Imagine being able to consistently complete multiple projects on time, and meeting deadlines without feeling overwhelmed. Running errands with the efficiency of a pro. Now, picture achieving all of this while maintaining a healthy body and mind. It might sound too good to be true, but let’s be honest, we all have our moments of reduced productivity, even the most accomplished individuals.
We’ve all been there with those Monday blues. But the good news is that there’s a way to not only boost but also sustain improved productivity, and it involves two magical words: Productivity Apps.
Yes, you heard it right. There are specific Productivity Apps designed to help you achieve more.
The productivity method used by these apps is called GTD, an abbreviation for Getting Things Done. If you’re not already familiar with it, GTD is a highly acclaimed productivity technique introduced by David Allen, renowned for his best-selling book bearing the same title. GTD is not just popular; it’s a favorite among productivity enthusiasts, and it has all the right reasons to be.
In this article, we’ll explore the 10 best productivity apps that are set to dominate 2024, ensuring you make the most of your time. So, if you’re ready to supercharge your efficiency and accomplish your goals, let’s dive into the world of productivity apps.
What is the GTD Method?
The core idea behind GTD is centered on the methodical organization of your tasks and priorities, transforming them into more manageable and achievable goals.
It provides a systematic approach to organizing tasks, projects, and information to reduce stress and enhance productivity. GTD can be broken down into five key steps:
These 5 steps are:
- Capture
- Clarify
- Organize
- Reflect
- Engage
So, let’s delve into the details of each of these steps:
1. Capture
In this step, you gather all the tasks, ideas, and commitments that are swirling in your mind and put them into a trusted system. This could be a physical inbox, a digital note-taking app, or even a simple notepad. The goal is to externalize all your thoughts so that you can clear your mind for more productive thinking.
Let’s say you’re at work, and you suddenly remember you need to buy groceries on your way home and submit a report to your boss. You quickly jot down “buy groceries” and “submit report” in your digital task list.
2. Clarify
Once you’ve captured everything, you go through each item one by one and decide what to do with it. There are four options:
Do
If it takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.
Delegate
If someone else should do it, delegate it.
Defer
If the task is not time-sensitive or can’t be completed in two minutes, schedule it for later. You might also break it into smaller, actionable steps.
Trash
If it’s no longer relevant or necessary, delete it.
You look at “buy groceries” and realize it’s a quick task that will take less than two minutes, so you decide to do it right away. However, “submit report” is a more complex task that you scheduled for tomorrow.
3. Organize
After clarifying your tasks, you need to organize them. You place actionable items in appropriate lists or categories based on context, priority, or project. This could include creating lists like “Phone calls,” “Errands,” “Work projects,” or “Personal tasks.”
You add “buy groceries” to your “Errands” list and “submit report” to your “Work projects” list.
4. Reflect
Regularly review and update your task lists and projects. This guarantees that you are consistently tackling the tasks that are not only important but also the most relevant to your goals and responsibilities. Daily, weekly, and monthly reviews help you stay on top of your commitments.
You review your “Work projects” list daily and notice that “submit report” is due in two days. This prompts you to allocate more time to work on it tomorrow.
5. Engage
This is the step where you actually get things done. You refer to your organized lists and start working on tasks according to context and priority.
You check your “Work projects” list and see “submit report.” As it’s a high-priority task scheduled for tomorrow, you allocate time to work on it and eventually complete and submit the report.
What Are Productivity Apps?
Now that you’ve grasped the essence of the Getting Things Done technique, let’s delve into the heart of the matter. Productivity apps enable you to seamlessly put GTD into action, helping you declutter your mind and enhance your efficiency.
Productivity apps are software tools and applications designed to streamline tasks, enhance time management, and improve overall efficiency. They can range from simple to-do lists to complex project management platforms. In an age where time is money, these apps can make a significant impact on your personal and professional life.
Our Top Picks for 2024
From the vast selection of productivity apps available on the internet, I’ve carefully selected the top contenders and conducted hands-on testing to provide you with comprehensive reviews.
So, let’s get started.
1. Monday.com
Image by Monday.com
Monday.com is a user-friendly project management application that also serves as a productivity tool. It boasts key features designed to assist you in handling tasks and the intricate processes that guide multiple tasks from initiation to completion. It excels as a team productivity solution, providing a clear, instant overview of pending work and the current status of each task.
