To-Do List Apps (And More!) That Will Streamline Your Life

To-Do List Apps (And More) That Will Streamline Yur Life In a world where new apps are created daily, it feels sometimes like its hard tostay organized and on top of all the tasksthat we have to do, especially when were getting constant leidifications about news alerts, text messages, emails, and likes.Its gotten so pervasive that theres even a movement to re-focus our attention using technology itself called Time Well Spent. We check our phones 150 times per day, the site says. Every time we are interrupted, it takes up to 23 minutes to resume focus, fragmenting our attention and leaving us constantly distracted. And if you check out this quick but interesting read by Google design thinker Tristan Harris, he provides even mora background on how we get psychologically hacked by our devicesBut if theres one role that technologyshouldplay for us, its that it should streamline our lives and make things easier and more convenient not more complicated or distracting. We know theres no shortage of organizational apps available on the app store, but which ones truly work?Here are 32 mobile apps some functioning as to-do lists and others simply rocking our mess-strewn worlds that will streamline your life and help you regain control over where you direct your attention. Give them a go, and abflug focusing on what youreallyneed to.1. InboxWhenReadyKey FeaturesInboxWhenReady helps you minimize the total amount of time you spend in your Gmail inbox by allowing you to only view your inbox when you choose to, pre-tischtischset an inbox budget, and set a schedule for locking your inbox so you can focus on other things not just your email.AdvantagesLock your inbox to avoid using it as a distraction or being distracted by constant emailsDisadvantagesTakes up space on your device when you can just turn off notifications insteadPricingFree2. FreedomKey FeaturesFreedom lets you temporarily block certain websites or apps that youd like to avoid, or block the Internet altoget her, for pre-determined amounts of time that you set. This app is only compatible with ios devices, including your Macbook, iPhone and iPad, however Android device owners should seek liberation elsewhereAdvantagesBlock apps or the internet altogether for set periods of time to avoid distractionsDisadvantagesNot free for all devicesPricingJust under $2.50/month for all devices3. AdBlock PlusKey FeaturesAdBlock Plus lets you block intrusive ads so you can surf the web in peace.AdvantagesBlocks ads you dont want to seeDisadvantagesMay block ads you would have wanted to seePricingFree4.PocketKey FeaturesPocket lets you save resources and articles directly from your browser onto your device so you can keep organized, share with others, or view later when youre ready. Bonus Its available for both ios and android devicesAdvantagesSave articles to share or view laterDisadvantagesTakes up space on your phone, when you can also just keep tabs openPricingFree5.BoomerangKey FeaturesBoomerang le ts you schedule emails from your Gmail account for later. Its great for reminders and for not letting anyone see that you were responding to them at 3am on Saturday.AdvantagesSend emails later onDisadvantagesMay send emails after you dont want them to be sent anymore and you forget to unschedule themPricingFree6. PaprikaPhoto via PaprikaKey FeaturesPaprika (Apple, Android, Kindle, Windows) is the recipe and grocery list app youve been waiting for. You can look up any recipe zugreifbar, or manually input a special family recipe of your own, and Paprika will automatically create a shopping list for all of the ingredients youll need. You can also set up the app to help while youre cooking, show instructions, and set timers. Bon appetitAdvantagesLook up recipesInput your own recipesCreate shopping listsSet timersDisadvantagesNot freePricing$5.007. RemindersKey FeaturesIf youve got an iPod, iPhone, or iPad, then take advantage of iCloud and use the built-in Reminders feature to set remi nders for deadlines, bills, appointments, you name it. Your ios device/task manager will remind you, wherever you are talk about making technology work for youAdvantagesSends reminders for anything you needDisadvantagesReminders can be annoyingPricingFree8. DisadvantagesRisk of keeping passwords in one placePricingFree9. DisadvantagesUsers have called it glitchy before, slowing down their devicesPricingFree10. MintKey FeaturesMintcan be a bit overwhelming to set up, but once you do, its worth it. You can set up budgets and track your spending in each area track and pay bills monitor your credit score and see all of your