October 28th, 2024

Five apps I use every day to organise my life (2024 Edition)

Many changes, same principle

It has been over a year since I last published my post on the apps I use every day on Medium. The fact the post is my most successful post made me think it was worth sharing an update because there have been changes along the way. As previously mentioned, these apps bring a persistent calm to my day.

I’ve matured in the way I select the apps I use and switching is not a thing I do these days. There was a time when new apps would appear in my life each month. As much as I would like to try the apps I see appear on my social media feeds, the ‘shiny new toy’ phase has essentially diminished.

I’m going to give you a rundown of all the five apps I use each day to keep me sane, organised and content. The amount of money I have spent on subscriptions is the lowest I have ever reached in many years. The reasons are two-fold: awareness of expenses and taking advantage of education discounts.

Apple Calendar

I am a big fan of time blocking the important events and commitments in my life. Apple Calendar was the logical choice since I “live in the Apple ecosystem”. As my family are in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Calendar (w/iCloud) is the best solution.

I spend most of my time at work (school) away from a computer while I interact with my students. Having my calendar on the Apple Watch is truly invaluable. I have five-minute reminders between each commitment, so I am never late.

I plan everything in Apple Calendar. Through a course (Carl Pullein), I learnt about tasks and events, and what defines them. Things like writing a blog do not go into my tasks. It is an event, and it will appear in my calendar.

I ensure I add locations, notes, reminders, attachments, and notifications when to travel to my destinations when needed. Apple Calendar is here to stay.

Twos App

Twos app is an app that can be most things. To be honest, I could see it replacing most apps on my list once they get an Apple Watch app. It is my journal, note-taking app on the fly, bookmarks, blogging platform, social media platform of choice, source of inspiration (I have many quotes here), and planner. In addition, my projects and their tasks generally go in Twos. Twos is the closest thing I have to a bullet journal.

The simplicity to quickly record ideas, events, thoughts and so much more has me staying with Twos. Think of it as a Post-It note with sharing capabilities. There’s AI for those who want a little inspiration with their writing. For example, I struggled to think of a blogging idea. I inputted thoughts into Twos and AI listed things I could write about. This app has my back.

I say things intentionally. Some apps call them blocks, but Twos has things. Each new line is a thing. They can be notes, headings, tasks, events, numbered lists, starred things, and sublists (a list within a list, which is actually another note of its own).

Twos has replaced Apple Notes because I want to be able to access it on any device I use, including the web and Linux. I was also getting synchronising issues with Apple Notes. Those who know me will say synchronising issues is my pet peeve.

Twos is free and you can use my referral code ‘codemaclife’ to sign up for 200 extra coins, which can be used to add Pro features to the mobile app. All pro features are available on desktop as standard. However, daily use of Twos will quickly earn you enough coins to unlock the pro features for free. I chose to be a Twos champion (subscription) to support the developer of the app as I want the app to continue growing.

The Twos community is supportive, especially if you are a newcomer. I believe here is where Twos really shines. I mean, it is called Twos for a reason — writing things down for personal and social things. In Twos, you have your private information. You can record what you want, and it is yours, privately. Then, there’s the other side — you can share things with others in the Twos World or with others who are not on the platform via your URL.

TickTick

I switched to TickTick to consolidate a few apps into one. Before TickTick, I was using Apple Reminders, Streaks, and Forest focus timer to do the same thing. Consolidating them all into one app that is accessible across all of my devices has been a game-changer.

I will always appreciate Apple Reminders. For anyone who exclusively within the Apple ecosystem, Apple Reminders is my recommendation. Just like Apple Calendar, the Apple Watch integration is truly spectacular!

I trialed Todoist. However, their omission of Siri-enabled Apple Watch app is what made me stop using it. I am always on the go when I am at work. Apple Reminders was easy to use with Siri. TickTick’s party trick is the ability to sync Apple Reminders with TickTick. By the time I sit down at a computer, TickTick will have my tasks available in the Inbox. Just perfect!

Currently, singular tasks go into TickTick. I track them using the focus timer, which logs how long I am spending on each category. It comes as no surprise that I am working longer on tasks for work than those set for home, fitness or blogging. The Pomodoro Timer also gets used for tasks where I have difficulty focusing on.

The habits feature integrates well. I have three areas I am focusing on right now — reading, meditation and making supplements. The timer feature is used for reading only.

Other tools have been useful to me like the Eisenhower Matrix, Kanban view, Apple Calendar integration and notes on my Apple Watch.

Again, there is a discount for those working in the education sector. Why pay full price?

Calm

I used Calm for years and decided to try Stoic as a replacement. It clearly wasn’t. I missed the calming music, guided meditations, daily reflective journal entries and breathing exercises. The breathing feature on my Apple Watch is routinely used each day.

Calm.com has all the components I would want in a meditation app. I have set a reminder in TickTick to meditate each day. However, Calm has its own notifications and streaks to keep me going back.

I access Calm to complete the daily Calm reflections and check-ins for gratitude, mood and sleep. It is a habit I hold firm to as I navigate my busy life at the moment. I find the quotes in the Calm reflections to be uplifting and thoughtful. They also link with the daily Calm meditations, which is always a nice approach.

Calm can be accessed through a web browser for when I am at work. You will find me listening to the music selection in Calm when I am sat at my desk. I am yet to try the Calm movement videos but I believe that area is on the horizon in the upcoming months.

Craft Docs

I actually get Craft Docs for free because I work in education. The app is used mostly for work, but I do access it to create whiteboard ideas and sketches. I love the look of Craft and how I can share my content with others through impressive webpages with subpages.

What makes Craft different from Twos is the ability to attach files, sketches, whiteboards, tables and code blocks. Anything that Twos can’t do, it goes into Craft Docs. I always add a little note in Twos to remind me what I have added to Craft.

At work, I create content for other staff to access. Any document can be turned into a website with a unique URL. I have a collection of projects running in Craft currently, so the new task reminders are super helpful. I try not to have my tasks scattered all over the place. However, any project in Craft will include tasks related to that project. Reminders to work on the project go into TickTick where I can track the time I am spending on each project.

Just like I do in Twos, I apply Tiago Forte’s PARA method setup, so I have a consistent setup across my folders, Twos and Craft. Life is easier when I know where to find my content.

Recently, I have started to record my blog drafts in Craft to see if it is easier to use than waiting until I am at home where I use Ulysses to write. Both apps have their pros and cons. I am undecided whether I will stick with Craft for blogging or not. The fact Craft has AI is a huge bonus. The AI grammar checker sufficiently works and the rewriting element has helped me think about my content differently.

Conclusion

I am happy with my current system and the apps I use to operate within. Going into 2025, I can’t see there will be any changes. I do miss the fun of testing out new apps. However, I realised it was purely sophisticated prostration. Now it is all about creating than setting up apps in the pretence of actually doing the work. Focus is the buzz word for 2025 and my app stack will definitely help me along the way.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my post. If there are any apps you would like me to go into deeper, I can always write about them in greater detail.