12 Best Productivity Apps to Help You Achieve More in 2022
From online calendars to helpful organization tools, these apps make getting things done a breeze.
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Struggling to be productive these days? There's an app for that! When it comes to living your best work life, it's not always easy to stay on task — especially when there are so many distractions around you 24/7. That's why we've rounded up a list of some of the best productivity apps to help you become organized (see our organizing tips!), focused, and on task to become successful in 2020 and beyond. Whether you're struggling to be productive while working from home or need a little help keeping up with your personal projects, these useful apps will help you manage your schedule and daily tasks — and will definitely help make life a little easier when it comes to getting things done.
Wondering what kind of apps can help you become more productive? Our list spans everything from time management apps and online planners, to others designed to improve your focus, fix your bad habits, and even prevent you from procrastinating and getting distracted. No matter what kind of app you decide is best for you, though, you'll soon be on your way to checking off everything on your to-do list — especially with a little inspiration from the best life quotes and motivational podcasts. And of course, after downloading these apps, be sure to follow our best tips on how to become more productive — and then get to work on your most successful year yet.
Todoist
If you're looking for a simple way to organize and keep track of your daily to-do list, Todoist is a great task management app to use. It allows you to organize and sort tasks, set due dates and reminders, and even track your progress and collaborate on projects with others. Other useful features include location-based reminders as well as options to sort tasks according to priority and tags!
Cost: Free
Evernote
As a popular notes organizer and planner app, Evernote is a favorite for taking notes and organizing all of your ideas in one place. The app allows you to capture notes not just with writing, but also with photos, audio, digital sketches, PDFs, and more — and it's all instantly searchable (yes, even images!). Plus, you can sync all your notes across different devices for an easy way to keep it all on the go.
Cost: Free
Forest
Do you easily get distracted on your phone? This unique app motivates you to put down the screen and stay focused on your task. The premise of Forest is simple: Plant a seed when you're ready to get to work, then set a timer. If you stick to the task, your tree grows — but if you exit the app for whatever reason, your tree dies. Soon you can grow entire forests! (Plus, the app has also partnered with Trees of the Future to plant actual trees, so you can help the planet while helping yourself!)
Cost: $1.99
Be Focused
If you're the type of person who works best with intermittent breaks, this app uses the Pomodoro Technique — which involves breaking your day up into 25-minute focus sessions followed by five-minute breaks — to help you get things done. With the app, users can manage their tasks to set work interval durations and break durations (you can even customize them to your own preference), all while tracking progress and goals throughout the day or week.
Cost: Free
Get it for IOS
Freedom
We all know how easy it is to get distracted by social media and other websites — which is exactly where this useful app comes in. Freedom provides a way for you to block distracting and time-wasting websites and apps for a set time period. You can customize your own list of sites to block — or yes, even block your entire access to the Internet so you can keep your focus entirely in check.
Cost: Free
Trello
This one's great for managing your workflow — especially if your work requires collaborating with teammates or sharing information with clients. Specifically, Trello helps you organize projects with an easy-to-use layout. Smaller tasks can be grouped into "cards" and "boards," all of which can be assigned to groups or team members — and then assigned a due date — for an easy way to manage progress.
Cost: Free
Toggl
Put simply, Toggl is a time tracking app that helps you keep track of how much time you’re spending on different tasks — the idea being that once you're more aware of how you spend your time, you can learn to make the most of it and plan your schedule accordingly. Beyond the simple timer tool, Toggl also offers detailed reports of your data as well as easy scheduling to optimize your productivity.
Cost: Free
Things 3
Few apps are as comprehensive or as aesthetically pleasing as Things, which also won an Apple Design Award back in 2017. Now in its new and improved third version, this popular productivity app offers everything from a dynamic calendar to a detailed to-do list, complete with a simple interface that makes managing your tasks truly a breeze.
Cost: $9.99
Get it for IOS
Habitica
Habitica isn't your typical habit-tracking app — it's also a fun role-playing game! Like Forest, it uses gamification to help boost productivity and foster good habits in your daily life. After inputting your daily goals and desired habits, the app allows you to create a custom avatar; then, as you complete your tasks, you can "level up" your avatar and unlock cool features (including armor, pets, and quests!).
Cost: Free
Any.do
Here's another great task management app that's great for organizing your life. A to-do list, calendar, planner, and reminders app all in one, Any.do offers an easy system to keep on top of your tasks. Plus, it integrates nicely with your other calendars and offers syncing across all of your other devices — not to mention a useful voice-entry feature that lets you add items to your to-do list just by speaking.
Cost: Free
Due
If you're the type of person who forgets things constantly, this one's a great app to have at your disposal. Due essentially serves as a reminders app, allowing you to set important due dates and reminders in your schedule — and then providing you with such persistent notifications that you won't ever forget that deadline or meeting ever again.
Cost: $6.99
Get it for IOS
Google Calendar
There's a good chance that you already use this popular cross-platform app — but the truth is that there's truly no better calendar app out there. With easy scheduling tools for setting tasks, appointments, and reminders, this online calendar service is a super easy way to keep on top of your daily tasks and events — and is basically essential for anyone with a busy schedule.
Cost: Free
Hannah Jeon is an Associate Commerce Editor at Prevention, where she covers expert-driven commerce content for all things health, beauty, and wellness. Previously the Editorial Assistant at Good Housekeeping, she earned her bachelor’s degree in creative writing and psychology from Johns Hopkins University. When she’s not on the hunt for all the best products online, you can often find her trying out new food spots in New York City or clicking away behind a camera.
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