5 Apps To Keep You Focused, Build New Habits, And Get Your Life Together
Some days, focusing on one task until it's complete can be difficult. Other times it's especially challenging to get off of Instagram and actually start working in the first place. Some of us are new to having to set our own schedule and hold ourselves accountable for where we spend our time. The internet, no matter where your office is, can keep you distracted for hours. Modern problems require modern solutions... aka there's an app for that!
Here are 5 apps that are perfect for keeping you focused, tracking to-do lists, and building up better habits:
1. Forest
Do you wish there was a magic button you could press that would make you start working for a set amount of time? That’s basically what Forest can be for you. You set a timer to plant a virtual tree. Your tree grows while you do your task at hand, and you can even set your phone to not let you leave the app, or only go on approved apps… or else your tree will die! This is perfect if your phone is one of your major distractions.
You can also see your trees turn into a forest the more you use it over time. You can work towards the goal of earning coins to buy different species of trees, real and fictional. Imagine building a virtual forest of Weeping Willows, Candy Trees, or trees with treehouses grown right from the virtual seed.
2. Habitica
Habitica is sort of like playing D&D or a role-playing videogame, but the game goals are your real-life goals. You set different lists and give yourself points for completing tasks. As you play you can unlock different accessories or animal sidekicks.
This app is great because you can customize the types of goals you want to set and keep them all going simultaneously. You can keep track of things you want to do daily, once-and-it’s-done goals, or general habits you want to develop.
Tip: if you add things to your daily list like “brushing teeth” or “washing face,” you’ll get extra points, and a reason to open the app each day to see the goals you’re setting. And who doesn’t like more incentives from tapping a button, and checking things off a list?
3. Focus Keeper
This app is great if you want to use the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focusing with a five-minute break, then a longer 25-minute break after four rounds,) but don't want to have to keep track of which round you're on by yourself. The app (for iOS or Android) seamlessly switches from work timer to break timer for you. You can also track the number of sessions you've done over time, and adjust the set amount of time you want to focus.
There's not much else to be said about this app, but that might be the exact feature you want. Download it. Hit the play button. See that the timer started. Get to work. Sometimes that's all you want and need.
4. Engross
The Engross app is great for to-do list makers. It’s easy to create and customize your list. You can adjust your due dates, or add sub-tasks to complete. You can also connect events with your phone's calendar.
There's also focus sessions you can set through a stopwatch or a countdown timer. You can pause your session, but it won't let you use Wi-Fi, or other distracting apps, depending on your settings.
One unique thing about his app is a button saying "hit me when you are distracted." It may sound silly, but acknowledging you're distracted by giving your phone a little tap may really help bring back your focus.
5. Way of Life
This is a habit tracking app that's all about showing you your progress over time. Pick some goals like exercising, drinking a set amount of water, cleaning, writing in a journal, etc., then watch how well you've done over the course of a week or month.
You can also add notes to remind yourself of insights as to what made reaching a goal easier or more difficult that day. Your notes can be anything, actually. If you want to add an inspirational quote, or a simple "Look what I did!" you can.
The app also lets you set reminders, and even lets you track your trends for as long as two years!
Smartphones have become increasingly necessary for our everyday work, and nearly every other aspect of our lives. If your phone is always on hand, you might as well use a few apps for good, and counterbalance some of the many distractions it holds.
Some of these apps work great together, while some might have a few redundant functions. In any case, each app is free, so you can download and try each one until you find what works for you. Then you can change your life for the better… one day, one habit, one focus session at a time.
Opinions and Perspectives
I've been using Forest for a few weeks now and it's amazing how guilty I feel when I'm tempted to kill my virtual tree! Really helps me stay focused.
The whole concept of Forest seems pretty gimmicky to me. Wouldn't simple self-discipline be better than relying on virtual trees?
Has anyone tried combining Habitica with Forest? I'm wondering if using both might be overkill or actually super effective.
Self-discipline is important, but these apps can be great training wheels while building better habits. I started with Forest and now barely need it.
