My 5 Favourite iOS Productivity Apps
For better or worse I can run my business from almost anywhere. Ideally I’m doing this from my desk with a proper keyboard and a 27" screen, but that’s not how real life plays out. A lot of times, I need to get work done while I’m out running errands or waiting in a doctor’s office. In those cases, I have to make the most of what’s available to me.
I’m very guilty of trying out the latest and greatest apps. My home screen is constantly changing as I try to find the “perfect” setup. Despite all the chaos, there are a few that really stand out as favourites. In no particular order, here are 5 iOS apps that help me stay productive while I’m away from my office.
Drafts 4: This is where most of the text I create begins. Think of Drafts like a super powered scratch pad. Text can be sent out to apps like Twitter or Facebook, or appended to a running list in Dropbox or Evernote.
Workflow: Workflow brings automation to iOS with a very easy to learn interface. The workflows you create (download a file from mobile Safari, shorten URL, cross post to multiple sites, etc.) can be saved to the Home Screen, so they become these great single-use apps that would normally take several steps.
Dispatch: When I just need to scan email and reply to one or two messages, the default mail app is great. If I really want to get a lot done though, I use Dispatch. Dispatch adds a lot of extra options to processing email. I can send emails directly to OmniFocus, turn them into PDF’s, or unsubscribe to newsletters.
OmniFocus 2 for iPad: If you need an app to keep a grocery list, or track one or two projects, OmniFocus is overkill. It’s pricey, it’s has a lot of features to learn, but if you manage a lot of clients and want to use a powerful task management app, I think this is the best one out there.
1Password: This is the easiest one to justify. If you want to be safe online, you can’t use the same password for each site. Instead of trying to remember them all, or writing them down, using a password manager is an amazing way to keep yourself safe. You remember 1 password (see what they did there?) and let 1Password create complex passwords for each of your sites. Having the mobile app means I can safely login to all my sites on the go.
Honourable mention: Mobile banking
This isn’t one specific app so it doesn’t officially make the list, but it’s important enough to mention none the less. I think it’s safe to say that the various bank apps I use each day make the top 5 most used apps on my phone. I am constantly checking balances, making transfers, paying bills, and verifying deposits. I’m pretty sure I do more banking on my phone than anywhere else, and that ability has been a huge boost to my productivity.
