Staying on top of everything can be a real challenge these days. With so many things pulling at our attention, it’s easy to feel swamped and lose track of what needs to get done. That’s where good task management apps come in handy. They can help you organize your work, remember important deadlines, and keep your focus where it needs to be. We’ve looked at a bunch of options and picked out 8 Task Management Apps to Stay Organized and Focused. These tools are designed to make your daily life a bit smoother, whether you’re handling work projects, school assignments, or just your personal to-do list.
Key Takeaways
- Clockify is a solid choice for tracking time and managing tasks all in one place.
- Plaky works well if you need a clear way to handle your projects and assignments.
- Pumble is good for teams that need to communicate quickly and keep everyone updated.
- Forest helps you stay focused by using a unique method to encourage concentration.
- Notion is a great tool for students who want to manage their time and schoolwork better.
1. Clockify
Clockify is a solid choice if you’re looking for a way to track your time. It’s a time tracker and timesheet app that can help you schedule tasks and monitor productivity. I’ve found it’s especially useful for companies that need to keep an eye on attendance and billable hours.
How Clockify Works
When I first created my Clockify account, I was given a choice of how I wanted to track my time. Here are the options:
- Timer mode: I can start the timer when I begin working on something and stop it when I’m done.
- Manual mode: I can enter the time I spent on an activity manually. I can also do this in the timesheet view.
- Calendar view: Blocking hours is easy with a simple click, either daily or weekly.
Why Choose Clockify?
Clockify lets you track time on different tasks, projects, and clients. It works for freelancers, employees, and businesses. I like that I can enter hours manually. The dashboard gives a visual overview, so I can analyze how time is spent and spot areas where too much time is going to non-critical tasks. It’s a great way to prevent overworking because it shows how much time I’m spending on professional assignments.
Clockify Con
If you want to lock your timesheets to prevent editing, you’ll need to get one of Clockify’s paid versions.
What’s New in Clockify
Clockify recently released a financial planning option. Now, you can see the total billable income you’ll get from a project, along with labor costs and the spent budget. Also, the auto tracking feature was improved, letting you track app usage and website visits.
2. Plaky
I’ve been trying out Plaky lately, and I have to say, it’s been a solid experience. It’s a task management tool that’s pretty versatile, especially if you’re working with a team. I found it useful for keeping track of what everyone’s doing and where projects stand. It’s got a clean interface, which is always a plus in my book. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
- It’s pretty easy to set up different boards for different projects. I like that I can customize them to fit my workflow.
- The ability to add project-related files directly to task cards is a huge time-saver. No more digging through emails to find that one document!
- The free plan is surprisingly generous. It’s got enough features to get a small team up and running without spending a dime.
One thing I did notice is that it doesn’t have as many integrations with other apps as some of the other tools I’ve used. For example, it would be nice to have a direct integration with Google Calendar. However, the Plaky’s integration with Clockify is a nice touch, especially if you’re trying to keep track of how much time you’re spending on different tasks. Overall, I think Plaky is a great option if you’re looking for a straightforward and effective way to manage tasks and collaborate with your team.
3. Pumble
Pumble is a team communication tool that I’ve found super useful for keeping in touch with everyone at work. It’s great for businesses that need to connect with teammates across different departments. From what I can tell, Pumble has a simple interface, which makes it easy to message team members or make audio and video calls instantly.
How Pumble Works
Even the free version of Pumble has a lot to offer, competing with some of the more popular apps out there. I think it’s amazing that you can also set custom hours when you want to receive notifications in Pumble, for instance, only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
With Pumble, you can:
- Message your coworkers easily.
- Conduct free video and voice calls.
- Take part in group conversations.
- Group your conversations in threads.
- Use dedicated channels for collaboration.
Pumble also lets me share files and store up to 10GB of data per workspace on the free plan. I find this extra helpful, especially when I don’t want to switch between multiple tools to access an important document. I also enjoyed the option to schedule my messages instead of sending them immediately. Since my flexible work hours allow me to start my day early, scheduling messages to be sent around my coworkers’ clocking in time has worked wonders. I can also set a status to let my teammates know what I’m busy with and pause notifications to minimize distractions. For entrepreneurs looking to boost productivity, understanding time management tools is key.
Why Use Pumble
If you’re looking for an all-in-one tool with options to enhance company-wide collaboration and minimize time spent searching through messages, Pumble is a great choice.
Pumble Pro
The free plan lets you access the entire message history, which is useful if you often need to review older conversations for information.
Pumble Con
I think the number of integrations could be higher.
What’s New in Pumble
The third quarter of 2024 brought some great new updates. You can now use its new Calendly integration to manage your calendar directly in Pumble. Also, you can find new GIFs and work themes within the app.
4. Forest
Okay, so Forest isn’t exactly a task management app, but it’s a focus app, and honestly, sometimes focus is half the battle, right? It’s designed to help you ditch distractions, especially the ones coming from your phone. I’ve found it super helpful for those days when my attention span is basically zero.
Here’s how it works for me:
- I set a timer in the app for how long I want to focus.
