My 5 Favorite Apps to Get Things DONE

It’s officially Fall which means we are well into the new school year and struggling to balance everything that needs to get done - school work, jobs, extracurricular activities, and, well, life in general! I’d be lying if I said being a new college student wasn’t overwhelming and stressful at times, but there are a few apps that I use to help organize my life. Below are five of my favorite productivity apps that you need to download to start getting things DONE.

1) Google Calendar

Where would I be without Google Calendar? This is the primary scheduling app used by professors in college and business professionals alike so if you don’t already have it you’ll definitely need it in the future! As your schedule begins to become more complex, you need to make sure that you have an active calendar that you can access any time - at home or on the go. One of my favorite features is Google Calendar’s ability to create multiple calendars to organize your life. I have over 10 calendars that I color code my schedule with, ranging from “workouts” to “nap time”. Every Sunday I plan out my week on Google Calendar and it makes life so much easier!

Pro tip: If you have a big family, I encourage you to tell them to download this and add their schedules in, that way you always know where everyone is and can plan things a lot easier!

2) Google Tasks

I just started to use this app but I love it already. If you’ve been looking for a way to create a mobile to-do list, this is the app for you. Google Tasks syncs directly with Google Calendar to help you keep track of all the tasks you need to get done. Think of it as a better version of the “Reminder” app on your phone. Make sure you set a date and time for each item on your to-do list so that it actually gets done.

3) Trello

Trello is another app my team and I use to stay organized. It allows you to collaborate with others effortlessly. If you have a lot of projects to get done or need to see everything laid out visually, Trello can help you with that. You can create “cards” in different columns that you move around as you complete your task. This feature is helpful if your project is comprised of a lot of steps. Instead of overwhelming yourself with how much you have to get done, you can view how much you’ve already completed, which will ultimately make you feel more accomplished and productive!

4) Focus

Do you struggle with staying focused while studying? If so, use this app during your next study session. This app is based on the Pomodoro technique - work for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes. After four sessions, you take a longer break. If you’re someone who can’t stay on task or mindlessly scrolls through Instagram when you have a paper to write (we’re all guilty!), download this app! There is also an option to manage tasks, that way you can focus on one assignment at a time. Best of all, you can track your statistics on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

5) Done

This app is a great way to build or break habits! We know that it’s the repeated small actions every day that ultimately contribute to our success or failure. This app helps you keep track of your habits! After entering a habit and setting how many times you want to complete it a week, the app will remind you when you’re supposed to get it done and let you swipe after you’ve completed it. It then keeps a streak of each day you complete your habit! It’s much harder to break a habit when you know that you have a streak of 126 days behind you.

I hope you find these apps helpful and please let me know which one you like the best! Here’s to staying organized, on task, and making the most of your time this year!