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Being an independent contractor requires self-motivation, focus, top notch time management and organisational skills. But let’s face it, we all need some help to keep on track sometimes. Even the best of need a little kick in the pants from time to time.
If you find yourself becoming distracted from your work at hand, could do with some help remembering important tasks and deadline, and would benefit from a way to keep track of all your brilliant ideas, read on. We’ve compiled a list of six life changing apps. Well, they’ll change the way you work and have you on your way to being an organised, reliable, focused and self-driven independent contractor.
1. Focus Keeper
If you need help keeping your productivity high whilst avoiding burnout, this could be the app for you. Focus Keeper is based on the Pomodoro Technique which promotes focusing work efforts in timed 25 minute intervals, spaced out with a five minute break in between. The length of your focus session is totally customisable, however the goal remains the same – to get you to be take regular breaks to increase productivity. As well as prompting your activity and down time, Focus Keeper allows you to set daily goals and tracks your progress.
2. Toggl
Now this app has obviously been created with contractors in mind. Toggl is all about keeping track of your work hours and how you spend them. Use the timer to log the time it takes you to complete a task and receive reports based on your activity – perfect for tracking your billable hours. Your tasks can also be tracked in Toggl’s web version and desktop app, all within the one account. This app is perfect if you’re working for multiple clients and need to keep record of billable hours.
3. Remember the Milk
This app is basically a to-do list for busy people. Remember the Milk is perfect for anyone who needs to get their to-do-list out of their head and be reminded of what they need to do via email, text messages, instant message, Twitter and mobile notifications. As well as reminders, Remember the Milk allows you to prioritise your tasks, share your to-do-list and allocate tasks to others. The app also easily integrated with Gmail, Google Calendar, Twitter and Evernote. The basic app is free but there is an option to upgrade to the Pro version, which has a host of other useful features, such as unlimited sharing and storage plus, gives you the ability to sync with Microsoft Outlook.
4. Focus@Will
If you’re looking for a way to improve your attention span, you may be in luck. That’s if you are one of the two in three people whose concentration can benefit from music. Focus@Will is a neuroscience based music subscription service that can help increase your attention span up to 400%. There are monthly and yearly subscriptions available to the service. And just in case you’re sceptical that this could work for you, there is a free 30 day trial that gives you full access to the service.
5. MindNode
MindNode allows you to create graphical representations of your ideas and concepts. This mind mapping software is a great tool to help you get your ideas out of your head and into a visual format that you can expand on, analyse, recall and help you generate new ideas. Just start with a central idea and let the brainstorming begin.
6. Self-Control to Focus
Now if you find yourself distracted throughout the day by social media sites, online games or other online addictions, you should give this app a go. Self-Control to Focus blocks you from access to distracting sites by revealing a difficult to remember password only once the timer you set is complete. This is a great way to force you to resist the temptation of checking your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other productivity killer site.