- The app plants a virtual seed. If I leave the app before the timer goes off, the seed dies (guilt trip, much?).
- If I stick to it, I get a cute little tree and some in-app coins. I can even purchase a new tree species with the coins.
I like that Forest has a Chrome extension too. It lets me block distracting websites on my computer while still letting me use the rest of my computer. It’s like a digital force field against procrastination. One thing that can be annoying is that if my phone is on silent, I don’t get a notification when my tree is fully grown, which is my cue to take a break. But overall, I think the Forest app is a great tool for staying on task.
5. SaneBox
SaneBox is something I’ve been using to try and get my email under control, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer. It’s basically an email manager that filters out the noise and makes sure I see what’s important. I was drowning in promotional emails and newsletters, and now SaneBox sorts them automatically. It’s like having a personal assistant for my inbox.
How SaneBox Works
I was surprised at how easy it was to set up. Once I connected my email, SaneBox created a bunch of new folders. For example, the SaneNoReplies folder is great because it keeps track of emails I sent that haven’t gotten a response. I also love the BlackHole folder, which automatically moves emails I don’t want to read but can’t unsubscribe from. It learns from what I do, so the more I use it, the better it gets at sorting my emails. I can even set custom away messages so people know when to expect a reply.
Why Use SaneBox
If your inbox feels like a never-ending battle, SaneBox can really help. It’s all about conquering email clutter and reclaiming your time. I’ve found that I’m way less stressed about checking my email now that I know the important stuff will be front and center. Plus, I can forward an email to a specific date to create a list of my to-dos for that day. It’s a simple but effective way to stay on top of things.
SaneBox Pro
I like that SaneBox is customizable. It fits into my workflow pretty well, and I can tweak it to match my habits. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, which is a big plus for me.
SaneBox Con
The biggest downside is that there’s no free plan. You have to pay to use it, which might be a deal-breaker for some people. But for me, the time it saves is worth the cost.
What’s New in SaneBox
I saw that the latest updates included a Better Snooze Button for SaneReminders. This is great because I can snooze reminders for a few hours or even a month later. It’s a nice little improvement that makes the app even more useful.
6. Shift
Okay, so Shift is a bit different. It’s not exactly a task manager in the traditional sense, but it’s been a game-changer for how I handle my workflow. Basically, it’s an app that lets you manage multiple email accounts, apps, and extensions all in one place. Think of it as a central hub for everything you need to get done. I find it super useful because I’m constantly switching between different accounts and apps, and Shift keeps me from getting totally lost in the chaos.
Here’s why I like it:
- It keeps all my Gmail, Outlook, etc. accounts in one spot. No more endless logging in and out.
- I can add all my favorite web apps like Slack, HubSpot, and even Pumble right into Shift. It’s like having a custom operating system for work.
- It helps me stay focused. By keeping everything organized, I’m less likely to get distracted by random tabs and notifications. I can even use it to manage my productivity software suite.
7. Alarmy
Alarmy is a pretty unique take on the classic alarm clock. It makes you prove you’re actually awake before it shuts off! I’ve been using it for a few weeks, and here’s what I’ve found:
How Alarmy Works
The whole point of Alarmy is to drag you out of bed right when you need to get up. To do this, it makes you complete a little mini-game, which they call a “Mission.” The idea is that these Missions wake up your brain and body.
When you set up your alarm, you get to pick a Mission. Here are some of the options:
- Math problems
- Memory games
- Typing challenges
- Taking a photo of something specific
- Doing squats
- Shaking your phone
I’m not a morning math person, so I started with the memory game. I actually found the Missions to be pretty refreshing. They got me going way faster than my regular alarm. I also like that you can choose to have the alarm volume gradually increase or just blast you awake right away. Alarmy also has a sleep-tracking feature that helps you spot patterns in your sleep, which I thought was pretty cool.
Why Use Alarmy
If you’re always late because you can’t wake up, Alarmy could be a game-changer. It’s designed to fix that problem.
Alarmy Pro
With the paid version, you can change the alarm sound, set the volume, and set specific tasks to dismiss the alarm.
Alarmy Con
Some features, like louder alarms and doing multiple Missions in a row, are only in the paid version.
What’s New in Alarmy
If you’re on iOS, you can now combine multiple Missions into one alarm. This lets you make a super-custom wake-up routine.
8. Notion
I’ve been using Notion for a while now, and it’s become my go-to for pretty much everything. Its flexibility is unmatched; I can build custom workspaces tailored to my exact needs. It’s more than just a task manager; it’s a complete workspace. I can take notes, manage projects, and even build a personal wiki. It’s like having a digital Swiss Army knife.
Here’s what I like about it:
- It’s super customizable. I can create my own templates or use the built-in ones.
- Team collaboration is easy. We can all work on the same page in real time, which is great for group projects.
- It integrates with other apps. I can embed content from YouTube, Google Docs, and more.
I also appreciate that I can view my tasks in different formats, like a table, board, or calendar. This helps me stay organized and see what’s coming up. The Notion workspace is really useful for students to sharpen their organizational skills. It’s a bit overwhelming at first, but once I got the hang of it, I was hooked.