Do you have an upcoming project, whether it’s for school, work, or maybe for yourself? There are many resources online for productivity and creativity that it’s honestly very overwhelming. Here are five must-have applications and websites I use when I work on projects, shown in order of what application/website I use first when executing my project.
Music is a powerful tool that can change your mood. A few platforms where you can listen to music are Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, and YouTube. There are endless playlists that are already created, but you can make your own! Taking a few minutes out of your day to curate a playlist that you can listen to on repeat while doing your work will do wonders for your motivation. Creating a playlist that hypes you up, will keep you from reaching for that extra cup of coffee. If you think you won't be able to focus while jamming to your favorite songs, try lofi or classical music to romanticize your life.
After we find the perfect playlist, we need to figure out what we need to do. Todoist is a free to-do list that you can have on your phone or computer. The application has many features, but my favorites are sections and subtasks and the calendar feed. Todoist allows you to make projects that contain sections; each section can have subtasks. For example, I have a project called “School” and each of my classes would have a section. In each section, I have tasks such as upcoming assignments or tests. The calendar feed makes me feel more prepared for the day. I like to organize my tasks for the day in order of when I complete them, so it is less overwhelming. I can move around the tasks throughout the day, or if I am behind schedule, I can always postpone it.
Now that we have an idea of what we need to do, we begin working. Flora is an application that keeps you productive by blocking distracting apps or websites, such as social media, and gives you the time to check off items on your to-do list. There have been countless times that I ended up scrolling on TikTok or Instagram during my “5-minute break”. Flora has a break timer, which allows you to be on your phone during the break; once your break is over, the applications are blocked. The app allows users to grow a virtual garden every time a focus timer is set. A different plant is grown based on how long the timer is. You can also challenge your friends to plant trees. Happy planting!
Based on what type of project you are working on, you can use Notion. With Notion, you can write notes, track your tasks, type an essay, and even make a website. The possibilities are endless with Notion. There are several page templates that Notion offers to make the platform a little less overwhelming. My favorite template is the simple notebook. I prefer typing my notes, so this template helps me find my notes rather than stressing about my misplaced papers. You can add tags to create notebooks for your school, work, or personal project. You can also easily collaborate with your friends or team by sharing a link.
If you're working on something more creative, I recommend using Canva! Canva is probably the most popular graphic design software, and it’s for a good reason. They have a variety of templates you can use based on your project. You can create slideshows, flyers, infographics, resumes, and more! My favorite feature on Canva is the elements. You can add small designs, graphics, shapes, or images based on what you’re creating. Elements can be a great way to customize a template and make it your own! Checking off the tasks I completed is the only thing that keeps me going (it’s so satisfying). Best of luck on your projects!
About the Author: Annitha Krishnan is a rising senior at American High School. She is a fan of Julia Goldin, the CMO of Legos, and aspires to become a Marketing Analyst.
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