As the ‘getting things done’ philosophy revolves around a streamlined approach to task management, monday.com provides a diverse range of features that align with this principle.
Standout Features
- Minimum data collection for enhanced security and user privacy.
- Strong customer support with short wait times.
- Various boards are available across different pricing plans.
- Extensive library of premade templates to kickstart projects in any category.
- Over 25,000 automation and app integrations to consolidate all ongoing tasks.
- Fully customizable Kanban boards and overall project personalization.
- Detailed calendar providing essential information about ongoing tasks.
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Free | Basic | Standard | Pro | Enterprise |
$0 and free forever | $8 per user/ per month | $10 per user/ per month | $16 per user/ per month | Contact sales |
2. Microsoft to-do
Image by Microsoft to-do
Microsoft To-Do features a sleek and colorful user interface with a minimalist design, making it highly intuitive. Everything is thoughtfully placed for easy access. The well-organized toolbar ensures quick and hassle-free navigation, and it’s particularly user-friendly for newcomers due to its seamless integration with other Microsoft products. If you use Outlook as your primary email client, you can easily incorporate the Microsoft To-Do app into your workflow.
Microsoft To-Do also offers reminders for crucial tasks, helping you keep track of your workload. One of its standout features is that it’s free to use and accessible on various platforms, including Windows, Android, and iOS.
Standout Features
- You can use it to effortlessly organize and share daily to-do checklists.
- It offers native applications for iOS, Android, and Windows
- When you integrate Microsoft To Do with Outlook Tasks, it becomes significantly easier to monitor all your to-dos in one central location.
- Set reminders for upcoming tasks
Customer Ratings
Pricing
- Microsoft to-do is free to use
3. Todoist
Image by Todoist
Todoist shares similarities with Wunderlist, offering a user-friendly interface for creating, sharing, and prioritizing tasks. It supports collaborative efforts by allowing you to share your lists and delegate tasks to others. Additionally, you can enhance organization by applying labels and priority tags to your task lists.
Moreover, when it comes to assessing your performance, utilize Todoist’s Karma points, streaks, and levels. The visually appealing graphical representation of your past performance over time aids in gaining a deeper understanding of trends and encourages thoughtful reflection on your actions.
Standout Features
- Efficiently manage checklists and swiftly jot down ideas.
- Establish recurring due dates for habit management.
- Create custom task views and label tasks to provide context.
- Assess your performance with Karma points and streaks.
- Customize priority levels with color-coding and themes to align with individual preferences.
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Beginner plan | Pro | Business |
Start for free $0 | $5 per month | $8 per user/ per month |
4. FacileThings
Image by FacileThings
FacileThings is among the programs designed explicitly to support GTD practitioners in achieving their goals. With FacileThings, capturing, organizing, and managing your thoughts and ideas becomes a breeze.
The app features a sleek user interface with an aesthetically pleasing design, making it a top choice for GTD enthusiasts. This tool streamlines the process of capturing and clarifying your ideas, setting you on the right path for the subsequent steps. Thanks to integrations with Evernote, Google Calendar, Dropbox, and other applications, you can effortlessly capture your ideas before they fade from memory.
Standout Features
- Take some time each week to assess your progress, make any needed adjustments to your lists, and boost your self-confidence.
- You have the option to seamlessly integrate FacileThings with your email, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and more.
- Utilize the calendar feature to keep track of all your scheduled events.
- Make use of the Weekly Review Wizard, which aids in thoughtful reflection on your decisions.
Customer Ratings
Pricing
1 MONTH | 3 MONTHS | 6 MONTHS | 1 YEAR |
$12 per month | $9 per month | $8 per month | $7 per month |
5. Slack
Image by Slack
If you find yourself heavily involved in task management and team delegation, Slack is the go-to tool for seamless team collaboration. Slack not only maintains its reputation as a communication powerhouse but has also expanded its capabilities, making it one of the premier productivity apps for GTD enthusiasts.
Within Slack, you have a platform to engage with your team members, featuring private chats, group channels, file sharing, tagging, mentions, and a multitude of integrations with productivity apps to synchronize your activities. This tool offers an escape from never-ending email threads, providing a more transparent and easily comprehensible channel for communication and resource sharing among you and your collaborators.
