Whether you’re a student struggling to squeeze in extra revision time or an entrepreneur keen to capitalize on every moment of your day, having the right tools at your disposal is essential for productivity. Thankfully, in this modern age of technology, we have an abundance of gadgets designed to make our lives more efficient, and our pursuits more successful. But with so much choice, it can be hard to know which gadgets help and which merely take up time and space. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best gadgets for improved productivity.
1. Productivity Power-Ups: Gadgets to Streamline Your Lifestyle
1. Innovative gadgets have made our lives easier in countless ways, and now they’re revolutionizing our day-to-day lives. Whether it’s a voice activated assistant, a device that monitors your health and fitness stats, or an app that streamlines your workload, the tech world has something for everyone. Here are some must-have gadgets that’ll make your life easier and help you stay organized.
- Smartwatches – Smartwatches monitor your activity levels and give you real-time updates on your goals and progress. With some even offering motivational coaching and personalized fitness plans, they’re great for maintaining good habits and achieving your goals.
- Smart Home Assistants – Smart home assistants are incredibly useful devices for automating your home and staying organized. They can be used to control your lights, security system, television, and even preheat your oven. They also respond to voice commands and can play music, answer questions, and give you reminders.
- Standing Desks – Studies have linked sedentary lifestyles to a range of health issues, so standing desks are the perfect solution for those who want to move around more while working. Standing desks are adjustable, ergonomically designed desks that allow you to work comfortably at either a sitting or standing height.
- Desktop Organizers – Everyone knows the feeling of having a cluttered desk, but desktop organizers can help cure the overwhelm. Choose from holders and trays to keep your desk tidy and prevent the stress of trying to find important papers and documents.
- Noise-Canceling Headphones – Noise can be a major distraction when working, so noise-canceling headphones are essential for maintaining focus. With superior sound quality and advanced noise-canceling technology, you’ll be able to block out distractions and stay on task.
No matter what challenges you’re facing, these gadgets will help you streamline your lifestyle and improve productivity. If you’re looking to make your life more efficient, these items are a great place to start.
2. Technology to Banish Common Time-Wasters
Time is valuable, so there’s no point in wasting it on menial tasks like sifting through emails or lengthy meetings that could have been avoided. Fortunately, there are several technologies available to help individuals and businesses tackle common time-wasters.
Organization Apps
The best way to ensure a productively spent day? Make sure tasks are organized and prioritized. Apps like Trello, Asana, and Todoist allow users to customize schedules, setting due dates and reminding users of upcoming tasks.
Plus, these apps are also great for collaborating. Asana and Trello both offer easy-to-use platforms for sharing and tracking project progress, so that communications are streamlined, goals are clear, and progress is trackable.
Time-Tracking Software
- Toggl
- Timely
- Clockify
- Tick
- Harvest
For professionals looking to accurately budget and manage their time, there are lots of options. By using a time-tracking software, businesses can gain insight into how tasks are (or are not) getting done, for better efficiency when executing workflows.
Many time-tracking apps, like Tick and Timely, offer automation features that make it easier to save time on manual data entry and reporting.
Productivity Tools
- StayFocusd
- Focus@Will
- Evernote
- HoneyBook
Similar to organization apps, productivity tools give individuals a helping hand in maintaining focus on daunting tasks. StayFocusd and Focus@Will are great for limiting internet distractions, while tools like Evernote and HoneyBook allow users to take notes on the go and maintain a unified workspace.
3. Gadgetry to Enhance Efficiency
When it comes to workplace productivity, the right gadgets can make a huge difference in getting more done within a given timespan. With the right technology, tasks can be completed in a fraction of the time they’d take without it.
Laptop or tablet: Take your pick, a laptop or a tablet is a great way to keep all your digital assets handy. With access to the internet, applications and other software tools, you’ll be more efficient when it comes to administrative tasks, researching, project planning, and so on.
Smartphone: The one device everyone carries around is a smartphone. It’s a powerful tool that not only lets you make calls, but also lets you manage business emails, create documents and even access the internet. So, having a modern-day smartphone with access to apps like Dropbox, Evernote and Google Drive can really help in boosting efficiency.
Wireless keyboard and mouse: A wireless keyboard and mouse will let you easily and quickly move from one screen to another, as well as reposition windows, without having to use the touchpad. It also reduces clutter from the desktop, which is great for improving focus.
External hard disk drive: Backing up important files is an extremely important part of being efficient. An external hard disk drive gives you a safe place to store large backups of your data.
Router: Networking is essential in this day and age. To keep up with the flow of information, you need to have an efficient, secure connection. An enterprise-grade router that supports secure remote access is a great way to make sure that accessing the internet is as fast and secure as possible.
4. Making the Most of Life’s Little Helps
Taking Time to Appreciate the Small Things
Living life to the fullest often means getting the most out of life’s little helps. In our fast-paced world, we can lose sight of all the ways we are supported and taken care of – by ourselves and the people in our lives. Taking a moment to recognize and appreciate the small, daily blessings can be a great way to start living life more fully. Here are a few ideas on how to do that:
- Hold some extra gratitude in your heart: Setting aside some time each day to really think about the blessings in our life and express our thanks for them can make a huge difference in our general outlook and attitude.
- Find beauty in the ordinary: Like noticing the vibrant details in a simple flower or the grandeur of the night sky, being mindful of the beauty in the everyday can open us up to a world of new possibilities.
- Look for the lessons in every situation: Every single experience we have in life presents an opportunity for growth. It can be as simple as learning to take our time and be patient with ourselves and others.
It’s easy to see life’s little helps as just something to be taken for granted, but taking a moment to look closer almost always reveals something remarkable. Examining our thoughts, feelings and actions and giving our attention to the little comforts in life can help us build stronger relationships, become more in tune with ourselves and find new purpose in the world.
It can be difficult to focus on the good when life can be so overwhelming, but that’s all the more reason to practice appreciation of the small joys we encounter daily. Treating ourselves with kindness, searching for the positive in all things and consciously recognizing the various supports that surround us can help us unlock a beautiful, meaningful life.
Are you ready to change the way you manage your life and increase efficiency? Having the right gadgets on hand can help you reach the productivity levels you’ve always wanted. From handy automation tools, to digital calendars, to apps designed specifically to manage day-to-day processes, the options are endless when you take the time and effort to research and purchase the right gadgets to fit your lifestyle. Say goodbye to dragging yourself through the day, and start taking control of your life – the ultimate goal of any gadget-enabled productivity boost!