Learn Time-Management Skills With Productivity Tools

Everyone has the same number of hours in a day to work with, but many of us fall short of making the best of them. If you can relate, it’s in your best interests to learn time-management skills. Why? Becoming a better manager of your time could provide more leeway in your schedule to do things outside of work, such as hobbies, errands and general relaxation.

Plus, when you learn time-management skills and turn them into habits, you’ll likely stop feeling so stressed by having too many things to do and not enough time to accomplish them. Working wisely with your time lets you be a role model to family members and colleagues, potentially inspiring them to follow your lead.

Fortunately, numerous apps make it fun to learn time-management skills and equip you with tips that could be beneficial in other areas of your life, too. Let’s look at several worthy options.

1. RescueTime

The first step in increasing productivity involves knowing how you typically spend time. RescueTime is an app that answers that question. It tracks how long you spent doing particular activities, such as attending meetings or browsing websites.

If it becomes apparent that some websites are constant time sinks for you, there’s a blocking feature in RescueTime that get you back on track. After receiving insights, you’re well equipped to know which changes to make.

This app works on computers and Android phones. There are also Chrome and Firefox extensions to try. (A free version is available with a premium plan priced at $9/month or $72/year)

2. FocusList

This iOS app combines to-do lists and time-tracking to help you make the day’s tasks more manageable. Begin by creating a list of everything you need to do, along with estimated times for each item. FocusList then compiles data based on the time it took you to do things compared to the amount of time you thought it’d take.

This app also helps you work with the Pomodoro Technique, which suggests committing to one task for a block of time and then taking a break before resuming work. In addition to these useful features, FocusList offers a pleasing layout. (A $4.99 purchase)

3. Pushbullet

Tablets, phones and computers are supposed to be convenient, but switching between them can slow down your workflow. That’s where Pushbullet comes in handy.

It links your computer and mobile devices together. You can see notifications on your phone come across your laptop screen and send files between the two in seconds.

Using Pushbullet could make you more aware of how reliant you are on your phone and help you finally put it in a drawer to curb distractions as you work. When it’s out of sight, you shouldn’t be as tempted to use it for things that could disrupt your schedule.

Since Pushbullet syncs notifications, you won’t miss important updates. (A free version is available with the Pro version priced at $4.99/month or $39.99/year)

4. Habitica

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I want to be more productive, but it doesn’t seem like much fun”? You’re not alone because that state of mind is likely what spurred developers to launch Habitica.

It brings a gamification aspect to your task list and urges you to create positive habits. When you do, the efforts earn points — but if you fall short, you’ll get in-game punishments.

Use Habitica on your Android or iOS smartphone and build customized lists to suit your goals. It can help you get out of a productivity slump and on a path to progress. (A free version is available with optional subscriptions ranging from $4.99-$47.99)

5. Prioragami

Productivity often requires prioritization — and this iOS app encourages you to pick three top tasks each day. Schedules aren’t always predictable, which may mean occasional changes. That’s why you can shuffle tasks in Prioragami for reprioritization reasons.

This is a metrics-heavy app that shows you the number of tasks completed per day. It provides an average too — a figure you can watch to see if it improves over time. (Available for free)

6. Astro

Do you view email as a necessary evil because of the way it facilitates communications but sacrifices your productivity? There’s an app that could help. It’s called Astro and it includes an AI-powered bot that responds to voice commands to clear out your inbox faster or set reminders.

As an Astro user, you can also see your inbox and calendar side-by-side and get priority notifications about the emails that matter most. Both features will save you time and energy. (Available for free)

It’s not possible to teach yourself better productivity overnight. But with these feature-filled apps, you can quickly maximize your time spent working while solidifying new concepts and habits.