There are dozens of mobile apps for organization. Whether it’s your stress level, work productivity, finances or any other aspect of your life, you can bet there’s an app to manage it. The irony is, having dozens of mobile apps for organization can actually contribute to clutter. So we’ve narrowed it down to 10 great productivity apps that can help tame the craziness that is your life.
1. EasilyDo
EasilyDo is one of the best productivity apps on the market. Like a personal assistant that lives in your smartphone, EasilyDo syncs with your calendar and reminds you of things you need to get done — like wishing a friend happy birthday or pre-registering for an upcoming event you want to attend. EasilyDo helps tame your scatterbrain by keeping all of your upcoming deadlines, due dates, and to-dos all in one place.
2. Focus
Find yourself getting distracted by Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Pinterest, Reddit and many other sites? Get rid of distractions with Focus, a Mac app that lets you block your own access to websites or Mac apps that pull your focus. From the menu bar, you can easily create the optimal work environment that many other productivity apps aren’t able to accomplish for you.
3. Time Out
Many productivity apps aim to help you work better. While working is an important part of getting things done, we mustn’t forget that taking breaks is also an essential element of productivity. So, try out Time Out by dejal. The app, which exists for both Mac and PC, will remind you to take breaks at regular intervals — so you can clear your mind and come back to your work refreshed.
4. Notational Velocity
Are you a note taker? Download Notational Velocity, an app that allows you to take notes and search through them easily. With Notational Velocity, you can filter notes by subject and keyword, so that you can easily find what you wrote down and reference it later. No need to get distracted browsing through all of the old notes in your phone’s notepad any longer!
5. FocusWriter
If you’re an oft-distracted writer looking for productivity apps to improve your concentration, try FocusWriter. This app functions like an old-fashioned word processor, so all you can see on the screen is the text you are typing and a plain background. FocusWriter is an excellent app for any writer who finds it hard to avoid the allure of all the other fun things to do on the computer or tablet.
6. 5217 by Francisco Franco
You probably are already familiar with the Pomodoro technique that productivity freaks have been raving about. 5217 has a similar concept but differs from other Pomodoro-based productivity apps as it follows a different productive cycle. Based on findings published by The Muse, 5217 lets you track cycles comprised of 52 minutes of work followed by a 17-minute break. A great app that promises to supercharge your work day, try it today to bring some organization into your work life.
7. Forest App
What many productivity apps lack is the reward factor other than that which comes from finishing your tasks. Sometimes, we need an extra motivational boost and Forest offers exactly that. When you begin working on a task, you can plant a tree that will grow over the next 30 mins. However, if you leave the app before the time’s up, the tree will die. Over time, you will get a forest of trees, representing the hard work you’ve put in.
8. Hocus Focus
Are you the kind who has tons of applications open, cluttering up your desktop as well as your already distracted mind? Then you might benefit from Hocus Focus, a Mac menu bar utility that hides your inactive windows. Many productivity apps offer the possibility of restricting access to other apps but Hocus Focus’ main selling point is that it automatically declutters your desktop, removing the apps that you don’t use while helping you stay focused on the app you’re actually using to get work done.
9. Toggl
A good first step towards taming your scatterbrain is to find out where exactly your time goes. If you often find yourself wondering what you’ve been doing for the past hours, getting a time tracking tool will help you procrastinate less and stay more focused. Toggl is perfect for the job. It is lightweight, fast, simple and free to use. Before diving into more specific productivity apps, it’s better to have a clear idea of how you’re currently using your time.
10. Noisli
Sometimes, digital distractions aren’t the only type of distractions that keep you from focusing on the task at hand. Noise from your physical environment can contribute to your scatterbrain running amok. Noisli is one of the best productivity apps there is to manage background noise and tailor it for the optimal impact on your mind. Whether it’s for working or relaxing, Noisli offers you the best sounds to get into the zone.
What other productivity apps do you use to tame a scatterbrain? Let us know by tweeting us @protoio. Don’t forget to share this list of 10 productivity apps for improving focus with all the distracted people you know.
