REVIEW: productivity apps

Productivity
I’ve used way too many productivity apps in the past, and none of them really stuck with me. Here are some:

• Trello: organizing by cards.
  Good: easy to switch around tasks
  Bad: didn’t keep a good track of completed tasks, UI sometimes glitchy
  Conclusion: no longer use - other apps are better

• Flora: focus timer - if you go on other apps, you’ll kill a tree
  Good: for focusing
  Bad: only mobile, sometimes I need to go on other apps that aren’t entertainment but it locks me out
  Conclusion: no longer use - other apps are better (use Pomodoro instead)

• Todoist
  Good: good UI with to-do list
  Bad: cannot keep track of tasks, once completed it disappears
  Conclusion: no longer use - other apps are better (use Minimalist instead)

• Old school planner
  Good: very pretty layout
  Bad: hefty to carry around, weird to carry to school and take it out every time, bad at switching tasks around
  Conclusion: no longer use - other apps are better (use Minimalist instead)

• Google Doc To-Do List
  Good: simple and effective, kind of like Minimalist, it’s good for when you need to quickly whip out a to-do list
  Bad: it’s boring and gets glitchy if too many entries
  Conclusion: no longer use - other apps are better (use Minimalist instead)

• Pomodoro timer (w/ music)
  Good: good time blocks
  Bad: cannot keep track of tasks
  Conclusion: use when need to effectively time-block for a long task

• Minimalist
  Good: good for making dispensible lists like grocery list
  Bad: exactly same reason as good - it gets rid of all that you have completed, cannot time-block
  Conclusion: use when need to quickly whip out a to-do list for a project or the next day, like a rough draft

• Notion
  Good: for everything. I still like using this one for taking notes
  Bad: it’s really, really comprehensive, and sometimes it gets overwhelming.
  Conclusion: use when need to organize notes or need to brain dump convoluted projects

Google sheets MEETS ALL THE BELOW!!!!

QUALITIES OF A GOOD PLANNER
Effective, easy time-blocking - yep!
Easy to create tasks - yep!
Can organize tasks according to categories like “school”, “math”, “relax” - yes, I can use colors
Can view previously completed tasks to be proud of progress - yep!
Be interesting in UI - not as interesting as others, but interesting enough - it’s not a game!
Preferably on computer, but can sync across mobile so it’s not hefty to carry around - yep
Be able to easily plan ahead - yep!
Doesn’t get glitchy if too many - yep, I can just go to the bottom and create a new sheet

CONCLUSION: I am now going to use Google Sheets for the rest of my high school career. As supplements, I’ll use Pomodoro + music as timers, Minimalist to split tasks into to-dos, and Notion for note-taking and general organization.