For all the ways a quality laptop can help make your life easier, it can also be the reason you tend to waste time or get distracted all the time. After all, there’s a lot more than you can do on the Internet, from checking social media to learning how to Photoshop.
It’s not that doing these things is wrong. It’s just when you’re avoiding work and are instead procrastinating, it can be easy to wonder whether a laptop was a sound investment or not.
The answer? It definitely was! If you find that the time you spend on your personal computer is not as efficient as it could be, it’s on you. When it comes to fixing this issue, however, you’ll need help – software help, to be specific.
There are several software options that can make your life easier, from apps that limit the amount of time you spend on certain websites to ones that help you be more productive. If you find yourself in the market for productivity applications, here are some great options to consider!
RescueTime
Are you spending too long being unproductive? Research suggests that, on average, Internet users spend nearly 150 minutes a day on social media. If you suspect that not only are you one of the people in the study, you’re also practically addicted to social media, don’t worry.
RescueTime tracks the apps you use, the websites you use to surf the Internet, as well as what breaks you take during the workday. Each app and platform is categorized according to the RescueTime system and the type they fall under. This tool helps you keep your focus and create new productivity goals if possible.
Evernote
We’ve all had ideas randomly come to us during the day, leaving us frustrated that we don’t have a way to record them. Evernote can help solve that issue. This app is one of the best-known and most useful tools when it comes to increasing your productivity levels, and for a good reason. While, on the surface, it looks like just another note-taking app, it’s actually so much more than that.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, and Evernote takes this maxim to the max. This app allows users to capture notes in all kinds of ways, not just physically writing them down. You will be able to make notes when recording audio, sketching digitally, uploading PDFs, and more.
Additionally, if you search the app for a word or a phrase, your app will not only look for results in your notes and other similar mobile apps it will also examine the photo gallery. So, the next time you wonder where that favorite picture you snapped during your last vacation is, don’t worry – just type in a relevant keyword in Evernote, and let the app do the job!
Also, if you have the paid version of the app, the effects don’t just stop with what I just described. You will also be able to check PDFs and other documents to check for the keyword that you mentioned.
Todoist
This app is available in both free and paid versions and is the perfect way to take your to-do list to the next level. To-do lists are the key to ensuring you can complete all the tasks you have in front of you efficiently. While paper and pencil lists can have their advantages, Todoist simply blows that right out of the water.
With a free account on this app, you can collaborate with other people on each project (up to five people per project) and manage up to 80 different projects. Additionally, this version also allows you access to its native language output, the ability to prioritize the most important tasks on your list, assign list items to other people, and more.
The paid version is even more advanced. The Premium version allows you to add comments to tasks, get reminders, add filters, and more. If you’re a business owner, the app also has a Business grade version.
X1 Search
Have you ever forgotten where you saved a key document? Created a carefully structured list of folders – and then forgot how they went together?
If that sounds like you, you need a desktop search utility in your life, and you’re unlikely to find another option as effective as X1 Search. This app not only searches through your desktop, but also email accounts and any related archives, as well as calendars, Microsoft Sharepoint, your remote-hosted files, and more. This means that no matter where you stored that all-important file, X1 Search will ensure you can access it in a jiffy!
There are several apps available to make working on a laptop easier and more efficient. Consider what factors are affecting your productivity, and once you know what habits you need to address, it will be easy to find software that helps address these issues!
