3 Apps Guaranteed to Boost Your Productivity

There's nothing quite worse than the feeling you get at the end of a long day when you realize you didn't get nearly as much done as you had anticipated.

I'd go as far as saying that it's comparable to that feeling you used to get when you did something wrong and your parents told you they were "disappointed in you." 

For lack of a better word, procrastination is a witch, isn't it?

With a smartphone, laptop, and tablet within an arms reach at almost all time during the day, it feels like there's always something buzzing, ringing, flashing, and beckoning me to veer off track. 

So rather than let technology send me on a downward spiral, I've uncovered a few ways to make it work with me, rather than against me.

If you're sick of that unaccomplished feeling, check out these 3 apps that are guaranteed to boost your productivity. 

Self Control

I would like to personally thank this application for making my college degree possible. 

Like a slap on the wrist, Self Control will restrict access to the list of websites of your choice for a designated period of time to ensure that you're staying focused on the things that matter. 

Lets say you've got a presentation due at noon and no matter how hard you try you cant stop procrastinating (you know the feeling). You're scrolling through Pinterest with a crazed look in your eye, probably feeling particularly guilty but you physically can't exit out of the tab. We've all been there.

What Self Control does best is it helps restore your sanity and forces you to get down to business whether you like it or not.

Simply add the time-sucking websites of your choosing to the "blacklist", select a time, and let the countdown begin.

P.S. - If you're anything like me, I'm sure you're already coming up with ways to beat the system in your head, but trust me when I say, there's no turning back once you hit submit.

Go ahead, quit the app or restart your computer, you're still not getting passed the block until it's time, so get to work. 

Focus Booster

Focus Booster was created around the famous "Pomodoro Technique", a time management philosophy based on time budgeting.

According to Lifehack, the technique works as follows: "for every project throughout the day, you budget your time into short increments and take breaks periodically. You work for 25 minutes, then take break for five minutes. Each 25-minute work period is called a “pomodoro”, named after the Italian word for tomato." (Source: Lifehack)

Why tomato? The name was actually inspired by the tomato kitchen timer that the creator used to track his own tasks. 

The overall goal of the technique is to keep your brain fresh, and improve your ability to focus as a result. The timer brings a sense of urgency to the table which is designed to help users move a project along faster to avoid carrying it over to the next pomodoro. 

Essentially Focus Booster is a modern version of the late tomato timer. The app lives on your desktop and allows you to set custom timers and schedule breaks to help you increase your productivity through out the day. It's as simple as that. 

Umano

As a content creator, I read an innumerable amount of blog articles a day in an attempt to stay informed and relevant. They help me to get inspired, uncover new ways of thinking, and expand upon my knowledge base. There's nothing wrong with that, right?

Well, not technically. But all this reading does take up precious time. Sure, it's productive, but what if I could consume information while crossing something else off my list? Who doesn't love to feed two bird with one scone? (I'm not a violent person, what can I say?)

Enter the Umano app.

This free app allows users to listen to large selection of articles from channels of their choice, receive recommendations based off their preferences, and download articles to listen to offline. 

Like a book on tape, Umano makes it easy for you to consume information while commuting to work, running at the gym, or scheduling social media posts.

Expand your mind and save time, sounds like a plan to me. 

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