Read this later
By Meg Rivera
NEVER put off today what you can do tomorrow, say the very wise. Clearly the very wise have never tried to complete an assignment in the age of the Web 2.0. Just to prove a point, I put off writing this article by helping my younger sister pick out prom dresses. She was the one who had to remind me to get off my duff and start writing.
You would think that smart gadgets and the Internet would be better at helping us accomplish more. We hardly have to leave the house to get the essentials done, like paying bills and banking. But we are dealing with a double edged sword here: as much as it is helpful, it can be so distracting! Where else can you watch a cuttlefish reproducing with Zefrank narrating?
This week, we do battle against the beast we call procrastination. The Internet might have cats and watermelons, but it also contains ways to get us to do actual work. I tried these three apps over the span of a week and I actually got things done. Not bad for someone who is just about to turn pro at putting things off.
App name: Unstuck
Developer: Unstuck
Available on: iTunes, Google Play
Easy to use: There is a tutorial at the beginning, but it remains easy to use throughout the app.
Overall comment: This app won the Appy Award in 2012 for the Best Lifestyle App. And I can see why too: the app analyses your “stuck” moment and gives you a game plan to overcome it. It allows you to understand why you aren’t being productive while pushing you to move past it. It’s a great mix of scientific and motivational. Four clicks out of five.
App name: Do It Tomorrow
Developer: Adyllitica, Inc
Available on: iTunes, Google Play
Easy to use: Can you type and touch the screen? Sweet, you can use this app then.
Overall comment: You can look at this one of two ways: an app that enables procrastination, or one that encourages you to always be a day ahead. This “planner” only has two dates, today and tomorrow. Take that how you will, but it’s definitely something worth using when you are on a tight deadline. This can also be synced with your other devices so you are never out of the loop. Three clicks out of five.
App name: Affirmations – Procrastination
Developer: DSRTech, Inc
Available on: iTunes, Google Play
Easy to use: Tap ‘play’ and you’re away.
Overall comment: For those who are wanting a more Zen approach. This 20-minute recording plays positive affirmations about getting things done. It’s meant to nip the procrastinating behaviour right in the bud, at the thought level. I honestly couldn’t sit through the whole thing, I just wanted to get up and do things instead. If that was its schtick all along, then bravo. But if it isn’t, then go right ahead and bore yourself into becoming productive. Three clicks out of five.
