If you're anything like me, the summer heat puts a serious damper on your productivity. It's as if the humidity covers my brain in a fog that always makes procrastinating seem like the best choice. To help combat this and stay focused, I've been perusing productivity apps that many have claimed have really helped them to get things done. Of course, I am happy to share my findings with you, conveniently divided into categories for your productivity finding pleasure.
Overall Organizing
Evernote: The app that sticks out the most as being helpful time and time again is Evernote. With apps for both Android and iOS (and more) it's one of the most well loved and universally used tools among the team here. Evernote helps me get things done by keeping me organized — without it I'd be an even worse procastinator. Free
Mind Mapping
MindNode & Mindjet: Being able to map out exactly what needs to be done is helpful, whether planning a party or brainstorming a new idea. Both of these apps, the former for iOS and the latter for Android, are great ways to get your mind maps onto your tablet. MindNode, $9.99, Mindjet,Free
Reading & Annotating
GoodReader & Mantano Reader: In my line of work I read a lot of documents, most of which are PDFs. Being able to annotate these documents while on the go is huge, so I rely on great app that lets me "note away" as easily as possible. Since I use an iPad, GoodReader is my go-to app for this — for Android tablets, check out Mantano Reader. GoodReader, $4.99, Mantano Reader, $6.99
Task Management
Daily Notes +Tasks & Tasks N ToDos: There are times when a simple handwritten list of things that one needs to do works perfectly, and there are other times when that just won't cut it. For those with very busy schedules and lots of tasks to be done, check out Daily Notes + Tasks for the iPad and Tasks N ToDos for Android. Both apps offer so much more than a simple list and will really help you to be more productive and efficient, as long as you use them, of course. Daily Notes + Tasks, $4.99, Tasks N ToDos, $5.99
Bonus: For the Procrastinating Writer
Write or Die: With a name like that how can you not be motivated? Since we are writers here, this is one iPad app that hits a bit close to home. The app punishes you for procrastinating or becoming distracted, which is great for staying on focus when the consequences are as dire as losing what you've written! Also available for the Desktop. $9.99
What tablet apps help you stay productive?
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Omnifocus is one of the best apps I have come across for any type of productivity... Excellent for iPad or laptop, this program will help you focus on anything! David Allen style or not, this app rocks!
Check out our app PunchLists for the iPhone, available in the App Store: http://bit.ly/KYp7ZG
I second @Kris's vote for Omnifocus. It's insanely flexible. Omnifocus + Evernote is pretty much all I need to stay super organized and get things done.
Omnifocus is expensive (almost $200 to get versions for desktop, iPad and iPhone) and does not have a web-based platform. I can use it at home/on the go for school and my freelance work, but I have to establish another GTD system for my Windows-environment part-time job. Given its cost, it's annoying that there isn't a solution for every platform.
I surely understand @Marnea... Omnifocus has been worth it for my situation, it is the one app that actually pushed me into (completely) a Mac based work environment and I have never looked back!
Im not sure why you would need something for Windows if you already have something on your iOS devices, but I do wish you luck in finding a GTD for the PC... I looked and looked with no luck for a long time... At $200 for 3-devices to be connected and always synced/up to date was just too much for me to walk away from :)
One of my smallest investments ever, and definitely one of my best ever!
Cheers
Kris
I really believe all these apps are for the generation who graduated from high school without the ability to outline and write a paper long hand, on paper, with a pencil. We learned how to organize our thoughts on index cards, build and argument in our minds, and tell a narrative without the use of copy/paste, which cheats the mental exercise in critical thinking. I'm just flummoxed at the notion that one can't live a productive life without this kind of noise. It's just an excuse for a lazy mind.
Oh, I'm from your generation, Urbancricket, and I learned all the long-hand methods you described. Unfortunately, I suffer from a few chronic conditions now that rob me of my memory and focus. Apps like those described, and my personal favorite, Opus Domini, keep important things from falling through the cracks. Daily Notes, mentioned in the article, is another way to help organize my thoughts and make lists that don't use paper and cannot be misplaced. It's not noise, it's just another generation's way of doing things -- kind of like when we moved from rock carvings to paper as a means to transmit our thoughts.
ActionNotes is worth a look - http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/actionnotes/id426122698?mt=8
It's a combined notepad/task list with a slightly different approach - very easy to use and genets great looking emails & PDFs
Like others, I love OmniFocus
@marnea Evernote synced with Dropbox can also work well across all platforms it's a little harder work than OmniFocus but it does a good job. Also, I only have OmniFocus on the iPad. You don't need to have it on laptop, iPhone and iPad for it to wok for you.
Kris Klein and SF Chris:
I use OmniFocus on my MacBook Pro/iPhone, and it works great for majority of my life/work. But I also have a part-time administrative job in a Windows environment, so I'd love to be able to manage that job's tasks within my already-established system without looking like I'm texting on my iPhone at my desk (which is exactly what it looks like). So yes, the desktop and mobile versions were definitely worth the price, and the mobile was essential -- but a web version would make it perfect.