Smartphones have made Internet access available anywhere, anytime. This makes users’ lives much simpler, as it provides them with tools that allow them to work, converse, entertain themselves, get information, train and much more, but there are also negative aspects.. Social networks and other apps can be distracting, which leads to a reduction in performance, procrastination and significant waste of time. For this reason, numerous have been developed apps to concentrate, simple to use.
Apps to concentrate are having a rapid spread. New ones are born every day, each with its own characteristics. Some are designed to help achieve work and personal goals, others to limit notifications during a certain period of time or improve the organization of activities and others still help to learn concentration techniques or meditation.
Let’s find out the best applications that promote concentration and increase user productivity, any costs to be incurred in order to use them, compatibility with mobile devices and their operation.
-
1. Forest, the most popular concentration app
Among the most popular applications for contraction is Forest App, compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices. The purpose of the app is to allow users who download it to keep focus on your business, without getting distracted by messages and notifications. To achieve this, a small game was developed.
Whenever you want to stay focused, you plant a seed of a virtual tree on the application. The tree grows as you stay focused on your work, without using your smartphone and without accessing other installed applications.
If during the period in which you have to stay focused you exit the application, for any reason, the tree will die. The trees that can be grown are placed in their own virtual forestwhich adds up quickly if you use the app daily.
Forest allows you to develop healthy habits, your ability to concentrate and leave your phone idle for as long as necessary. What discourages the use of the smartphone is the final prize, the possibility of earning trophies and rewards.
For a personalized experience, you can create whitelists of apps, which will not be blocked. For iOS the cost of the application it costs 4.99 euros, while it can be downloaded for free on Android devices.
-
2. Focus Keeper – Time management, to exploit the Pomodoro technique
Focus Keeper is an application that is based on the Pomodoro technique, which consists of in periods of concentration and continuous work alternating with moments of break. Generally, four moments of concentration of approximately 25-30 minutes are programmed, alternating with a 5 minute break and ending with a larger stop of approximately 15 minutes.
With the application you can quickly set the timer. This will send a notification when your work or study time runs out and when your break ends. The experience is customizable, indicating how much time you want to dedicate to concentration, the duration of short and long breaks.
They can be viewed graphs on your productivity. The interface is extremely simple, linear, understandable and intuitive. The app is compatible with Android and iOS devices and can be downloaded and used for free. There is an online version that can be accessed from a browser.
-
3. RescueTime, to save your time
RescueTime is a tool that allows users to discover how they spend their days, promoting greater awareness and the adoption of strategies to save their time. It is an automatic trackerwhich monitors how your smartphone is used and describes your digital life.
Privacy options allow you to select what the tracker can monitor for describe your day. The more consent you offer, the more you can receive an accurate picture and description of your time.
Yes they can set goals to achieve, such as reducing the time spent on social networks. The app will provide screens that show your progress and can motivate the user. Offline time can be recorded manually by entering any appointments, meetings and anything else you want. If you want to carry out concentration sessions, you can enter ‘do not disturb’ mode.
RescueTime it’s free for iOS and Android, but to access advanced features you need to sign up for a paid subscription.
-
4. Headspace, for sleep and meditation
Concentration is favored by good habits and correct sleep-wake rhythms. The app Headspace: Sleep & Meditation aims at stress reduction, improved sleep, more effective management of daily anxiety and control of one’s well-being and mental health. All this guarantees greater productivity.
There are guides for meditation, audio and music that promote sleep and relaxation and much more. Headspace is free for Android and for iOS, but to access advanced features you need to sign up for a subscription.