Distractions are everywhere, ready to steal your time, your attention and your productivity. It’s downright difficult to focus sometimes. We’ve all been there.
While you’re updating your CRM, you switch over to Facebook for a few minutes, just to look. Then your phone rings. So of course, you answer it. You hang up and notice how quiet it is so you start a conversation with the person next to you and text your partner about dinner tonight. While you’re speaking to your coworker, you open up a game on your smartphone and start playing.
An hour later, you finish updating your CRM with that new number your client gave you. A task that should have taken one minute took one hour. Obviously, this won’t do. Here are four apps to help you reclaim your focus and take back your day.
Coffitivity
Do you have trouble focusing when things are too quiet? Then Coffitivity is the app for you. Coffitivity recreates the ambient sounds of a cafe to boost your creativity and help you work better. You aren’t going to transition into productivity with classical tunes or binaural beats. Instead, your ambient sound options include Morning Murmur, Lunchtime Lounge, University Undertones, Paris Paradise, Brazil Bistro, or Texas Teahouse. Check out the Coffitivity research behind these particular ambient sounds.
Focus
Focus is all about simplicity. Manage the time you spend on your to-do list by creating tasks that work within specific sessions. Work on your tasks and receive breaks at precise intervals based on the Pomodoro Technique. Focus wants to make sure you capitalize on every ounce of your productivity without overworking you. It’s like having an accountability partner, there to make sure you stay on task and don’t wander off. Find it on Apple’s App Store or explore the desktop version.
Forest
Every time you lose focus, a tree will die. Or, at least, it does in this Forest. This app is designed to help you put your phone down and keep it down. No more Candy Crush, Facebook, or text messages while you’re on the clock. Open the app, start a 30-minute interval and your tree will grow while you work. However, if you pick up your phone and exit out of the app, your tree will die. At the end of the day, you’ll either have a forest full of trees or a forest full of dead sticks. Gives you a very clear visual on how productive you really were.
FocusON
Let FocusON schedule your productivity. Assign blocks to websites, apps and calls during specific days, times and intervals. Do you work 8-5 Monday through Friday? Block notifications and access to social media, games, and calls from 8:00AM to 12:00PM and 1:00PM to 5:00PM. Don’t forget to unblock your lunchtime! Search for it on your smartphone’s app store and watch your productivity soar.
