Did you know that in 2019, the average US employee clocked in eight hours of work per weekday? Full-time workers worked the longest, though, averaging 8.5 hours a day.
However, just because they were “at work” doesn’t mean they worked for all those hours. Indeed, research has shown that the average employee only works two hours and 23 minutes a day. The rest of their workday then goes toward unproductive activities.
If you’re in the same boat, it’s high time you use laptop apps to help boost your productivity.
This guide lists some of the Windows and Mac applications designed to help you get more work done, so be sure to read on.
1. StayFocusd
A recent survey found that internet browsing is one of the primary work distractions. So much so that 44% of surveyed employers cited it as the number one workplace distraction. Many of them also blamed cell phones, social media, and emails.
Unfortunately, those distractions all contribute to productivity losses. After all, the more distracted people get, the less focus they place on the task at hand. That, in turn, decreases effectiveness and efficiency, resulting in less work getting done.
Sounds familiar? If so, then StayFocusd can help you get back on track.
StayFocusd is a browser extension that lets you block time-wasting apps and websites. It even comes with a feature that enables you to restrict keyword-based searches. You can then set temporary restrictions or specific time intervals.
What’s more, StayFocusd allows you to define daily usage limits for apps and websites. It also provides a time tracking feature, letting you know how much time you’re spending on an app or a site.
2. Toggl
Toggl is a time tracking app that allows you to monitor the length of time you spend on computer activities. For example, you can use it to keep an eye on how many hours you’ve been working on a project. It can also tell you how much time you’ve been spending on an app or a website.
What’s more, Toggl has a project and team management platform. With that, you can delegate tasks to specific team members. From there, you can set time estimates so that they know how long they have to finish the job before the due date.
3. Todoist
According to studies, people perform better when they write down what they need to do. That makes to-do lists helpful for staying productive and managing your time.
Todoist, in turn, is a task and time management app available on all major platforms. It lets you create primary tasks and subtasks in bulleted form and add due dates for each. You can also set priority levels to ensure you finish the most critical tasks.
Moreover, Todoist allows you to create shared projects with other app users. You can then use this feature to delegate tasks to other members of your team or family. You’ll get notified once people complete the tasks assigned to them.
4. Google Chrome
As of November 2021, Google Chrome accounted for 64.06% of the global web browser market. Apple Safari, although ranked second, only had a share of 19.22%.
One reason behind Chrome’s popularity is that it’s both developer- and user-friendly. That’s why most web developers optimize desktop and mobile sites for this browser. Plus, it’s free to download from the Microsoft Windows Store and the Mac App Store.
On the other hand, some websites don’t function well or display correctly on Safari. Unfortunately, that means it can mess up the sites you need to visit for work or school. That can then cause a drop in your productivity.
5. Google Docs
Google Docs is a word processor that allows you to create and edit text documents using a web browser. It’s completely free, but you need to sign in with a Google account to use the cloud-based app.
It’s worth it, though, as Google Docs not only lets you create and edit documents but share them online, too. In addition, you can set documents to be editable by other users. So long as the devices have an internet connection, all changes get saved in real-time.
What’s more, Google Docs has Smart Compose, a feature that checks spelling and grammar. It even suggests relevant contextual phrases. That makes it one of the best laptop apps to help you write better-quality content.
Plus, you can use Google Docs even without an internet connection. You only have to download and install the Google Docs Offline Extension for Chrome. Once you’ve enabled that, you can create, open, and edit files on the Chrome browser even while offline.
6. dupeGuru
According to statistics, professionals spend 18 minutes, on average, looking for a document. As a result, half of their time goes toward digging for information alone.
One reason for all that wasted time is having a laptop cluttered with files. For instance, if your desktop is full of icons, you’re likely to have a hard time finding the file or app you need. At the very least, such a mess can be distracting.
Even if you use your laptop’s file search feature, it’s sure to take longer to bring you back results. That’s because the more data your computer has to sift through, the more time it needs to locate the file you need.
For that reason, it’s best to look for and delete unnecessary duplicate files you have on your device.
The good news is that you don’t have to do that manually; dupeGuru is one of the top Windows and Mac apps that can do it for you. It can locate files with exact or similar filenames and contents within minutes. What’s more, it scans for duplicate text-based files as well as photos and even music.
So, with dupeGuru, you can quickly find duplicate files that you can then delete to free up space on your drive.
Try These Laptop Apps to Help You Stay Productive
Keep in mind that productivity and happiness often go hand in hand. Happy workers are more productive, and being productive can make you feel satisfied. By contrast, productivity losses can stress you out, taking a toll on your mental health.
That’s a good enough reason to take advantage of productivity-boosting laptop apps. So as early as now, give the ones we’ve discussed in this guide a well-deserved try.
Are you interested to learn even more tips on productivity or technology? Feel free to browse our blog posts for more educational guides!
