Productivity Apps for Students: Top Picks On Google Play Store/Apple App Store
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Having the right productivity apps for students is key to effective time management and creating a sustainable productivity system. As students, it is a common struggle to be stuck behind a wall of procrastination, and doing our tasks “later lah”. With the pandemic shifting learning modes to hybrid in some instances, we use our devices for educational purposes more than ever which makes apps easier to leverage on. In this article, we cover two categories of productivity apps: timers and checklists.
Student Productivity Apps to Time Yourself
The Pomodoro Technique
Can’t seem to focus on studying for long periods? The Pomodoro technique is a commonly-used time management tool to maximise productivity - especially for studying. It works by focusing on a task in short bursts of 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. This 30-minute chunk is referred to as a “Pomodoro”, and after every 4 Pomodoros, you take a longer 15-30 minutes break.
With this technique, you can focus better because you know you will get breaks in between, which may mentally take the load off going through your study material!
Productivity Apps To Help You Execute The Pomodoro Technique
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There are many free productivity apps for students which optimise their functions to support the Pomodoro technique. Even if this system may not suit your working style, these apps can also work as timers to keep you on track and distraction-free!
Focus To-Do
Description: A combination of a Pomodoro timer and task manager in one interface
To-do list which tasks can be organised for projects
Set deadlines and reminders for tasks and view them in calendar view
Strict timer mode to prohibit you from exiting the session
White noise function
Google Play Store rating: 4.3 / 5
Apple App Store rating: 4.8 / 5
Clockwork Tomato
Description: Easy to use and distraction-free Pomodoro timer
Set estimated Pomodoros for each task
Android widget available
Customisable sounds
Colour-coded overview of time spent on each project
Google Play Store rating: 4.3
Flora
Description: A free version of the viral “Forest” app.
Grow trees each Pomodoro session - save the Earth while being productive!
Add friends and share “stories” after each other’s completed and uncompleted sessions
Organise to-do list according to categories
Habit tracker to foster healthy habits
Apple App Store Rating: 4.7
Student Productivity Apps to Create Checklists
How to Create Effective To-Do Lists
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Creating to-do lists has been proven to boost productivity, especially for students. It facilitates task prioritisation and keeps you accountable for tasks you list, and everyone loves the sense of accomplishment after checking off each task. However, checklists can be a waste of time if the user does not follow up with them. Here are some quick tips on how to optimise your to-do list:
Make it a habit
Whether it’s a daily or weekly task for you, consistency is key. Set aside 5-10 minutes at the start/end of each day to list down what you need to get done, and keep a habit of noting down tasks that come your way throughout the day somewhere and slip it into your to-do list as soon as possible.
Set actionable tasks
To avoid creating an unrealistic list which you end up not completing, be reasonable with the workload of each task. Break down larger tasks into smaller steps, and make sure each action is doable within a day. Rather than “Study for Maths test”, a better way to record this task would be “Complete 3 practice Maths tests”. Start with a verb, and set a countable goal; this way you know exactly when a task can be considered complete.
Organise according to priority or due date
Set deadlines for every task you create; otherwise, you will end up procrastinating on those tasks until it is too late. It also helps in sorting which tasks to do first and which to do later. Many productivity apps for students have inbuilt due dates and reminder functions to aid with this.
Productivity Apps for Students to Help You Create To-Do Lists
These productivity apps for students are just like your old-school pen and paper, but with additional features to ease organisation!
Google Tasks
Description: A simple checklist feature integrated with Google Workspace
Add reminders and due dates directly into Google Calendar
Add subtasks and details to each task
Create multiple lists
Google Play Store rating: 4.6/5
Apple App Store rating: 4.8/5
Todoist
Description: An all-in-one checklist app with collaborative features
Calendar, board, and project (up to 80) list view
Priority and projects tags
Productivity statistics - daily, weekly, and trends
Delegate tasks to team members (up to five people in a team with the free plan)
Google Play Store rating: 4.5/5
Apple App Store rating: 4.8/5
Notion
Description: An easy-to-use blank canvas to create customised checklists; versatile for note-taking and planning as well!
Table, list, board and calendar view
Utilise pre-existing templates for to-do list, or design your own layout
Customise text, colours, drop downs and add icons and pictures to add visual aesthetic
Sign in with your student email to unlock all paid features for free!
Google Play Store rating: 3.8/5
Apple App Store rating: 4.1/5