(This article is part of the Productivity series. Get free article updates here.)

Do you use any productivity apps on your phone?

Would you like to know what some of the most insanely productive parents are using on their phones?

Me too 🙂

So, I reached out to a bunch of highly accomplished parents – founders of successful companies, authors of bestselling books, globe-trotting public speakers, high-demand consultants, bloggers who have bigger audience than a regular television station, and in many cases a combination of several of these, all while raising great kids — and asked them two simple questions –

Do you have any favorite productivity apps on your phone? Why do you find yourself using these regularly?

Here’s what they said –

(PS: Do your future self a favor and bookmark this page now. If you have any interest in the topic of productivity, you’ll come back to this page again. And again. And again.)

OK, in no particular order…

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(This article is part of the Productivity series. Get free article updates here.)

Raise your hands if you know exactly what you should do on any given day, but somehow the day slips by before you can knock even half the items off your list…

Maybe today was your day to be super productive, but just as you were getting started an important email interrupted you and threw you off the track. Or perhaps, you wanted to just check some news and blogs before getting started, but somehow half the day was gone before you knew it. Or was it one of those days that you actually did get started bright and early, but just as you were getting in the flow, a friend messaged you on Facebook, or Whatsapp, and it was all downhill from there?

Either ways, as you lay your head on the pillow at night, there’s a sick feeling in your stomach. Another day gone by. Another resolve to knock things off your “Get it Done” list failed.

How could you let this happen so often?

We the people of the information generation… we’re both blessed and cursed, don’t you think?

On the one hand, it’s amazing — we have more opportunities to learn, be entertained and stay connected than the generations before us could even imagine.

On the other, it’s downright evil — it creates enough distraction that no man, woman or child without a plan could ever hope to escape.

How do we tame this beast? How can we utilize the beautiful opportunities offered to us by the information age, without being so distracted by it that nothing ever gets done?  [Read more…]

Tell me if you’ve ever been in a situation like this –

It’s been a long day. You stop for a moment to catch your breath.

But instead of relaxing, you notice how messy your home is and it starts to niggle at you. “Clean the house” has been on your To-Do list for far longer than you care to admit.

Before you can even decide when/how to tackle the mess though, your child calls you for homework help. “Homework help” isn’t exactly on the To-Do list, but hey, you couldn’t possibly ignore that!

As you walk up to his desk, you suddenly remember that you forgot to pick up milk on your way home. “Pick up milk” was something you meant to add to your To-Do list, but never actually got around to.

When you pull your phone out to send a quick reminder to your spouse to grab the milk, you realize there’s a new mail (or facebook update) notification. “Check mail/facebook” is something definitely NOT on your To-Do list, but you obsessively do it anyway.

While trying to decide whether to send the reminder or check your mail/facebook first, you notice that the battery on the phone is almost out. Forget all that banter about the To-Do list… you need to find a charger. Fast.

Sounds familiar?

You’re not alone.

Millions around the world are casualties of the spinning-the-wheels-itis epidemic. The biggest symptom of this nasty pandemic is staying busy and stressed all the time, without actually getting much done.

As someone recovering from this scourge myself, I have some good news for you… there is a cure.

Unless you are in the terminal stages, usually you can find some quick relief and keep from ever falling victim to this endemic again by following a few simple steps. Inspired by the popular book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity and simplified to fit busy lifestyles, this simplified-GTD system is aimed at creating habits that help tackle everything life slings at us, and focus on how to get things done.

(P.S.: If you are in the terminal stages though, you should grab a copy of the book and spend some time implementing each suggestion diligently. It’s some seriously good stuff!)

OK, here we go –  [Read more…]