Top Productivity Tools for Teens In 2021
Technology and the way it has evolved is hilariously ironic. From using it to work more and work faster, we are now working less and slower, and we blame technology for that. The ironic part is, there are now apps that will assist you in your daily battles with technology and make you more productive.
Here’s a list of productivity apps and systems that will help you utilise your time by staying on track and delegating some work to the machines you are always working with.
For personal use
1. Todoist
It is very easy to forget about important things when you are involved in multiple activities at once. Making lists is really helpful but sometimes you just don’t have your diary around you and sticky notes fly away without a warning. That’s where Todoist comes in. You might not have a pen with you at all times, but your phone is something you will never leave. 🤷♂️
Todoist allows you to make digital lists and break down bigger tasks into smaller, doable things that you can keep ticking off as and when you are done and thus make your progress visible to yourself. The best part is that it works as a desktop app as well as on your phones.
2. Evernote/Notion
Both these applications go a long way for students and employees as they are designed for note-taking and accommodate any images and graphs you make. Along with taking notes efficiently, these apps also set reminders and help manage projects and personal work simultaneously. Personally, I never preferred making notes virtually, but these apps do show how easy life at college could be with a more systematic approach to writing things down.
3. Forest
This is a mobile application that creates a personalised forest if you commit to the rules you set for yourself. Whenever you want to start working and not get interrupted by the notifications and calls you get out of nowhere, use Forest to block those disturbances and keep your mind focused. You can set time limits for how long the app blocks notifications and if you don’t use your phone at that time, it plants a virtual tree for you. Go green!
4. Strict Workflow
This is like Forest but for computers. It works as a Chrome extension that asks you to set a list of sites that are guilty of making you procrastinate (YouTube and Reddit for me). It won’t let you access these for a time limit you set such that you can use the Pomodoro strategy effectively.
For managing teams/projects:
1. Lucidchart
When managing teams, your fellow teammates might not see how their work contributes to the bigger picture and that’s when you need to make a diagram to show where they add value in the process. Lucidchart allows you to create mind maps and flowcharts that can be used to delegate work easily and create a dashboard (of sorts) for your projects.
2. Slack
Giants such as Target and Airbnb use Slack for its wholesome virtual communication solutions. It is an attempt to replace traditional emails with an efficient system of chatrooms which allows you to share information and files. These can be organisation-wide or direct, depending on who all need access to it.
3. Toggl
Toggl keeps track of how you and your team spend time on an hourly basis. It records the duration for which tasks last and thus directs your focus on inefficient hours and duties that get prolonged unnecessarily. It facilitates planning and makes evaluation easier by making it less-subjective.
General essentials:
1. Onetab
Sometimes while researching, the number of windows you end up opening at once can demotivate you and make everything seem messy. Onetab solves this problem. It reduces clutter by assimilating all open tabs into one, making it easier to keep track of work and stay organised.
2. Blue light filter
This is not exactly a productivity app but since a lot of stuff is done over screens and online, it is good to reduce eye-strain/headaches, which eventually does help you stay more productive. Most phones now come with such filters built in, so don’t forget to turn it on once in a while to protect your eyes.
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