5 Apps to Boost Work Productivity

Feeling distracted at work is something that most of us deal with from time to time. Unfortunately, distractions can keep you from accomplishing everything you would want to on a daily basis. On the bright side, there are all kinds of apps that can make it easier to keep these distractions to a minimum and help you re-focus. Here we review the top five apps that can help you keep your important priorities in order at work.

1. Isolator
One of the worst causes of interruptions at work is having multiple windows open on your computer when you are working. It’s hard to stay focused when there are endless possibilities for searching on multiple windows on your computer. This is where Isolator will help get rid of distractions in a big way. Isolator is a great app for keeping you productive on your Mac. This app is meant to minimize distraction by keeping your focus on your active window. Based on settings you pick beforehand, this app will hide windows other than your active window and blur out any other open windows on your computer. This app is only compatible with Mac and can be downloaded for free here.

2. Calendly
Do you get distracted during your work week trying to constantly schedule different appointments for multiple co-workers and clients? This is a web-based scheduling app that will make sure you can only book things when you have a completely open schedule. To start, enter the time you are available for calls, meetings, or lunches, and share this with you co-workers or clients. When your co-workers want to schedule something, they can go to your page, pick a time that works for both of you, and hit submit. This app will automatically add this event to your calendar and send you a notification. This app helps remove distractions because it will remove all requests to meet. You can now have a virtual assistant to help with your appointments and give you time to focus on your current projects.

3. Todoist
It’s easy to get swamped with work and lose track of all the important tasks you need to finish. Fortunately, this app is great for helping you get organized. Todist will help you organize your task list, collaborate with co-workers on shared tasks, as well as prioritize important items o you don’t have to search for what should be done first. It’s easier to stay focused when you have an organized list of what needs to be done. You can easily build and check items off your list as you complete them. Since the point of this app is to prioritize your tasks, you will always know which one to do first and which ones you can put off until tomorrow. This app can also be found on the web or installed for free at the iTunes store.

4. Calm
Another component of work productivity is taking time to schedule mental health breaks. No matter how much you love your job, working in an office space can take its toll on you. That’s where this app, Calm, comes in handy. Calm will give you seven free guided meditations sessions that go between two and 20 minutes so you have a little time to recharge your mental batteries. There are also seven-day introductory courses on mindfulness, as well more features on meditation if you upgrade to premium. We love this app for its relaxation techniques and 10 immersive nature scenes. The best thing you can do for a cluttered, distracted mind is to take a breather and “unplug” from your work space for a little. When you get back, you’ll feel ready to take on your day. You can download this app for free at the iTunes store.

5. Focus Booster
Trying to stay focused is not always easy when it comes to work. It takes discipline to maintain your focus on all of the important tasks you need to finish. Focus Booster is just the app you need, which uses the “Pomodoro technique” where you take short breaks between longer working periods. This app has a digital timer which helps you stay on task, but will make sure you take breaks to increase your long term productivity. All you need to do is define your work lengths and break period. The timer on this app doesn’t allow you to pause, so you are forced to work and takes breaks for the designated blocks of time. This app can be downloaded for free at the iTunes Store.