Apps that are rocking my productivity

These aren’t just productivity apps. These apps are making me smarter, more organised and a bit groovier. OK, I can’t really back that last one up.

Teux Deux – task list 

I love the process of task management. Seriously. OK, I might be a bit weird, but I love the process of organising and the feeling of accomplishment when I cross things off my list. Yes, I am one of those people who will add something to a list only to cross it off.

I’ve used quite a few list apps over the past few years, but I’ve stuck with Teux Deux the longest.
You can create tasks, add notes and subtasks, and assign a deadline and a reminder. You can drag and drop between days, and it’s just really easy to use.

How it’s boosting my productivity

Being realistic about my to-do list is part of my move to be happier today day. So while it’s really easy to move tasks between days on Wunderlist, I am trying to assign only an achievable amount of work to each day (rather than just pushing whatever is left over to tomorrow).

More than anything, I’m using Wunderlist to facilitate my other productivity (and sanity-maintaining) processes.

How much does it cost?

You can try it for free for 30 days then upgrade if you like it. It’s $3 USD a month or $24 a year.

2019 EDIT: I’ve tried a few different list apps but Teux Deux is still my favourite. 

30/30 – task timer

Regular readers and followers will know that I’m a fan of the Pomodoro Technique, and the 30/30 app is helping me use it.

Sure, I could just use a timer, and I have done so in the past, but I’ve found that simply setting a timer for 25 minutes (work time) and then again for five minutes (break time) was making it too easy to lose focus. I would quickly check emails, and before I knew it, I’d spent 15 minutes replying to things that definitely weren’t more important than the brochure I was writing.

At the start of each workday, I look at Wunderlist and break my workload into 30-minute chunks: 25 minutes of work with five-minute breaks. Then I have a break for lunch and do the same again for the afternoon.

How it’s boosting my productivity

The reason 30/30 is working so well for me is that I am forcing myself to be realistic about how long a task is going to take. That’s great for planning and quoting.

The ticking clock, together with the Pomodoro Technique principle of ignoring all distractions for 25 minutes, is helping me get a lot more done. It’s a productivity WIN.

How much does it cost?

It’s freeeeee, but it’s available only in the App Store. Sorry, my Android friends.

2019 EDIT: This is still a great timer to stay on focus. I also use Chrome extensions Toggle and Pomodoro to track my time and stay on task!  

Headspace – meditation

In my post about Project Happy, I mentioned that I have started using the Headspace app for daily meditation. My goal is to learn how to become more present in each moment—with more focus while I work and not thinking about work when I’m not working.

Headspace is the brainchild of Andy Puddicombe. Andy became a Buddhist monk at the age of 22 and ten years later set about demystifying meditation. His guided sessions make it very easy, and his voice is quite heavenly.

How it’s boosting my productivity

Being able to focus is a massive benefit to my productivity, as I’m not flicking away from my work to get my next ‘fix’ of social media or to check my emails. I won’t pretend I’ve got the whole meditation thing down pat, but after a month, I know my stress levels are down. I feel a lot calmer as I look at my bulging to-do list. I’m getting on with the job rather than wasting time in a state of panic.

The result is being able to get more done in the time I have. I am also feeling more relaxed during my evenings and weekends because I’m more present in those moments, which in turn is helping me be more productive. I’m freaking LOVING it.

How much does it cost?

Free for the starter Take 10 program—10 minutes of guided meditation for 10 days.
Monthly subscriptions from $7.99 to $19.99 USD per month.
I signed up for the $7.99-per-month package, paying $95.88 USD.
And they gave me a discount through an email campaign, so I paid even less.

I spent a few moments looking at what I spend my money on, for my business and for myself, and realised that less than a $100 for a year of guided meditation is a great investment.

2019 EDIT: I’m still meditating and loving it! 

Freedom – distraction remover

Speaking of getting more done, the main idea behind the Pomodoro Technique is working without distractions. The Freedom app doesn’t let me trust myself alone with social media and email. Freedom takes away my bat and ball, puts me at my desk and then tells my friends I’m busy.

OK, not really. What it does do is remove my Internet access for a designated amount of time (and that’s pretty much the same thing). I can’t override it without rebooting my computer. For real!

I also can’t get distracted with a cool meme or conversation on social media. Nor can a new copywriting enquiry or a blog post from my favourite writer distract me from the writing I simply must do.

How it’s boosting my productivity

On my first day of using Freedom, I realised how much research I do online. I also realised how much research I do as I write. That doesn’t mean the app isn’t a good fit. Instead, I’ve adjusted my process a little.

I schedule chunks of time to research and map out my ideas. Then, when it’s time to write, I shut everything out using Freedom.

As a result, I’m planning my copywriting out a little more, which is great for productivity, as I’m cutting back on rework and editing. I’m also being pushed to be a little more creative, because I can’t simply Google the answer.

How much does it cost?

This baby is $10 USD, but it offers you a free trial (on Macs or Windows) with five uses. I figure that even if I don’t use it all the time, which I don’t, it will save me a lot more than $10 in the long term. It probably saves me $10 a day!

2019 EDIT: I don’t use this all the time but it’s still on high rotation when I need some distration-free writing! 

 

Spotify – music for motivation and focus

I am seriously late to the Spotify party, I know that. But I’m here now, and I’m having a great time.

If you haven’t heard, Spotify is a commercial music-streaming service that gives you access to shed loads of music. You can listen to it online or offline, and it has pretty much made my music collection irrelevant.

You can create a station or playlists based on an artist or song, which I find kinda cool as I’m crap at putting cool playlists together.

How it’s boosting my productivity

I’m slowly creating different mood jams for different times of the day and for different types of copywriting projects. Sometimes I need silence to write, but if I have some ambient noise happening, I can focus more easily with some music drowning it out. No lyrics, though. I can’t have lyrics.

Through the process of play, Spotify is helping me work out what my most productive working conditions are—and creating them.

How much does it cost?

On mobile, you can listen to artists, albums and playlists in shuffle mode. Or choose a readymade playlist to suit your mood. On tablet and computer, you can play any song, any time.

If you pay $9.99 USD a month, as I have, you can get more access across more devices. Oh, and no ads.

Finally, some two not so surprising apps….

2019 EDIT: I’m still rocking out and particularly love the collection of white noise and rain sounds. I also love Brain.Fm.

 

And we’re done

That was a long post. If you’ve made it this far, I thank you! What do you think?

Are any of these apps new to you? Do you think they could help you? Perhaps you’re already using some of them.

Let me know in the comments. Especially if you’ve got some awesome productivity apps to add!

Belinda