My Top 5 Productivity Apps!
With the New Year in full swing and my previous post on the action points I’m taking forward for a better year, I thought it would only be useful to share some of the apps that I have been using to help gain a more focused, productive lifestyle.
Now I’m sure that most people (and definitely students) will know about these apps, but I am hoping that by showing how I shape them around my differents needs, they can be more efficient and enhance productivity not just academically or professionally but on a more personal level. I will also drop a few notable mentions which (while not making the top 5) are definitely worth looking into.
1. Trello
Most people will be aware of Trello and its purpose, it’s a list-making app which in many respects replaces the old post-it note. However, I appreciate how using different workspaces can organise and maximise productivity. For example, I have a personal workspace with ‘not started’, ‘a work in progress’ and ‘complete’ and within those categories, I have red, amber and green coloured cards depending on the urgency of each matter. This allows me to focus on the most important projects in my life (often more than one at a time) while being able to have a central place to review and update their progress.
But for me, the most fruitful benefit of Trello is the ability to add attachments to cards and create collaborative spaces.
Not only does Trello allow me to organise my own life; creating a central space for anything and everything, but it also follows me around on my phone and can be checked in on at any moment during the day helping me remain focused on the most pressing tasks I have to attend to that day. The greatest benefit, however, is that it is completely free. You should at least give it a try.
2. Spotify
Now, this is definitely an obvious one. Spotify is the most prolific music streaming app out there and has dominated all competition around it. However, the reason why I included this in my top 5 productivity apps is that you can stream music, meditate and listen to podcasts, which is definitely useful when commuting or de-stressing before getting some sleep.
As an aspiring legal professional, I find The Economist and Financial Time round-ups extremely helpful in providing me with the latest news albeit in a shortened bite-sized format.
3. Telegram
As a friend once said to me, Telegram is like having an iPhone messaging app for someone who doesn't have an iPhone. While this doesn't apply to me, the one thing that I took from this was that the app is extremely neat and minimalistic.
Telegram helps me in my life because it allows me to create groups with my friends (who study similar courses) and so linking and sharing resources has never been so easy.
And if you read that and thought, I don’t have any friends who do similar courses to me, there are several established media companies that you can follow for round-ups and insights into current affairs to hobbies.
4. Google Drive (et al)
As a student, there is nothing more useful than a collaborative drive where you can store your work and add others to documents when working on group projects. At the University of York, there is a huge collaborative focus around the work that we do and in several modules, it is the core way in which the curriculum is focused around. Therefore, working in groups efficiently can only be done if people have access to group documents and sheets required to build on within a session.
I think the major benefit of Google Drive, however, is how it is connected to all of the google apps which not only makes it a central storage unit, but a place to expand creatively, whether that be through Jamboard or Google Docs. This is particularly useful from a students perspective, as everything can be found and expanded on in one place, which in an ever virtual and technological centred society, has never been more beneficial.
5. Strava
This one is a slight anomaly from the list because while a productivity app, my central focus in this piece has been about apps that bring structure or enhance ones ability to complete day-to-day tasks.
However, it is still rather important I think to add to my list and nonetheless at №5 is Strava. I really enjoyed using Strava in particular last April when I embarked on Action Aid’s Go The Distance Challenge which you can read here.
As I focus on exercise this year, I thought I would use Strava in helping me get back to it. From recording your exercise whether that be on foot or on a cycle, Strava plays a beneficial role in logging your journeys.
And they’re my top 5! Though they are rather mainstream apps, I thought that by highlighting how I use them to maximise my efficiency, it may allow others to use these apps in a way that enhances both recreational and productive tasks.
If you liked this post, it would be hugely appreciated if you could leave a like and a follow, maybe even comment on your most productive apps.
Take it easy ❤️
