Productivity isn’t a word usually associated with youth workers. It’s not a word naturally associated with my personality either.  I’m as ADHD as they come, and for years I struggled with productivity and organization. If you feel like this describes you take heart, because you can get better. You can become more productive, organized, and make a bigger impact. I’m not naturally a productive person, but most people know me today as highly productive and organized. Why? Because I worked at it…. and because cheated a little bit! I say I “cheated” because I used a ton of productivity tools to change my narrative over the years. The good news is that you can too!

      So today I want to share a list of my favorite productivity tools.  My hope is something on this list can help you too. My prayer is that you can use some of these tools to lead next level and accomplish more than you ever have before! 

My Favorite Productivity Tools at the Moment:

#1: Evernote

     Evernote is number one on my list for a reason. I use this more than any other productivity tool. Evernote allows me to get ideas out of my head and serves as my digital brain. I don’t know about you, but I have about ten great ideas per hour, and if I don’t write them down I will never remember them! That’s why I started using Evernote. 

     Evernote allows you to set up notebooks to file your notes in a way that’s easy to find them. I have notebooks, for work, ymLead, book projects, etc. If an idea comes to my mind, it goes into Evernote. You can make text notes, photo notes, lists, and even audio notes. My favorite feature is the Web Clipper. Web Clipper allows you to save selections or web pages as notes in Evernote. It’s perfect for researching event ideas, curriculum, etc.  You can also share notebooks with others. My ministry is better because of Evernote!

Evernote is free, with paid options available as well. It works cross platform and syncs between all devices. You can find out more about Evernote here: https://evernote.com/

#2: Forest

     Forest is a simple app that has paid major dividends for me! Forest is designed to help people stay focused and be present. So here’s how it works. Turn it on, set a timer from ten minutes to two hours, and plant a tree. That’s right, plant a tree. I know it sounds kind of silly, but it works. Over the course of the time you set, a digital tree grows and locks you out of the rest of your phone. If you try to use your phone, forest will tell you nicely to “Stay focused” and “Put down your phone.”  When the timer runs out, you will have a full grown digital tree! Each tree grown shows up in your forest to represent productive time without distraction. If you decide you can’t do it,  you can give up, but you’ll have to watch the tree wither and die right in front of you.

     I originally used forest at home to make sure I was present with my family. However, now I use it at work too when I need to work uninterrupted and without distraction. Forest is available for iOS, Android, and Windows phones for $1.99. It’s one of the best $2 I’ve ever spent!

You can find out more about Forest here: http://www.forestapp.cc/. 

#3: Wunderlist

     Wunderlist is an app that allows you to set up lists and reminders. It’s great for to do lists and reminders, but I actually use it for meetings. I have a list for everyone that I meet with regularly, and I add items we need to discuss throughout the day and week. This keeps my meetings organized and also keeps me from checking in with people multiple times a day. Once I’ve discussed the items on the list with them, I check them off as completed or add notes fro next steps.

     Wunderlist is available for most platforms, and syncs between all devices. I currently use it on my macbook and iPhone. There’s a free and paid version.  The pro version is $4.99 a month. 

You can find out more about Wunderlist here: https://www.wunderlist.com/home

#4: One List

      I use Evernote for notes and research, Wunderlist for meetings, and One List for my day to day task lists. One List allows you to add tasks and tag them by importance. Each task entered can be listed as urgent, high, medium, or low priority. Then you can view tasks on your list by their importance. I rarely get my to do list finished at the end of the week, but One List helps me prioritize what gets done. One List is free and available for Mac, iOS, and Android.

You can find out more about One List here: http://www.getonelistapp.com/

#5: Commit to 3

     Commit to 3 is simple: choose three big things you want to accomplish and check them off as you complete them. My to do list is rarely done at the end of the day, but if my Commit to 3 list is done  I’ve had a productive day. I love this app! Commit to 3 is available on iOS and Android and is free to download. 

You can find out more about Commit to 3 here:https://www.committo3.com/

#6: Google Drive / Docs

      Google drive allows you to store up to 15GB of files online for free. Google docs allows you to create, edit, and share documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can also make online forms and surveys using drive.  Google docs is a great way to create documents. Drive is great for storing files and collaborating on projects with a team. Multiple people can edit a document, and all changes show in real time.

You can find out more about Google Drive here: https://www.google.com/drive/

You can find out more about Google Docs here: https://www.google.com/docs/about/

#7:  30/30

     30/30 is a task manager that helps plan my day and stay on task. I input tasks, breaks, and everything else for my day. I can categorize each task and assign it a time as well. This lets me know when I should be done with a task, and if my day is running behind. This app is great for keeping track of how I use my time. Not only that, but it’s also good for helping me to see where I under and overestimate the time I need for tasks. I don’t know about you, but I tend underestimate the time projects will take me to complete. This results in over scheduling my days. 30/30 has helped me with that and is great for anyone who struggles with time management. 

30/30 is free and available for iOS. You can find out more about 30/30 here: http://3030.binaryhammer.com/

#8: Mindly

     Mindly is the best app for mind mapping that I’ve found. Mindly is great for organizing and mapping out complex information in a simple way that’s easy to see. I use it for mapping out book projects, major events, and organizational systems. If you’re a visual person who likes mind maps, Mindly may be for you.

Mindly is available for iOS, Android, and Mac. There are both free and paid versions available. You can find out more about Mindly here: http://www.mindlyapp.com/index.html

#9: Spotify

     Spotify isn’t a productivity tool per say, but it definitely is for me. Music helps me focus, so I use spotify to create playlists to help me work better. Spotify is a must have tool in the youth ministry tool box. We use music for everything it seems. We need it for events, trips, and tons of other places. With Spotify, you always have access to great music for youth ministry. I highly recommend it. There are both paid and free versions based on your needs.

You can find out more about Spotify here: https://www.spotify.com/us/

       So what about you? Do you use any of the tools on this list? What tools didn’t make my list that we should know about? We would love to add your voice to the conversation using the comments section below. And as always, subscribe below if you would like to receive ymLead content directly to your inbox.