Whether you’re working from home or in the office, your smartphone is an invaluable tool that allows you to email, text, and correspond quickly and efficiently with colleagues and customers. From scheduling appointments to collaborating on projects, smartphones are infinitely useful for all things work-related.
However, because you can do so many things with a smartphone, they can also become more of a distraction than a tool when it’s time to get work done. In addition, it seems like there’s a new app every hour, promising to solve your every productivity problem. But which ones actually help, and which just clutter up your home screen and eat up your data?
In this article, we’ll cut through the noise and provide an overview of some of the best, tried-and-true smartphone apps to help you focus, enhance your productivity, and complete tasks at work.
1. Google Docs
A common stumbling block in old-fashioned remote collaboration was the inability to work together on a document at the same time. For example, you’d draft a report and email it to a colleague, who would look over the file, add edits and suggestions, then send it on to the next person. While one person worked on the file, others could not, creating significant amounts of downtime between drafts and multiple versions being passed back and forth. Cue the confusion and chaos. Google Docs eliminates this lag by hosting a single file that everyone can access simultaneously, enabling the whole team to add comments and make changes in real time. With just one current version, the risk of working on an outdated draft is gone.
2. 1Password
It’s common these days to have more passwords and usernames than you can remember. Maybe you’ve had the frustrating, time-wasting experience of trying and failing multiple times to log in to an app or account, cycling through different password and username combinations. 1Password makes life a lot simpler, enabling you to protect, use, and securely share passwords, financial accounts, credit cards, and more. The platform’s security model ensures sensitive information is protected and provides actionable alerts about potential threats. 1Password also allows you to manage all of your information and credentials in one place and makes it easy to create, use and manage an unlimited number of strong, unique passwords.
3. RescueTime
Do you ever feel like you’ve been working hard, but you’re not getting things done? There’s an app for that. RescueTime measures your active time across multiple devices, tracking how you spend your workday. Providing metrics on usage across a range of different applications—including your calendar, messaging apps, Slack, email, Zoom, and whatever else—RescueTime can help you understand where your time goes. Armed with this information, you can then identify potential time-wasters and boost your efficiency. In addition, with the option to block distracting apps and websites with Focus Sessions, the RescueTime Assistant can help you build better habits.
4. Trello
Trello effectively serves as a large whiteboard where team members can post their tasks as sticky notes. Tasks are moved from left to right as they are completed, enabling each person to track the progress of a project from inception to completion. For managers keen to monitor their team’s progress, Trello is the ideal format. Simple to navigate, Trello makes project management a breeze without requiring additional training for staff.
5. Pocket
If you’ve ever come across an article, video, podcast, recipe, or anything else that sparks your interest, Pocket is the place to store to it. It’s perfect for those times when you’re working and you stumble upon something interesting online, but don’t have the time to read, listen, watch, or buy it at that moment. By saving it to your Pocket account with a single click, you can create a personal library of content that informs and inspires you. With special features for focused reading, Pocket also allows you to listen to stories with its audio playback option.
6. DocuSign
For those who sign contracts and other documents regularly, DocuSign removes the time-sapping process of printing, signing, scanning, and sending paper copies by enabling users to create and upload their signature and digitally sign documents. DocuSign has an array of benefits, from reducing risk and improving turnaround times to helping HR teams manage their entire hire-to-retire lifecycle. By eliminating the need to print and scan paper contracts, deeds, and other forms that need to be signed, DocuSign dramatically slashes the time it takes to execute agreements and close deals.
7. The Pomodoro Timer
The Pomodoro Timer is a time-tracking app that can help you boost efficiency by segmenting your workday into 25-minute increments and encouraging you to take an energizing 5-minute break after each one. It’s inspired by the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo. Rather than spending hour after hour staring at your screen, the Pomodoro Timer helps you tackle tasks in short microbursts where you’re focused 100%. Plus, not only can it help you check things off your to-do list; it may also help you feel better at the end of the workday. Taking frequent breaks is better for your body and your mind than sitting in one position for hours on end.