5 Books to Read to Start the New Year Right
January 2, 2021
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Most of us have been working from home for almost a year now, so you probably already figured out which routine works best for you. But if you’re still struggling to get everything done, that’s okay, too. You’re not alone! It’s completely normal to still feel out of sorts, especially since some people really do thrive in a traditional office environment. If you need a little bit help getting your thing together this year, we’ve got a few app suggestions to help bring some method into all this madness.
Todoist is a team leader’s dream! You can use it to coordinate with your team on various projects, add tasks to your teammates, and plan your schedule. On a personal level, this app lets you jot down your ideas as they pop in your head and you can also integrate your Google Calendar, GMail, and even Slack to your Todoist app for a more seamless mobile working set-up.
Trello is basically the predecessor of Todoist, but it’s a gamechanger because it also works offline! So it’ll come in handy when you’re on the go and having a hard time getting a decent cellular data connection.
If you do a lot of writing and need a minimalist set-up to remove distractions, Bear is a godsend. It provides a plain digital pad so you can write in peace—without all the bells and whistles of traditional word processing apps. You can also make lists, sketch images (which also makes it a great digital journal), and even import documents in various formats to send to colleagues with ease.
Get it for iOS.
By now you’re probably already familiar with Google Drive, this writer’s personal favorite when it comes to cloud storage. It’s so handy that I’ve basically built my work-life around it. You automatically get some free storage if you have a GMail account, but if you need more, additional storage is extremely affordable (for my photography gigs, the 200GB plan is enough, and it’s only P149/month). Google Docs lets me write without worry of my device failing to save, and Google Keep offers a fuss-free platform to keep my notes organized. Google Apps also give you the option to make certain documents available offline, so you can access them anytime.
Get it for iOS (Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Keep) and Android (Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Keep).
As the app description says, Grammarly is a “keyboard, proofreader, editor,” making it the perfect addition to your phone so you can avoid embarrassing see-the-mistake-only-after-hitting-send moments. It gives the user real-time feedback as they write, so you won’t miss it. And if you have Grammarly Premium (US $25/month), the app gives you apt writing suggestions to improve your report or presentation.
If you’re a visual planner, you’ll love Tables. It allows you to plan your schedule in 10-minute blocks so you can visualize how you’re spending your day. It’s a great way to quickly see if you’re spending enough time on the right things. Plus, the colors are so ~aesthetic~.
Get it for iOS (P49.00).
For those who are working on forming better habits this year (even non-work-related ones), you can try Kickstart so you can schedule new habits you’d like to form. The good thing about this app is their available presets (if you’re having a hard time thinking of good habits to start) and their habit kits based on success stories by the likes of David Beckham, Kim Kardashian West, and Mark Zuckerberg.
Get it for iOS (P199 to unlock Premium).
This app won the App Store Best of 2020 because it’s the “Swiss Army knife of apps.” It lets you sketch, write, present, teach, and collaborate. The best part: You can record your presentation! You can integrate files from your Google Drive or Evernote (to name a few) and when needed, you can export your presentation in various formats. This is great for teachers conducting online classes.
If you get a lot of documents to sign, CamScanner will help you digitize hard copies so you can immediately send them electronically. This app has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the most recommended phone apps because it’s so handy and useful.
Productivity isn’t just about work—you can also be productive for your own sake. This homegrown app was developed during the lockdown with the help of celebrity foodie Erwan Heussaff. The app features three ways to take care of yourself through over a hundred videos about food, working out, and self-care. The app is also free, so you have less excuses not to sign up!
Whichever app you choose to download and install, always remember that working from home can be like a double-edged sword. It is a blessing in that we can still earn a living while staying in the safety and comfort of our homes, but the extended working hours can also be unhealthy. Just make sure to create healthy boundaries between your work time and home time so you don’t get burned out!
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