With Zoom fatigue and life online becoming very real one year into the pandemic, getting stuff done can be a struggle some days. I try to plan things to add some structure to my life, and I do my best to get done what I planned out that day. These are a few apps I like to use to help me stay productive.
- Flora
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This app is perfect for when you need to stay off your phone and want something to help you stay accountable. Whenever you want to work, you start by planting a seed digitally, and then you have to stay off of your phone for it to grow. If you open other apps, the plant dies, which surprisingly really does help me stay on task. My favorite part of this app is that you can connect with friends and grow trees together!
- Headspace
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When you’re going through a busy day, and things get overwhelming, sometimes you just need to time out for a few minutes. Headspace meditations are one of my favorite ways to relax and anchor myself in the moment. They also have some great focus playlists that I enjoy listening to while I’m working.
- Sloth
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This one is simple but great when you have a long to-do list. Sloth gives you a place to write down all you need to accomplish and how long each task will take. It adds all of your time up, and then you start the timer to get your tasks done. If I’m really trying to be productive, I’ll even schedule time for breaks. Nothing feels better than clearing my entire task-list.
- Google Calendar
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G-Cal is becoming more and more mainstream, and there is a reason for that. Having all my Google apps synced on my phone and computer makes maintaining a digital calendar so easy. I always plan my weeks using Google calendar and even use it for important reminders.
I use the free versions for all of these except for Headspace, and for that I pay a yearly fee at the student discount.