STREAMLINE YOUR LIFE DIGITALLY

DEVICE addiction can often get in the way of knuckling down and getting stuff done – but you can also use your computer or smartphone to help you get organised rather than distracted. We look at a few apps that will give you plenty more time to aimlessly scroll through those social-media feeds – guilt-free.

SLACK

Do you and your team at work spend so much time emailing back and forth that there’s hardly any time left to do the actual work? Do away with mails and chat on Slack. It’s basically a team chatroom that lets you create different channels for smaller teams or projects. The desktop app sends subtle notifications to the bottom corner of your screen so you can stay on top of goings-on but keep your eyes on your work. S Free on Windows and Mac, and free apps on iOS and Android

IF THIS THEN THAT (IFTTT)

IFTTT is a powerful app that lets you kill two or more birds with one stone. You can create triggers (the “if this”) that set off other actions (“then that”) within other apps on your device. For example, if you change your profile pic on Facebook you can create a “recipe” to change it on Twitter too. Or you could have every tweet you post automatically saved to a spreadsheet in Google Docs. The possibilities are virtually endless. You won’t regret getting the hang of this one! S Free on Windows and Mac, and free apps on iOS and Android

GOOGLE DRIVE

Forget USB flash drives – this must-have from the Google productivity arsenal keeps important documents and files in one place, so signing in means you can access them on pretty much any device. Top tip: When travelling, save copies of all important itineraries, flight confirmations and even copies of passports so you have electronic versions of everything in case of emergencies.

S Free on Windows and Mac, and free apps on iOS and Android

30/30

This is a game-changer for prolific procrastinators. With 30/30 you can create a to-do list and allocate a specific amount of time to do each task – say, 45 minutes for that report, 20 minutes to clear your inbox, 10 minutes for a coffee . . .

S Free on iOS and Android

EVERNOTE

This is often seen as the first name in productivity apps, and with good reason. It’s basically a digital hub that stores photos, web pages, notes, PDF files, to-do lists and even voice notes. What sets this app apart is its indexing feature – once you add things to your notebook they’re searchable. S Free on Windows and Mac, and free apps on iOS and Android

BLOOM

This is a productivity app to help you get to the stuff that actually matters. It sends “blooms” (notifications) to remind you to do stuff like drink eight glasses of water a day, text your mom or take a few mindful minutes for yourself. Check out the free “bloom shop” to download pre-made reminders – these feature everything from “Walk the dog!” to “Let go of grudges”. S Free on iOS and Android