Standout Features
- Collaboration
- File sharing
- Powerful search
- Customization
- Robust security
- Mobile app
- Third-party integrations/plugins
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Free | Pro | Business+ | Enterprise Grid |
$0/month | $8.75 per user/ per month | $15 per user/ per month | Contact sales |
6. Sanebox
Image by Sanebox
SaneBox is a productivity tool crafted to enhance your email inbox management. Its primary aim is to streamline your email experience by automatically sifting out unimportant messages and neatly organizing the important ones into folders.
This way, you can direct your attention to what truly counts. In the midst of the never-ending stream of emails, it’s all too common to feel overwhelmed and lose sight of the critical messages. SaneBox steps in to assist, offering you the means to reclaim command over your inbox.
This enables you to direct your attention toward emails of genuine significance, ultimately enhancing your productivity.SaneBox is compatible with a wide range of email providers and clients, making it a versatile choice for anyone seeking to elevate their email management.
Standout Features
- Smart filtering system for automatic email sorting by importance.
- ‘SaneLater’ folder for less important emails, ensuring focus on crucial messages.
- ‘SaneNoReplies’ folder to track unanswered sent emails for easy follow-up.
- ‘SaneBlackHole’ folder for quick and automated newsletter and promotional email unsubscribing
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Snack | Lunch | Dinner |
$3.49 paid monthly | $5.99 paid monthly | $16.99 paid monthly |
7. OmniFocus
Image by OmniFocus
OmniFocus is a task organizer exclusive to the Apple ecosystem. With its deep integration into the Apple environment, it seamlessly blends into the Mac user’s experience. Much like Asana, OmniFocus enables you to log your tasks and assignments, breaking them down into manageable segments, allowing you to navigate through each stage of the GTD methodology.
The app features a review function, aiding in self-reflection and performance monitoring over time, facilitating informed decision-making. You can also gain a clear view of your upcoming schedule through the forecast feature, displaying your tasks and events on a calendar.
If you’re not a fan of typing out your tasks, Siri comes to the rescue, allowing for voice input. Additionally, you can easily convert your tasks into corresponding projects for more efficient execution.
Standout Features
- Utilize the forecast feature to stay on top of your upcoming tasks.
- Enjoy the flexibility of light and dark modes to suit your personal preferences.
- Ensure seamless synchronization across your devices, maintaining the integrity of your workflows.
- OmniFocus accommodates a range of time management approaches.
- With its powerful tools for workload management, OmniFocus empowers you to work more efficiently.
Customer Ratings
Pricing
- For Mac – iPhone – iPad – Web ($9.99 per month)
- OmniFocus also offers a one-time payment option with different tiers of pricing for Mac and iOS.
Standard | Pro |
$49.99 | $99.99 |
Standard | Pro |
$49.99 | $74.99 |
8. Evernote
Image by Evernote
Evernote stands out as one of the most widely recognized names in the realm of to-do list apps. It caters to a spectrum of needs, from straightforward to-do list management for individuals to advanced project management for teams.
In terms of team collaboration, Evernote alleviates concerns with its effortless synchronization across devices, shared workspaces, and seamless file attachments, including documents and emails.
For quick and convenient item listings on the fly, Evernote seamlessly integrates with Google Assistant and Siri, helping you efficiently accomplish tasks. Moreover, these lists are shareable, allowing for collaboration on ideas and swift decision-making with others.
Standout Features
- Easy collaboration with team members.
- Web clipping functionality
- Easy sharing of lists
- Tags for notes
- Spaces for sharing notebooks with team members
- Multiple device synchronization
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Free | Personal | Professional |
$0 per month | $14.99 per month | $17.99 per month |
9. Trello
Trello is a fantastic Kanban board application designed for visually sorting and managing your tasks. It boasts a remarkably user-friendly interface, featuring a drag-and-drop system that’s incredibly intuitive, making it simple for anyone to pick up and use.
This widely adored tool is your go-to when it comes to transforming your deadlines, tasks in progress, and completed assignments into a visual masterpiece. By doing so, Trello empowers you to make well-informed decisions about your next steps, all within the broader context of your goals and objectives.
Standout Features
- Trello adopts a system of boards, cards, and lists for efficient project management.
- Within each card, you can create subtasks using checklists.
- Tasks can be assigned to multiple team members, ensuring they receive notifications for any changes made to the card.
- You can set deadlines for tasks to keep the project on track.
- An activity log is in place to keep the entire team informed and up to date.
