Modern technology has made incredible advancements in how we function. You can be much more productive than ever before. You can also be easily distracted. Fortunately, there’s a growing list of time management tools that allow you to stay on your productivity path.
Benefits of Time Management Tools
You may already have a sense of how you can better manage your time and now you’ll have access to these helpful time management tools. These tools will ensure that you complete the most important tasks on your agenda. They will increase your productivity, allow you to limit distractions and improve your concentration. You’ll have a much more accurate depiction of the time you’re putting in and time you’ll need to remain successful.
12 Time Management Tools Perfect for Professionals
Pomodoro
Since we’re talking about the best time management tools, let’s start with time itself. Measuring time, that is, with a timer like Pomodoro. Do you think your productivity would improve if you had specified bursts of concentrated work with short breaks? If so, then the Pomodoro technique is an easy way to maximize efficiency.
The idea is to choose a task from your To-Do list and become absorbed in that task for 25 minutes. Using the Pomodoro app you’ll block out distractions and take notes to deal with any important interruptions when the time is up. Once the timer goes off, you’ll take a break for five or ten minutes to give yourself some rest. Then you can do the next 25-minute work session, fitting in as many sessions as you want on whichever tasks from your To-Do list.
Harvest
Do you ever wonder how much time it actually takes you to complete a task? Harvest is a multi-functional tracker, with the primary function of starting and stopping timers as you work through your To-Do list. All you need to is click the button for an allocated task for Harvest to begin the timer, then click it again when you finish a task for Harvest to stop counting. This helps you manage your time better so you don’t over-commit to certain projects or misjudge how much time it takes.
Another great feature that makes Harvest one of the best time management tools is that it will let you know how long it takes invoices to come in. You can also integrate Harvest into other tools you already use. If you’re considering using Harvest for your business purposes, you can sign up for a fully functional 30-day trial for free.
FocusMe
Do you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing tasks on your laptop or computer? Are you noticing that you are getting too distracted throughout your work sessions? FocusMe is an app and website blocker software you can download to help you make more progress with getting your work done.
Compatible with Windows, Mac and Android, FocusMe allows you to select which apps and websites you want to block for whatever chosen duration you prefer. You can set it to block for minutes or hours or days: even longer, if you wish. If you know you’re likely inclined to want to browse social media or reflexively look at certain apps or websites, you can eliminate this by allowing FocusMe temporarily block your access. FocusMe is effective in helping you avoid distractions and keeping you on track with the task at hand.
ToDoist
If you’re looking for something to help get everything out of your head and onto a list, then ToDoist is for you. It’s a daily checklist app that allows you to prioritize and set due dates. You focus on other important things in the meantime and don’t think about other items on your to-do list until they are due,
It gets to the heart of the simple need to free up space in your head from any mental distractions. This is one of the great time management tools for someone who’s an online seller or parent or student trying to keep track of day-to-day tasks, both professionally and personally. Rather than tracking big projects, you’ll find it best used to keep track of daily errands.
Unroll.me
Clutter is a definite time waster, so you’ll want to do whatever you can to clutter-free. Just as you’ll engage in clutter clearing practices in your physical environment, you’ll similarly want to take clutter-clearing actions for your online space. Nearly 90% of emails you receive are unwanted and contribute to cluttering your inbox. It can be a tedious task to unsubscribe from them, taking up valuable time.
By signing up to Unroll.me you’ll be presented with a list of the companies that are sending emails. It will help you unsubscribe from any newsletters you’re subscribed to. Unroll.me also offers you the choice to collate all regular emails into a single email so it’s easier for you to browse your inbox. With time management tools like this, a flooded inbox is a thing of the past!
Focuswriter
Sometimes the simplest change to your work station can be one of the biggest adjustments helping you manage your time. The Focuswriter program will take up your entire screen while only allowing you the ability to write. With only the sheet in front of you, you remove any distraction from toolbars, notes, tabs, links or files. You can also download some visually inspiring, high-resolution images for additional positive focusing.
Focus@Will
Focus@Will is ideal if you who find it difficult to focus while studying, working or reading. It will help you find music that eliminates other distractions and assists your brain with staying on task. Focus@Will provides different music to help your mind function at a higher level.
With Focus@Will, you’ll take a simple personality to test that determines which music is best for you. It includes music categories such as: up tempo, classical, electro Bach, ambient, acoustical, water, alpha chill, focus spa, drum zone, and others. Choosing a music that is specifically fit to you, makes Focus@Will one of the most intervals time management tools that will improve your focus and productivity.
1-3-5 List
The 1-3-5 List is a straight-forward approach that helps you arrange your task accordingly to their size. You will set up one big task, three medium tasks and five small tasks for you to complete. 1-3-5 List is a browser-based tool that allows you to enter your task for each day and arranges them for you to see clearly. You can visualize how to the importance level of the tasks are broken down and make progress incrementally throughout your day.
Mind42
Have you ever had a succession of great thoughts you wanted to visualize your thought pattern? Well, Mind42 is a tool that will form a structured diagram that visually organizing the data you give it. It uses mind mapping as a productivity technique to give you gain clarity on what needs to be done.
By organizing your thoughts in this visual way it will make it easier for you to understand and process what to do next. Especially if you’ve noticed that you learn better with visualization. this method will be beneficial for you when organizing various projects.
52-17
This interval timer is similar to the Pomodoro Technique but gives a longer amount of concentrated work time. If you’re looking to get a longer work session in, the 52-17 interval timer will give you three 52-minute concentrated work rounds over 3 hours and 10 minutes, with 2 rounds of 17-minute breaks in between.
Based on extensive studies, this time management tool states that, on average, people work most productively for around a 52 minute interval. Taking a break for the next 17 minute interval will give your brain enough rest and allow you to put attention toward. See if these intervals are the right break down for you.
Habitica
Gamification is a fun way to hack your brain, and it’s increasingly having more influence within the development of time management tools. If you like role-playing games and you want to be more productive with your time, then Habitica creatively combines these aspects for you. It’s a daily planner app that allows build habits as the character you’ve created within the game.
Whenever you complete one of your daily habits. your character earns points, skills or items. You can be anything for a warrior fighting monsters to a paladin battling skeletons, all in the name of doing your routine tasks. Completing your tasks through the Habitica daily checklist you’ll see your character get stronger while weakening your enemies.
My Life Organized
If you’re challenged when managing your tasks, following To-Do lists, and organizing your goals, then open yourself up to My Life Organized. It’s a task management system based on implementing the “Getting Things Done” model. It will help you target where you need to focus in order to reach your objectives. It will generate To-Do lists automatically, tracking your progress methodically based on the priority actions you’re given.
Conclusion
It can be hard to concentrate, but modern technology–which in part caused this problem–is now part of the solution. Find the app that’s best for you and get to work!