Have you ever found yourself wishing to have more than just 24 hours in a day? Because I’m sure we’ve all been there. How about, instead of getting that wish granted, you try instead to maximise the time you have by getting through the day more efficiently? While it may sound slightly impossible at the moment, it can totally be done. Especially if you have these best free productivity apps on your side.
We’re not about to pull a fast one on you, either. The apps featured are absolutely free to use, so your supercharged productivity will not be hanging in the balance. Sure, you can always upgrade your status to becoming a paying customer for some, but the free features are definitely more than enough for you to get started on this journey of efficiency.
Especially if you’re one who’s prone to missing deadlines, forgetting appointments, or getting overwhelmed, plotting your life into one of these apps could just be the solution to those problems. Not only will you be getting more done, you’ll also get the satisfaction of looking at just how much you can do, and be able to say no to things that you simply can’t fit into your to-do.
Whether you’re trying to get your ducks in a row at the office, or managing your household shopping lists, there’s bound to be one productivity app in here (if not all) for you.
The Best Free Productivity Apps for Students, Executives, and Beyond
Notion
Guess what? This article is drafted in Notion. How’s that for meta? The truth is, there are so many ways of using this app that it can be literally anything you want it to be. And with pages and pages of ready-made templates available online, all you have to do is plug and play. Some people use it as their daily journal, and some use it to plan out their travelling itinerary with restaurants and places to sightsee listed out.
If your day is pretty much structured, then this is one of the best free productivity apps out there. One of its best features is the ability to configure a repetitive template (sort of like creating a form, where all you have to do is fill out the blanks), so you can shave down some time. It’s perfect for meeting minutes or even your daily planner. There’s just so much more you can do with Notion, and a plethora of integrations waiting for you to play around with, so why not get started already.
Reminders
The recent updates for Apple’s native Reminders app practically left all the other organisational apps scrounging for relevance. What used to be locked behind a paid app is now readily available for anyone with an iPhone. Not only can you now create separate lists, but you can break each list down even further by creating sections. And if you have a really big project where you need to deconstruct each step thoroughly, you can always create subtasks.
It doesn’t stop there, of course. On top of allowing you to tag each item by priority, you can also schedule the reminder by time or location. Imagine getting a ping when you reach home to immediately get on your laundry before you get sucked up into a doomscroll. Life would simply be 100% better.
Airtable
Need an agile platform for your database? Then Airtable is the one for you. With options of tabulating your input into multiple views, you can set it up according to how you function best. While you may start with a grid, you might continue to explore the gallery and Kanban view. Personally, I’ve used it to list out contacts and groups, and even for questionnaires. But there’s so much you can do with Airtable, that even businesses and startups are also using it.
Extensions are also available for you to add more integrations into the mix. The best thing about the app? The people behind the brand are constantly creating how-to videos so you can learn methods of maximising the tool for yourself.
Calendar
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-planned calendar. It’s perfect for both your professional and personal life. Obviously, you’re going to use it for your daily schedule. But if you’re a household manager, the calendar app is a godsend for planning and appointments. From subscribing to your office calendar to adding your family to the calendar, you’ll have everything you need to plan everyone’s day in the palm of your hand.
If you’re a busy adult, then the calendar might just be your social life saviour. Plan out your outings and send invites to your family and friends and keep everyone in the loop, and better yet, accountable. The travel time feature is also very useful, so you can time yourself when you’re getting ready. Say goodbye to being tardy, or worse, being a flakey friend.
Trello
Speaking of keeping people accountable, Trello is, hands-down, one of the best free productivity apps out there. Especially great for teams, the app allows you to itemise each task and tag the person in charge. Basically, the Kanban board gives you a bird’s eye view of how everything is coming along. You can also create lists and use it to label stages, so if the task involves multiple departments, everyone can see where each task is at.
It also serves as a point of communication, since the cards come with a comment section. If you’re already using Google Drive, you can integrate the necessary files into the corresponding cards, making it even more seamless.