Apps that Will Help Make You More Productive
It seems like everyone is working in overdrive these days trying to balance hectic work hours with a busy personal life. But many of us have a tool that will help manage it all already sitting in our pockets—a smartphone.
There are a host of smartphone apps available to help get better organized and boost productivity.
So before you throw your hands up in frustration because there aren’t enough hours in the day, consider these five productivity-boosting apps.
1. CARROT
The secret behind many organized individuals is making to-do lists and sticking to them. But for people who need a little more motivation to get busy crossing tasks off their list, they should check out the CARROT app.
The app costs $1.99 and works with the iPhone or iPad and allows users to create a to-do list--but you better stick to it. If you dare blow off any items on the list, the app will not only bring it to your attention, but also insult you in the process. If you finish your tasks on time, not only will CARROT lavish you with compliments, but you can rack up points to redeem for more than 400 rewards.
2. cue
Maintaining multiple email accounts, calendars and social media accounts can be time consuming and hard to manage to make sure you aren’t missing any meetings or appointments. In an effort to eliminate the confusion and boost productivity, smartphone users may want to give cue a whirl.
This free app places your email accounts, contacts and calendars into one interface so you can see a snapshot of your day in one place. The app also automatically connects your events with related phone numbers, people and addresses to make sure you are in the right place at the right time.
3. Evernote
It’s hard to keep track of all the pre-planned tasks that have to be done in a day, let alone things you may see or that pop into your head at any given moment, but Evernote is here to help. This free app works on any smartphone, tablet or computer and lets you snap a photo, record audio and save everything you see online and in the real world.
The app allows you to gather all your thoughts, ideas, projects, events, muses and whatever else you want to keep track of all in one place and made available at your fingertips. Evernote even has the Evernote Hello app which lets you create a browsable history of people you meet.
4. LastPass
Online banking, shopping, storage and networking has made our lives more convenient—except when it comes to remembering all the different passwords. Thankfully, there’s an app to help you access all those disparate passwords without wasting time.
LastPass is a free app for the iPhone and iPad that will store your login and password information on your iPhone synced via a method that doesn’t allow LastPass or anyone else to access your data. This will give you one quick and easy way to see your passwords no matter how many you have.
5. DropBox
Whether you are sharing pictures, videos or large documents, the time it takes to get them on your computer, shrink them down and send them could be time spent doing something more productive.
Enter Dropbox. This free app allows you to access any file you save to your Dropbox from your iPhone or iPad and quickly send them off. The app also gives you 2GB of space when you sign up for free.