How to Pick Perfect Productivity Apps for You

The biggest recommendations for picking productivity tools is to research first. But how do you do effective tool picking research? We've got some timeless tips for you.

In the vast ocean of productivity tools, there's plenty of choices and plenty of overwhelm.

Trust us, we've been reviewing them for well over 10+ years now and the biggest and most common issues is that people get distracted by shiny new apps when looking at tools and skip past all the potential benefits of a good framework and tool for the long-term.

Here's some of our best tips for when you're looking for tools and we call it RTO.

What is RTO?

1. R - Research
2. T - Trial
3. O - Optimize

It's crucial to understand that the foundation of productivity isn't found in a tool, but in a solid system and process tailored to your needs. In this article, I'll guide you through the essential steps to finding not just any productivity app, but the perfect one for you.

1. Research: Exploring Your Options

The allure of "shiny tool syndrome" is real.

Many of us are tempted by the newest or most visually appealing productivity tool on the market. However, I cannot stress enough the importance of thorough research before making your choice.

From my over a decade of experience in finding and reviewing productivity apps, I've learned that doubling down on research time is a worthwhile investment.

Tip #1: Plan for a 3-5 Year Span

Consider productivity tools as long-term investments, similar to buying a house. They require time, effort, and resources to transition from, so choosing wisely from the start is paramount. Look ahead and consider your life in the next 3-5 years.

Whether you're planning major life changes or aiming to grow in your current trajectory, your chosen tool should be a reliable companion through it all.For example, I transitioned from Wunderlist to Todoist knowing that post-university, I would benefit from enhanced collaborative features.

This forward-thinking approach has paid dividends in my productivity journey.

Tip #2: Invest in Values & Longevity

Beyond the features and design of a tool, it's essential to align with the values and vision of the company behind it. Companies like Doist, the creators of Todoist and Twist, exemplify how matching your personal values with those of a productivity tool can lead to a fulfilling long-term relationship.

Their commitment to asynchronous work and a less intense task management approach mirrors my own productivity philosophy.

2. Trial: Spending Time with Your Top Pick

Once your research has led you to a promising candidate, commit to a trial period.

This phase is about more than just skimming the surface; it's an opportunity to deeply integrate the tool into your daily routine and evaluate its impact on your productivity.

We recommend exploring the a trial of your application for 90-days to get a real world test.

3. Optimize: Growing with Your Tool

Adopting a new productivity app isn't the final step; it's the beginning of an ongoing process of optimization.

As you become more familiar with the tool, you'll discover ways to tailor it to your evolving needs, making it an even more effective ally in your quest for efficiency.

Tip #1: Trust Your Framework First

A common pitfall in the search for the perfect productivity tool is neglecting the importance of a solid foundational framework.

Before hopping from one app to another, establish a robust system—whether it's GTD, Deep Work, or another methodology—that resonates with your working style. This framework will not only guide your choice of tool but also enhance its utility over time.In conclusion, the journey to finding the perfect productivity app is a thoughtful and deliberate process.

By emphasizing research, committing to a trial period, and optimizing your approach, you'll discover a tool that not only meets your current needs but also supports your growth and success in the years to come. Remember, the goal is not to find the newest or most feature-packed tool, but one that seamlessly integrates into and enhances your productivity system.

How To Choose Productivity Apps Checklist

Let's get into choosing a productivity app with our checklist. We cover different criteria here from research to optimising your use of your chosen productivity tool.

1. Research

First up we have research. The tedious task of filtering through all the apps available on the market to find one app that works for you. Follow each step in the checklist to optimise your research period.

• Check out the company - Find the company of the apps you have chosen to research, or are interested in. You want to be happy with their vision, morals and feel aligned with the process. This is also a good way to get a feel for the company, why they made it and also a little about their finances. When choosing an app you want to know it's going to be around for a while.
• Platform availability - Before you go any further, check what platforms and devices the app is available on. If it isn't available on your chosen device you can move on.
• Core needs - Write down 7-10 core needs when choosing a productivity tool. These needs can cover notes, projects, tasks, freelancing, organisation or more.
• Reflect on previous apps - Write down the apps you have chosen before and why you didn't stick with them. Maybe they had a confusing interface or lacked abilities. This can help narrow down your search.
• Shortlist - Create a shortlist of three apps, you don't want to research more than this otherwise you'll begin to waste time. You should hopefully be happy with the company, look and feel of the app upon initial research.
• Ask around - Speak to others about their experience with an app to understand their opinion, why they chose it and what they love about it. You can tell if the app will align with you or not.
• Does the app meet 80% of your needs? - The apps you have shortlisted, or narrowed down to should meet 80% of your chosen needs. If it doesn't, maybe you need to find a more specialist and niche app like one for second brain note taking, or a multi-purpose app like 3 in one for tasks, events and projects.

2. Trial

Now you have hopefully chosen some apps to try and see if they work for you. This period of time is important and you must commit to fully testing an app before giving up.

• 90-day trials - give yourself 90 full days to test and try your chosen app. Within this time you should be able to learn how to navigate the new app and get the hang of all its features and abilities.
• Take notes - Whilst trialling the app takes notes of the specific things you really enjoyed or the things you didn't like at all. This is helpful if you come to the end of the 90 days and decide to move on from the app.
• To stay or to go - Now you can choose to stick with the app for the next three or five years or move on. Use the list you have created of the things you disliked to make sure the next app is better.

3. Optimise

Finally, you can optimize the use of your chosen app, because hopefully you have completed 90 days and found an app that works for you. This stage basically means making the most of the app and getting to know how to use it on a deeper level.

• Settle in - Now is the time to tell yourself you'll settle with this app. This is the app you are going to use for the next three years. Just to make sure you don't download another one in a week's time and start all over again.
• Others in the industry - Learn how other people in the same industry as you are using this app. For example, if you're a freelancer, you can research and watch tutorials on how other freelancers are using this app.
• YouTube tutorials - There are so many gurus for different apps, these are people who are pretty much experts at using them. Find them on YouTube and follow their advice to optimise your productivity tool.
• Features and integrations - Optimise your productivity tool further by using the app's features to their full potential and integrating other apps and tools to help. This might just be integrating a task list or your calendar.
• Commit - Now aim to use this app for at least three years. In three years time if your needs have changed you can think about moving on. For now, you have a new tool to boost productivity for years to come, so create a good base and routine for it.