With deadlines and exam season fast approaching, it is easy to feel as though your workload is getting on top of you. It seems impossible to remember the countless number of things on your to-do list, and it proves even harder to get a minute’s rest to process all that is going on. For most people, mobile phones and social media provide that brief pause or moment of procrastination; a quick flick through Instagram and Facebook and for a moment your worries have quietened down. It can also make you feel more involved with a wider society that can seem so distant from your secluded corner in the library. However, your phone can be useful in more ways than just for procrastination. Here are some apps that are proven to help with focus and productivity, making student life all the more manageable.
Forest
Forest combines a desire to be productive with the opportunity to actively help the environment. Every time you need to focus, open the app and plant a virtual tree; if you leave the app to use your phone, the tree dies. A different tree grows every time you successfully work without touching your phone, eventually creating a forest representing your uninterrupted, dedicated hard work. When Forest app users spend the virtual coins they receive for growing virtual trees, Forest and their partner organisation, Trees For The Future, plant real trees around the world. So far Forest has planted 251, 620 trees worldwide – so download the app, and enjoy being productive with the knowledge you are making the globe a greener place!
Calm
For when the stress gets too much, Calm is a meditation and mindfulness app that helps you to focus on the present rather than stressing or worrying about the past or future. It allows you to take a minute (or 5, or 10) to breathe; to hone in on your body and check in with how you’re feeling at that moment. The app teaches you how to effectively relax and reflect, and it is a proven way to reduce anxiety, aid sleep, and improve your mood. It is the number one app for mindfulness and wellness, with over 22 million downloads.
Timetree
Timetree is a calendar app where users can upload and share their plans or events with one another. It allows you to create different calendars for different groups of people, for example, one for your flatmates and another for a separate group of friends. You can even comment on each different event created, so you can discuss and confirm time or place. Timetree makes it easy to keep updated with the constantly changing plans that constitute so much of student life.
Splitwise
This app makes it easy to keep track on who owes whom money. It splits bills and documents how much money each user owes, keeping you on top of your finances and removing the need for those awkward IOU conversations.
Noted
Noted is a recording and note-taking app, perfect for using in lectures and seminars when it’s impossible to keep up with every word. Everything you type is time stamped, so that the typed notes synchronise with the audio recording – making it easy to keep track of which notes go with which discussion topic. Tag important sections to make it easier to find specific parts, avoiding pointless time wasted re-listening to the entire recording.
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