money in one place. Its a life changer.AdvantagesHelps you track your spendingHelps your budgetSend reminders for billsMonitors your credit scoreDisadvantagesReminders can be stressfulPricingFree11. ClueKey FeaturesClue lets you track your menstrual cycle and any related health concerns. After a few months, the app can even begin to give you insight on your cycle, h elping you stay on top of what symptoms to expect when, track ovulation and fertility, and (of course) remind you when to stock up on menstrual products.AdvantagesHelps you track your cycle and symptoms, sharing insightsHelps you track ovulation and fertilitySends remindersDisadvantagesGraphs can be a little overwhelmingPricingFree12. RescueTimeKey FeaturesRescue Time helps you do just that by allowing you to track how much time you spend on different mobile apps and websites. Make changes wherever youre surprised or unhappy with the findings and, as the site proclaims, find your ideal work-life balance.AdvantagesLets you know how much time you are wasting every day on your deviceDisadvantagesIs an app on your phone, which requires you to spend more time on your phone (an oxymoron)PricingFree13. MomentPhoto via MomentKey FeaturesMoment tracks how much time you spend on your phone each day, and lets you set a limit to force yourself off once youve gone over.AdvantagesLets you know ho w much time you are wasting every day on your deviceDisadvantagesIs an app on your phone, which requires you to spend more time on your phone (an oxymoron)PricingFree14. YelpKey FeaturesYelp lets you look up nearby everything (restaurants, shopping, services, and more) so you can read reviews and make a choice youll be happy with in advance.AdvantagesOffers recommendations with reviews, photos and informationDisadvantagesTakes the adventure out of hunting down your own ideasIsnt always accurate because reviews are subjectivePricingFree15. GboardKey FeaturesThanks to 50 percent faster glide typing, Gboards in-app keyboard lets you respond to a message and get off of your phone more quickly.AdvantagesTypes for you, saving you timeDisadvantagesDe-humanizes the experiencePricingFree16. VenmoKey FeaturesVenmo is king for when you dont have cash, want to easily split the check, or need to pay back a friend. You sync it with your bank account and can charge or request money from anyone els e whos signed up, easily. No more waiting to split the check, having to go to an ATM for cash, etc. etc.AdvantagesEasily send and receive moneyDisadvantagesCan accidentally send to unknown usersTakes time to transfer to the bankOnly available in the USPricingFree17. OverdriveKey FeaturesOverdrive lets you rent e-books from your local library without having to actually go to the library. Its like Netflix for bookwormsAdvantagesRent ebooks without having to buy them or go anywhereDisadvantagesYou dont get to hang onto the bookPricingFree18. Time DoctorKey FeaturesIf you want to take charge of your life and free yourself from time-pressure, then Time Doctor is just for you The ideal time tracking and productivity monitoring app that allows you to stay on top of all the tasks and assignments.AdvantagesTracks time and productivityOffers alertsSends remindersDisadvantagesIsnt always the most accuratePricing$10/month19. Photo via NightshiftKey FeaturesNightshift is more so one of your phon es features than an app, but enabling it makes the light from your screen warmer (the regular blue light disrupts our ability to sleep).AdvantagesHelps your eyesight over timeDisadvantagesCan be frustrating when you need more lightPricingFree20. FluxKey FeaturesSimilarly, Flux also helps cut blue light from our screens and even adapts your screen color based on the time of day.AdvantagesHelps your eyesight over timeDisadvantagesCan be frustrating when you need more lightPricingFree21. HabitbullKey FeaturesHabitbull helps you track new habits so you can more easily maintain them over time. It could also be used to help you break schwimmbad habits, too.AdvantagesTracks new habits over timeOffers communityDisplays graphsDisadvantagesDoesnt offer advice on breaking bad habitsPricingFree22. MyFitnessPalKey FeaturesMyFitnessPal is an incredible tool for tracking your health and fitness goals. You can track calories, weight, meals, and macros seamlessly. Theres even a function that lets yo u scan or enter in a new food if you cant find it by searching.AdvantagesOffers workoutsOffers calorie trackerDisadvantagesDoesnt necessarily hold you accountablePricingFree23. DuoLingoKey FeaturesDuoLingo is sort of like the free version of Rosetta Stone. It helps you learn languages whenever you have a spare