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As a student, I firmly stand by two beliefs: time is money, and working smarter beats working harder every single time. To actually live by these principles, though, you need the right tools to manage your time efficiently. So, here are five tools that have never let me down when it comes to time management.
1Google Calendar
It’s simple—you get 24 hours a day. That’s 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. While that might seem like a lot at first, I’m not exaggerating when I say time flies, especially when you pick up your phone for a quick break. That’s why there’s simply no better way to regain control of your time and make the most of every minute by using a calendar app.
While there are plenty ofcalendar apps for Androidand iOS devices out there, Google Calendar has been my companion for years. Since I use Google’s collaboration tools like Gmail, Google Docs, Google Keep, and more, using Google Calendar to organize my schedule was a no-brainer, as it’d automatically sync with everything else I use.
Navigating Google Calendar is as simple as it gets. You can choose from five views on the app:Schedule,Day,3 Day,Week, andMonth. Before each semester begins, I add all the important dates, like assignment deadlines, midterms, and finals, to my calendar, so I can easily reference them later. Since Iprefer weekly planning over daily schedules, I make it a habit to map out all my tasks and deadlines at the beginning of the week.
I also rely heavily on Google Calendar for time-blocking study sessions. The best part? It integrates seamlessly with a variety of third-party apps, includingAI-assisted scheduling tools like Reclaim, which automatically schedules tasks for me by finding free slots in my day.
Download:Google Calendar foriOS|Android(Free)
While Google Calendar undoubtedly helps you organize your schedule and manage your time efficiently, all that planning goes out the window if you pick up your phone every time you get a notification. Sometimes you need something more fun and rewarding to stay motivated. That’s where Flora comes in.
Flora turns focus sessions into a game by letting you plant a seed every time you need to concentrate on a task. If you stay focused and don’t leave the app during your session, the seed grows into a full-fledged tree. If you give in to distractions, your tree dies. While it might sound a bit silly, it’s surprisingly effective.
Flora even lets you choose the type of tree you want to plant. When you first download the app, you start with just one tree, but as you complete focus sessions, you unlock new ones. Over time, you’ll see your progress displayed as a vibrant, growing garden, which is oddly satisfying to look at.
If you have friends who also struggle to focus, Flora has a collaborative feature that lets you join focus sessions together. Having friends on the app can be an even bigger motivator than the tree itself—anytime you plant or kill a tree, they get notified. I mean, you wouldn’t want your friends to know you could’t focus and killed a tree, right?
Flora also tracks your daily, weekly, and monthly stats. If you check a friend’s profile, you can see how many hours they’ve focused that week, which often guilts me into a study session! If planting a virtual tree isn’t enough to keep you on track, Flora has partnered with reforestation organizations in East Asia and Africa to launch a feature called Flora Care.
Here’s how it works: before starting a focus session, you set a price between $5 and $100. If you fail your session, that amount is deducted from your payment method and goes toward planting a real tree!
Download: Flora foriOS| Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
3OffScreen
While Flora provides an interactive way to focus on tasks, planting a virtual tree or even using Flora Care is not always enough. I’d still catch myself killing trees just to use apps on my phone. In those moments, I turn to adedicated app blocker. My personal favorite is OffScreen, which I’ve been using for around four years now.
When you first install OffScreen, you’ll be prompted to set a screen time goal. The app will then send you notifications when you exceed your screen time or the number of phone pickups you set, and it’ll also give you daily insights into your usage.
Unfortunately, many of the advanced stats, like how much time you spent on your phone while walking or stationary, are locked behind the premium version. However, I think the free version’s stats, like average usage and pickups, are more than enough.
The main reason I’ve stuck with OffScreen for so long is its OFF Time feature. This lets you schedule specific times to block certain categories of apps, like Social, Games, Entertainment, and Creativity. You can even block all apps at once if you need a complete break.
Since the app lets you choose the time and days for your OFF time, I’ve set it up for after-college hours on weekdays, which helps me get through intense study sessions without getting distracted. The app also doubles as a Focus tool, offering two modes:PomodoroandCountdown. You can even tag focus sessions, which is what I do to track the time I spend on specific tasks.
Download: OffScreen foriOS|Android(Free, in-app purchases available)
4Google Tasks
While you could schedule all the study sessions and block every app from your phone, you still need a clear direction, something to guide you on what you need to do next and direct your time and energy towards it. The best way to create a clear plan is by jotting down a detailed to-do list.
Since I already rely heavily on Google Calendar, Iuse Google Tasks to keep my life organized. The app not only has a minimalist interface, but it also includes all the features you need to manage your tasks.
It lets you separate your tasks into different lists to stay organized. For example, I have three lists:Work,Education, andPersonal Life. If you set a due date for a task, you’ll not only get a notification when it’s due, but it will also automatically show up on that day in your Google Calendar.
You can also add tasks directly from Google Calendar’sTasktab or glance at your to-do list and add new tasks without leaving the calendar. The seamless syncing between the two is perfect for someone like me who’s constantly checking Google Calendar!
Download: Google Tasks foriOS|Android(Free)
Unlike what many top students say, I’ve never believed you need to study for hours every day to get top grades. It’s all about how well you manage your time, and the four apps I’ve mentioned above have been essential for me in making that happen.