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Free | Standard | Premium | Enterprise |
$0 and free forever | $6 per user/ per month | $12.50 per user/ per month | Contact sales |
10. Wrike
Image by Wrike
Wrike offers a straightforward interface that lets users seamlessly switch between different views, including Kanban boards, interactive Gantt charts with drag-and-drop capabilities, and traditional workload views.
This flexibility allows users to select the best way to visualize their priorities. Wrike’s user-friendly design is both easy to use and intuitive. It features clear spaces, folders, and tasks for efficient navigation. You can effortlessly switch between various functions like timesheets, dashboards, calendars, reports, and activity streams right from the home screen.
This tool is ideal for teams ranging from as few as five members to an unlimited number of participants. It offers a high degree of customization, empowering users to tailor workflows, dashboards, reports, and request forms to suit their specific needs and preferences.
Standout Features
- Project management
- Task scheduling and tracking
- Resource management
- Expense tracking
- API support
- Budgeting tools
- Gantt charts
- Marketing automation
- Collaboration support
- Reporting capabilities
- Over 400 pre-built native integrations
- Integration with widely-used file management software from Microsoft, Google, and Dropbox
- Integration with sales and marketing software from Salesforce and Marketo
Customer Ratings
Pricing
Free | Team | Business | Enterprise | Pinnacle |
$0 and free forever | $9.80 per user/ per month | $24.80 per user/ per month | Contact sales | Contact sales |
Conclusion
The 10 best productivity apps we’ve explored in this guide are powerful tools to help you Get Things Done (GTD) efficiently and effectively. These apps offer a wide range of features and capabilities, from task management and time tracking to collaboration and organization.
Picture yourself effortlessly juggling multiple projects, consistently meeting deadlines without succumbing to stress, and navigating your daily tasks with the finesse of a seasoned pro, all while preserving your mental and physical well-being. It may sound almost too good to be true, and let’s face it, achieving 100% productivity all the time is an unrealistic aspiration. Even the most accomplished individuals encounter occasional Monday blues.
The prevalence of productivity apps today signifies a paradigm shift in how people collect, arrange, and execute tasks within the GTD framework. It grants you the flexibility to adopt the GTD methodology on a digital platform of your choice.
So, in 2024, take the leap into a more productive, organized, and efficient future. Explore the potential of these apps and tailor them to suit your unique needs, and you’ll find yourself achieving more, stress-free, and with greater ease. Embrace these tools, and watch your productivity soar to new heights in the years to come.
FAQs
Do these apps work on multiple platforms?
Yes, most of these productivity apps are available on various platforms, such as Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, ensuring cross-device compatibility.
Are these apps suitable for both personal and professional use?
Absolutely. These apps cater to a wide range of users, from students and freelancers to business professionals, making them versatile tools for both personal and work-related tasks.
Do these apps require a subscription, or are there free versions available?
Many of these apps offer free versions with limited features, but they also provide premium subscription options that unlock additional functionalities and enhanced productivity.
How do I choose the right productivity app for my needs?
Selecting the ideal productivity app depends on your specific requirements. Consider factors like task complexity, collaboration needs, and integration with other tools to find the best fit for your GTD workflow.
Can I sync these apps with my calendar and email accounts for better time management?
Yes, most of the top productivity apps allow you to integrate with your calendar and email accounts, providing a seamless experience for scheduling and task management.
Are these apps user-friendly for beginners, or do they require a learning curve?
Many of these apps offer intuitive interfaces and user-friendly features, making them accessible to beginners. However, some advanced functionalities may require a learning curve, but they often come with helpful tutorials and customer support.
For Further Reading:
- 10 Best Project Management Applications to Use in 2024
- Entry Level Project Management Jobs: Your Gateway to a Rewarding Career
- Small Steps, Big Gains: Launching Your Digital Marketing Side Hustle
- Effective Project Controls: Strategies for Success in 2024
- The Ultimate Guide To The Google Project Management Certificate Program
John Smith
Hello, I'm John Smith, and I'm passionate about sharing my thoughts and expertise through the written word. I'm a writer, explorer, and lifelong learner with a deep love for all things related to technology, travel and adventure. I've been fortunate to journey to various corners of the world, soaking in diverse cultures and experiences along the way. My aim is to transport readers to these places through my words, inspiring them to embark on their adventures and explore the beauty of our planet.