“ceo on phone credit to https://1dayrevie” (CC BY 2.0) by 1DayReview
Time, as the cliché goes, is money. But, more than that, it’s a precious commodity in almost everyone’s lives these days. That’s because many of us have never been busier, with multiple demands on our time from work duties to family commitments, as well as having to carve out some moments to relax during the day too.
But there’s another cliché that can come to the rescue and that’s the well-worn phrase “there’s an app for that”. Look around in the app stores and you’ll find a positive plethora of choices when it comes to helping us do more in less time. They range from ones that help you focus more effectively to others that show you just how much you’ve achieved. There’s a range of app types on offer, and even the most prominent businesses and banks offer apps.
So that’s the “time” aspect taken care of. As for the extra money, you might hope it will come your way, and one option is to search for apps to help you budget more effectively. There are also plenty of these out there that will help you keep tabs on payments in and out of all types of bank account, set savings goals, and generally set and keep to a budget. Some may be considering switching bank providers as they offer better apps for their needs, whether for customer service or something else. But that’s going to be a search for another day. First, let’s increase your productivity with these three.
Freedom
One of the biggest obstacles that stands in the way of true productivity is wasting time roaming across the internet. It might seem vital to read the report of your team’s latest match or to see, just for the sake of interest, what the 5-day weather report is for Helsinki, but it’s not going to get your work done.
If you install Freedom, it will automatically block any websites or other apps that you request it to so you can stay focussed. It also can play the kind of ambient noise that has been shown to increase concentration and productivity as well as making notes of the tasks that you’ve completed.
Forest
“Forest” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by wackybadger
One for nature lovers, Forest is a very visual way of measuring your productivity. As you focus, a virtual tree grows. But if your attention wanders, then there’s a danger that it will wither and die. Plus, the app has partnered with the Trees For The Future organization and users have, to date, helped to plant over 2 million actual trees worldwide.
Engross
This is an app that many people who work from home find a quite invaluable aid. It goes even further than Freedom in that it lets you block out other notifications like email and SMS messages that could otherwise pop up and distract you. Perhaps its most useful feature, however, is the Pomodoro clock. This is a technique that was designed in the 1980s by an Italian developer called Francesco Cirillo to help manage his time as a student.
Named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he owned at the time, it is an alarm that rings every twenty-five minutes, giving you a five-minute break before you get back to work. After much experimentation, Cirillo found this was the optimum arrangement for maximum concentration.
So take your pick of these three apps, or use them all, and who knows just how productive you’ll turn out to be?
