I am 100% sure you don't need a reminder of how fast your life is moving. Having to balance working a 9-5, responsibilities at home, in the community, that side business, at church / other extracurricular organizations plus your personal development and self -care is a daunting task. One thing that has made this process easier for me is technology. That smartphone or tab you carry as your second shadow is only as powerful as you equip it to be. Technology literally put me back in control of my life and I’m going to explain how. There are some general apps everyone has (social media etc) however there are some essential applications that can turn your life around within a day. Let’s do this!!!

1. Drink Water Reminder N Tracker by Phoenix Games LLP

As the saying goes health is wealth. This is why I put it at the top of my list. I had such a bad water habit. I could go a whole day with only drinking 2 glasses of water. Although I did not feel any side effects from this bad habit  I decided not to wait till that happens. This app reminds me every hour to take a break and drink some water. Hopefully, it will pay off and I’ll have radiant skin in no time. I’m healthier now and that’s all that matters.

2. Daily Ab

Everyone wants that 6 Pac. Some of us enrol in the gym, some of us pray about it, only 20% of us actually work on it. With this app, you can do your ab exercises from the comfort of anywhere. You don’t need a personal trainer as the app tells you the correct form and the exercises you need. I plan to download the fitness app and the yoga app as well. You will be surprised at how having an amazing exercise habit can change and improve you lifestyle by at least  30%.

3. Do

This is literally the best to do list App you can have on your phone. You can segment it as you like, have a to-do list for work, personal, grocery list, etc. We tend to forget the important but not urgent things until they become urgent. With this app, you always have in one click the list of all your outstanding. You can also swipe it off when you have completed the task! It’s such a victorious feeling. Say goodbye to forgetfulness and procrastination (well you must really be an expert on Procrastination if you can sleep soundly with such a long to-do list waiting for your attention) ?.

4. Grammarly

It is quite embarrassing when you have to send a mail out or draft a memo and it is filled with typographical errors. Save yourself the stress and download this app today. You will be surprised how off track your English writing skills are. The only downside is it doesn’t get our jokes or our traditional names. Apart from that this app has saved me countless times. I have it on every device I use.

5. Google Docs/Sheets/Slides

Every student, professional, educated person with a smartphone that has space should have these apps on their phone. You can do literally everything!!!!!! On Google docs, you have templates for resume, letter, proposal, minutes of a meeting, privacy policy, Newsletter, Brochure, etc. Google sheets provide you templates for Invoice, Financial statements, To-do list, Pros and Cons sheet, Gantt Chart, Project Timeline, travel/wedding planner, Attendance, Assignment tracker to mention a few. Are you aware of how much time you burn developing these templates? How much time you’ll save if you use these templates to organize your life? Try it today.

6. MYLAW

This App is one of the most unique apps I have ever used. Firstly, it is not available on the App Store- it’s a Progressive Web App. Meaning it takes no space on your phone, it’s light, uses little or no data, etc. All you have to do is visit Mylaw and add to the home screen. There are so many features I love about this app. Firstly, the News Section-every day you receive notifications on the top 5 news headlines globally in short lines. Secondly, it has a Report a Complaint feature. The next time you see any illegal activity you can report a complaint anonymously, take a  picture or video instead of tagging instablog. Thirdly, the Ask Mylawyer feature where you have access to ask Lawyers questions for free. There are other nice features on the app like LERU, the job listings, access to Nigerian Laws, etc. To be a balanced individual you need to be legally secure.

7. PiggyVest/Cowrywise

You are an adult now! Nobody needs to explain to you the importance of financial literacy and responsibility. Whether or not you choose to ignore it, the reality of your finances is hard to miss.  For more information on why either or both of these apps are important, follow this link.  

8. Eventbrite

All work and no play makes Tosin what!! Literally, I don’t know why we don’t have this app on our phones. If you love events especially free ones you should have this app on your phone. That way you don’t need to worry about what to do on a Friday night or missing out on a great event. There are many more apps I use that I will mention here;

• Flo - Say goodbye to surprise periods; every lady should have this on her phone. It helps you keep track.
• Asana - Great for teams at work; assign people to tasks, track your todo’s, create various projects.
• Adobe Reader- Sign documents and form from the comfort of your phones instead of having to print, sign and scan.
• Truecaller - Helps you identify unknown numbers and calls. Also signifies numbers red flagged as Spam.
• Over - essential for every small business owner who wants to improve digital presence.

Life might come at me fast but with technology I am always one step ahead ? Remember! your device is only as powerful as you equip it to be.Task that device today! What is your favourite app and why? Best Regards, Iperugirl.