I am always looking for ways to make work more fun. Who says work can’t be fun? Sometimes (well maybe most of the time), work can feel like a grind. Some enjoy the grind and others dread it.
No matter what camp you fall under, I wanted share some apps that might spice up work for you, make it more fun as well as boost your productivity.
I have been able to read more, retain more as well as get more done with these apps. The social aspects of some of them make WORK A LOT MORE FUN.
Are you as excited as I am to learn more?
Maybe you use some of these apps already by not consistently and this blog post might spark some motivation to get on them daily and in a new way š
H A B I T I C A
USES
Building habits, eliminating bad habits, knocking out your to-do list and taking down bosses with a group of friends
TIP
Join a guild and you will be even more motivated to complete your projects, to-dos and build new habits because you will be rewarded by completing quests with your guild!
HOW I USE IT
I track all of my to-do here and break my projects down into smaller to-do tasks as well. I also track all the habits I execute on a daily basis and the ones I am working on building. I keep collecting pets, equipment and participate in challenges with my guild (it’s fun). Love the social aspect!
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
I am just much more motivated to “work.” I love collecting items and leveling up my character so the more work I do in the real-world, the more I get out of the game.
SIDE NOTE
You can also explore community challenges to see what projects and habits other people are building and make those your own – it inspires you to be your personal best!
QUESTION
Are you a gamer? Do games motivate you? š
S T R E A K S
USES
I use this daily to check off my top habits and they do change from time to time. It’s fun to see how fast I can check these off and which ones I usually procrastinate on (which signify a personal opportunity).
TIP
Start with 3 habits and then slowly build to 12. Organize them in the order you would like to do them daily. You don’t have to follow that order every day but it gives you some sort of direction.
HOW I USE IT
I use it daily and by having my habits visually stare me in the face, I get a clear sense of what my priorities are. When my priorities shift, I make updates to the app.
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
The biggest impact I noticed was to my health because I created A LOT of health habits at first. At 39 years old, I am the healthiest I have been in my 30s! I guess you can say it has literally reversed aging for me as I feel compelled to be consistent with this app.
SIDE NOTE
It is a bit duplicative with the Habitica app; however, it shows your habits in a more visual way so that is why I use both.
QUESTION
How do you track your habits and will you try a habit tracking app if you haven’t already?
I N S I G H T SĀ T I M E R
USES
A meditation app with 10-30 day courses taught by many different instructors all with a unique style.
HOW I USE IT
I run through one course at a time and listen to 1-2 lessons a day. I love using this as part of my morning routine as it lifts up my spirits first thing in the morning. Winners elevate first thing in the morning!
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
It has brought so much peace in my life and helped me better manage challenges. Can you imagine being more resilient to challenges as well as inspired to live purposefully and the life you love?
TIP
Browse a few instructors to see which ones you resonate with the most. Participate by leaving comments, reviews and questions. The instructors often reply and by sharing your comments, you will be more inspired to transform personally.
SIDE NOTE
There are a lot of meditation apps and I have tried several – insights timer is my favorite because of the diversity of instructors and course layout.
QUESTION
Do you meditate? If not, is it something you want to try?
W U N D E R L I S T
USES
A list tracking app that’s easy and intuitive to use.
HOW I USE IT
I track my grocery list, book list, travel list here and many other things. I mostly use it for groceries and books though š
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
My life is more organized and simplified. Any time I have that thought…oh I should buy this…I just add it to the list. Also when I am traveling, I can put all my ideas there and then plan it out later.
TIP
Remember that when things are kept in your head, you are less productive, less creative and clear so this app is a great way to brain-dump and get it all out there.
SIDE NOTE
Be creative with Wunderlist and use it any way you like.
List options are endless. Here are some other ideas:
Career (considering companies to work for)
Desires (things you want to manifest in your life)
Creativity (projects you want to explore)
QUESTION
How do you track your grocery list or other lists today?
E V E R N O T E
Ā
USES
Taking notes when reading or listening to books and classes.
TIP
Speak into your phone and the app will dictate your notes for you.
HOW I USE IT
I love listening to audio books during my morning routine of getting ready and tidying up the home. Getting ready and doing chores is mindless for me so I am able to process information and pause from time to time to speak into my phone and take notes.
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
I used to HATE doing chores and taking notes but now I look forward to recording notes, journaling my reflections on what I am learning and creating action steps I will take as a result of my newfound knowledge. A lot of content ideas for Loving Leanne are a result of logging notes into Evernote.
SIDE NOTE
There are a lot of note-taking apps but Evernote just kind of stuck with me. It is responsive and opens up quickly on my app and easy to navigate.
QUESTION
Do you like taking notes when you are learning new material and do you multi-task like me and do it while doing chores or something mindless such as walking?
S L A C K
USES
Use this app to collaborate with a group of people working towards the same mission such as mastermind groups, accountability partners, clients and work teams.
TIP
Make sure you and your team are on the same page first in terms of how frequently you will communicate with this app; otherwise you might be left frustrated with less than ample response time.
HOW I USE IT
I use this to collaborate with my intern team! It has kept us so organized because we can start conversations on any project we are working on and it will stay archived in that channel. Also we can integrate the app with other apps such as google drive, canva and asana so updates we make on those apps will automatically notify slack.
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
It has made collaboration so much easier and dynamic. I can collaborate even when I am on the go (e.g. walking the dog). I find I can get more done this way and in bite-sized pieces.
SIDE NOTE
Create a channel dedicated to your team meeting agenda, send work-in-progress documents to get real-time feedback and use it to give others kudos or ask for support.
QUESTION
How do you collaborate with your team or accountability buddy?
P O K E M O NĀ G O
USES
Motivation to get off yo ass and socialize. Let’s face it – it is easy to stay indoors all day especially during colder seasons and this apps gets you moving and socializing (need to collaborate with people to take down legendary Pokemon).Ā
TIP
Block your calendar with all the Pokemon events so you have scheduled walk breaks. Walking will boost your creativity and productivity.
HOW I USE IT
I play this game every day and sometimes the game will dictate my walking route if I want to catch a specific Pokemon. This can be a good thing because I end up getting much more steps in each day.
HOW IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
I’ve met some of the most inspiring people through this game who have become my friends, clients and part of my professional network. It just happens easier and organically because we are playing a game together!
SIDE NOTE
Some people think this game is dorky – don’t be a zombie while playing this game and look up at your surroundings while playing (it is possible).
QUESTION
Do you want to get more steps in your day and if so, what would that do for you?
So there you have it! My absolute fav productivity apps.
I think most of us could use a boost in productivity, be more focused, more incentivized to become our best and bring our best in the world.
I hope you found this list helpful.
What productivity app will you try?
2 Responses
I’m so happy you put pokemon go on this list! Having fun makes productivity much easier in the day to day. I’m going to try Insites!
You will love insights timer especially if you find the meditation instructors that resonate most with you š Yes, love that Pokemon Go has made me much much more active and social š