moment, making becoming multi-lingual seem more like a way to pass a commute than a test you have to study for.AdvantagesHelps you learn multiple languagesSends you remindersGamifies learningDisadvantagesDoesnt necessarily teach you real-world scenariosDifficult to learn a language without in-person practicePricingFree24. Photo via Learn CSSKey FeaturesSimilarly, Learn CSS and its related series of apps help you learn in-demand, relevant skills that will boost your career on-the-go.AdvantagesTeaches you CSS skillsDisadvantagesTakes time and lacks in-person accountabilityPricingFree25. VouchercloudKey FeaturesVouchercloud helps you search the best coupon and discount codes avai lable from leading retailers to help you save money easily.AdvantagesOffers coupons to save you moneyDisadvantagesCan only be used for online shoppingNo longer available in the USPricingDependent upon country26. HoneyKey FeaturesHoney automatically syncs the best possible coupon codes for you at check-out when browsing online, helping you find better deals instantly.AdvantagesOffers coupons to save you moneyDisadvantagesCan only be used for shoppingPricingFree27. Google TasksKey FeaturesGoogle Tasks is great for digital task management and taking notes because it works in conjunction with your Google Calendar account, meaning you can have a quick visual of your tasks for that day and the week ahead all in one place. Its super basic (and free), but will be enough for those who arent interested in the bells and whistles of fancier apps.AdvantagesEasy user interfaceCombines with Google Calendar accountDisadvantagesNot great for minimalistsPricingFree28. WunderlistPhoto via WunderlistKe y FeaturesMicrosoft was so fond of the to-do list app Wunderlist that it bought the company that created it, and if thats not a solid sign, then we dont know what is. The Wunderlist app lets you easily create and share task lists, allowing you to collaborate with coworkers or family members. You could also get Wunderlist Pro as a fairly low-cost in-app purchase, but most users will be plenty satisfied with the free version.AdvantagesAbility to share tasks for collaborationEasy user interfaceDisadvantagesNot great for minimalistsPricingFree29. TodoistKey FeaturesThe Todoist app remains one of the popular app store choices for those in need of an online task manager, and for good reason. You can separate tasks into projects, drag-and-drop projects to form a hierarchy, color-code priorities, and set separate reminders for when you should start working on a task versus when that task is due. Todoist Premium even rewards you for productivity by scoring your daily work ethicAdvantagesOnli ne task managerSeparate tasks by projectColor-coding capabilitiesRemindersRewards for work ethicDisadvantagesFree version is limitedPricingFree with in-app purchases30. FiretaskKey FeaturesFiretask is a great way for big-picture thinkers to manage to-do lists and comes with two views. The first, Organize, gives you a quick-glance rundown of all your upcoming projects for the next two days, as well as further down the road. The Scratchboard view then lets you jot down notes.AdvantagesTwo viewsEasy organizationQuick rundowns of projectsScratchboard view for notesDisadvantagesNot freePricing$4031. Any.doKey FeaturesAny.do enables you to sync your various task lists and to-dos across all your devices, create recurring tasks, and make notes via voice-entry. Plus, this task management app helps you compartmentalize what can wait a couple days and what has to be done immediately. Most of its best features come ready to go on the free versionAdvantagesSimple userfaceCan add different listsC an add tagsFlexible calendar viewsDisadvantagesNot great for minimalistsPricingFree32. TickTickKey FeaturesTickTick is another simple yet effective to-do list app. You just list your tasks and tap any of the more complex ones to add subtasks, this turning the task into a project. Todo lists are also automatically organized according to their due date, which takes some of the pressure off of yourselfAdvantagesSimple userfaceCan add subtasksAutomatic organizationFlexible calendar viewsSyncable across platformsDisadvantagesNot great for minimalistsPricingFreeWhat will you do with all of the time and resources youve saved by streamlining?--Chelsea is a career coach, trainer, and resume writer with over 5 years of experience working with diverse adults throughout the New York City area. She has worked with jobseekers across industries and professional levels, including immigrants and formerly incarcerated individuals. She loves poetry, travel, and arctic dogs, and lives in Brooklyn, NY.