For a long time I wrote about minimalism. There were all sorts of topics I covered, including organizing your email, computer, and phone. I’ve also written about how to use Google tools for productivity and even how to plan your wedding using Google Drive!
Today I want to simplify even further and highlight the only apps you really need to keep your life organized. And I’m sure you could even eliminate some of these as well, so it’s more accurate to say these are the apps I really need to organize my life 😂
1. To Do List | Google Tasks
Whenever you think of organization, to do lists probably come to mind. My to do list app of choice is Google Tasks. I love that Google Tasks lives in your inbox and that you can also have a separate app on your phone. You can schedule tasks, connect emails, and include detailed information for each task. You can have your tasks auto populated to your Google Calendar (I don’t use that feature, but know some people love it) and its simple interface makes it easy to manage.
2. Notes | Apple Notes
I have sworn off written notes completely. For work I use Google Docs so I can easily share and collaborate with others and for personal use I like Apple Notes. It is so much easier to have notes digitally so that you can refer to them wherever you are and search for what you want to reference. While I still have a notebook that I use to jot things down during the workday, I type up any important notes and make sure they are accessible. And in my personal life I use Apple Notes as the catch all for any ideas and important things I want to remember.
3. Calendar | Google Calendar
Just like I don’t have paper notes, I also don’t use a paper calendar. Google Calendar is great since you can share calendars with others, access it easily on your phone and computer, and include so many details in each event. I provide more tips on how to get the most out of your calendar here, here, and here!
4 and 5. Amazon Photos & Google Drive
I think it’s appropriate to combine these two apps since they are both storage tools where you can organize the things that are important to you. If you are an Amazon Prime member you get unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos. It’s super simple to back up photos from your phone and it automatically organizes your photos based on when they were taken. I’ve gone through the process of consolidating all of my photos to Amazon Photos and am so happy I have one place to keep them all, where I don’t have to pay extra.
For any other digital items (i.e. not photos, general notes, or to do lists), Google Drive is my go to storage provider. You can use folders and take advantage of Google’s stellar search feature to access your files.
The reason I wanted to keep this post very short is because I think it can be so easy to download a million productivity and organization apps and then be overwhelmed with what to use…i.e. the opposite of being productive. Instead, by keeping it simple and realizing that there are typically a few key things you need to do to get your personal life in order, you can stay focused and actually use these tools to help you instead of slow you down.
What are your favorite apps for organization? Any you absolutely recommend?
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