Are you consistently working overtime or pushing back deadlines? If so, you might be entering burnout territory—a place where your job performance, career, and psyche could all suffer.
Don't worry; there are better solutions to pump up your productivity. Changing how you approach your work (like cracking down on your Reddit or Pinterest use) and taking advantage of tools designed to save you time while working can help you find more opportunities to relax.
Check out these time management tools:
1. RescueTime - This tool runs with your Windows or Mac to watch and record how long you spend on each application or activity as you go. It also generates an analysis of how you're using your time to help you plan more effectively for the next week.
2. ActiveWords - This incredibly smart application allows you to assign abbreviations to lengthy information, kind of like a much-smarter version of the autocorrect feature on a smartphone. For instance, you can customize the New ActiveWord Wizard so that every time you type "myzip," the app will automatically change it to your selected zip code.
3. MindMeister - This cloud-based productivity tool lets you customize an easy-to-revise virtual mind map. MindMeister is best for visual people because it's focused on goals rather than lists and orders. And you can easily collaborate with others on a project—even via mobile.
4. List.ly - While MindMeister is ideal for visual folks, List.ly—as the name suggests—is a great resource for those who prefer lists. But it's not your ordinary to-do list; it's highly engaging and makes it easier to receive crowd-sourced feedback.
5. Toggl - This simple program is for those who want to keep track of how long they have been working on a project. You can try to beat your time on given tasks to improve efficiency. Plus Toggl saves your entire project and is accessible on Mac, PC, and mobile phones.
6. Grid Analysis - This tool is designed to help you make decisions more effectively. It allows you to list your options in a table format and then various factors as columns. The application lets you score each option and then helps you make the best decision based on the factors you input.
7. Remember The Milk - If you're an iPhone 4S user, you'll find this cool app is compatible with Siri. Just ask Siri to "remind you to..." and the new task will be added to your Remember The Milk list. This simple virtual to-do list is also compatible with Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, BlackBerry, and Android.
8. OneNote - This ultimate note taker, which is part of Microsoft Office 2010, allows you to keep organized virtual folders to file away notes. OneNote is particularly useful when you're collecting a massive amount of research. Its drag and drop function makes it very easy to stay organized.
9. Nozbe - This application follows best-selling author David Allen's "Getting Things Done" philosophy, by organizing your tasks according to the location where you'd perform them—whether it's home, office, online, etc. It also has a team-oriented tasks option, like group message boards.
10. StayFocusd - Download this Google Chrome extension to block your biggest time-wasting sites. It works like a timer, and asks you to set the maximum time you want to waste on your customized time-killer sites before they're blocked.
Ritika Trikha is a writer for CareerBliss, an online career community dedicated to helping people find happiness in the workplace. Check out CareerBliss for millions of job listings, company reviews, salary information, and a free career happiness assessment.
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Carla 7:19AM May 16, 2013
Adam of CT 3:59AM April 19, 2013
hicham amghil of KY 11:02AM February 21, 2013