Interesting article but I wish they'd included RescueTime. It's been my go-to for productivity tracking for years.
The Pomodoro technique with Focus Keeper has literally changed my work life. I get so much more done now!
I love how Habitica turns mundane tasks into a game. Finally enjoying doing my laundry because I get XP for it!
Not sure about Way of Life's two-year tracking feature. Seems like information overload to me.
These apps are just band-aids for deeper productivity issues. We need to address why we're so easily distracted in the first place.
The hit me when distracted button in Engross sounds perfect for me. I need that acknowledgment to refocus.
Does anyone else feel overwhelmed by having too many productivity apps? I feel like I spend more time managing them than actually being productive.
Forest worked great until I realized I could just use my laptop instead of my phone for distractions!
Way of Life's note-taking feature is underrated. I've learned so much about my habits by tracking what works and what doesn't.
Been using Focus Keeper for 3 months and my productivity has doubled. The regular breaks really help prevent burnout.
I actually disagree about the band-aid comment. These apps are tools, and tools have always helped humans improve.
The gamification aspect of Habitica seemed childish at first, but it's surprisingly effective at keeping me motivated.
Anyone else find it ironic that we need apps to stop us from using apps too much?
I've found the best approach is using Forest for focused work and Way of Life for tracking long-term habits.
These all seem great but I'm concerned about privacy. What data are these apps collecting about our habits?
Just downloaded Forest after reading this. Love that they plant real trees when you earn enough coins!
Focus Keeper's simplicity is its strength. No bells and whistles, just straightforward time management.
My productivity skyrocketed when I started using Engross. The sub-tasks feature helps break down overwhelming projects.
I tried Habitica but couldn't stick with it. Felt like I was playing a game instead of actually getting things done.
The real trees initiative from Forest is amazing. Makes me feel like my productivity is helping the planet too.
Engross seems like a solid mix of features from the other apps. Might try consolidating to just this one.
These apps helped me transition to working from home. Really needed that structure when offices closed.
Way of Life's insights have shown me patterns I never noticed before in my productivity.
Started using Forest with my study group. We compete to see who can grow the most trees each week!
The Pomodoro technique isn't for everyone though. I prefer longer focus sessions with Focus Keeper.
Love how Habitica lets you join groups. Makes habit-forming feel less lonely.
I fail to see how virtual trees provide real motivation, but clearly it works for some people.
Using Way of Life helped me identify my most productive hours. Now I schedule important tasks accordingly.
These apps are great for neurodivergent folks who need external structure and rewards.
Focus Keeper's statistics really opened my eyes to how much time I was wasting before.
Habitica's pet system is genius. I work harder knowing my virtual pets depend on me!
The customizable focus sessions in Engross make it much more flexible than Forest.
I appreciate how Way of Life doesn't try to gamify everything. Sometimes simple tracking is enough.
Forest has helped me be more present during family dinners. No more checking phone under the table!
Tried all five but ended up sticking with Focus Keeper. Sometimes less is more.
The guilt factor with Forest is real! I've never felt so bad about checking social media.
Way of Life's two-year tracking helped me spot seasonal patterns in my productivity.
These apps work well for work, but what about managing leisure time better?
Engross's distraction button is surprisingly effective. Makes me more mindful of my focus.
I combine Habitica for daily tasks and Forest for deep work sessions. Perfect combination for me.
The article should've mentioned how these apps can sync across devices.
Focus Keeper's interface is so clean and intuitive. No learning curve at all.
Way of Life helped me build a consistent meditation practice after years of trying.
Forest's group feature is great for families trying to have phone-free time together.
Been using Engross for project management. The sub-task feature is a game-changer.
I found Habitica too complicated. Prefer the simplicity of Forest.
Anyone else notice better sleep after using these apps to limit phone use?
The progress visualization in Way of Life is really motivating.
These apps have helped me overcome my procrastination habits.
Focus Keeper's break reminders are crucial. I used to work straight through without stopping.
Habitica makes chores feel less like a burden and more like a quest.
I work in software development and appreciate how well-designed these apps are.