whole alphabet and beyond. This is why I call them intentions instead of goals. Tiny Habits to Improve Physical Health 1. Warm Lemon Water Pouring warm water in a cup and squeezing a little bit of lemon juice in it takes a minute to do in the morning before doing anything else. Drinking this on an empty stomach gives you a boost of Vitamin C, providing you with more energy during the day and promoting better gut health. Tip: make sure the water...
1 comment
Read more

Four Straightforward Steps to Beating your Writer's Blocks

Creator's block. The imminent foe of any creative soul. Today we'll be discussing creator's block in writers- writer's block. We all know how that feels. You sit down to write one day, maybe out of habit or maybe out of drive. You're about to start and you churn out a few sentences, maybe you delete them and start again, maybe you persevere forward. Something isn't quite right, however, and you trail off, your fingers are hovering, unsure, growing slower until they still above the keyboard. The text cursor is blinking back at you, waiting for a command. Soon it starts feeling more like mockery than servitude and that completes a rather underwhelming writing session. The way I get over my writing blocks is simple but effective. I devised a four-step plan that is concise and straightforward. I like skipping over avoiding the problem and get to solving it instead. I don't want to allow my creative blocks to last long if I can help it. Perhaps, this is the right...
Post a Comment
Read more

DHC Skincare Review: Olive Originals Line

This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of them, I may earn a small commission. Read my full Disclosure Policy here. DHC is a veteran in Japanese skincare. The brand has been around since 1972 and it has several iconic products such as the Deep Cleansing Oil, a cleansing product that sent waves of hypes through the beauty and skincare industry and is now a staple for many, including myself. I have used four of the brand's products and all of them are from the Olive Originals line. It's suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants, has antibacterial, moisturizing, and anti-aging properties. I purchased a set of four travel-size products in May last year. I used the heavily other than the olive virgin oil because it was such a love at first application that I used half of it and I'm still saving the other half to use as a spa treatment when my skin is screaming for hel...
Post a Comment
Read more