Top Productivity Apps for Remote Work

At one point in my life, I was done with getting up early for work, driving to the office through the usual highway traffic, and then returning home at the end of the day, completely exhausted. I envied my friends who got to work remotely full-time.

When I finally landed a job I could do from home, I was psyched…until I realized it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. I thought working remotely would boost my morale and leave more time for myself, but the reality was very different. My productivity hit rock bottom and I felt like my mind was all over the place.

Don’t get me wrong; having the freedom to work from home or while you’re on the go is great, but it requires an active mindset. You could certainly use some digital tools to sort out the mess called life and get stuff done.

Top 10 Productivity Apps for Remote Work

Productivity apps are designed to simplify, streamline, and speed up your day-to-day tasks. They also help organize your routine, stay motivated, and improve communication with your teammates.

These productivity apps for remote work have been life-changing for me, and I’m sure they’ll be just as useful to you:

1. Habitica

Mobile game addiction is no joke! The opportunity to play a significant role in an artificial universe alongside the clever reward system is hard to resist. Wouldn’t it be awesome if real life worked the same way? Say no more because you can actually have that with Habitica!

This app presents your life as a video game, so the items on your daily to-do lists turn into tasks you have to complete in order to progress. If you err or fall behind in real life, your character in the game faces the consequences.

In summary, Habitica makes your work routine more fun and satisfying. It has helped me minimize procrastination, feel more accountable for work-related tasks, and bring out my competitiveness.

2. Todoist

Most days we’re juggling about 99 chores while balancing work and personal life. It’s totally understandable if a few things on the agenda escape your mind. However, the consequences of missing a deadline or forgetting something important can be awful.

When you’ve got a lot to do, you better jot it down instead of relying on your already overloaded memory. You can do it the traditional way with a physical pen and paper, but using a digital app is just handier and eco-friendly.

Todoist is my favorite app for making to-do lists because it has an incredibly user-friendly interface, and is compatible with all my mobile devices. You can create, organize, and manage tasks easily in one place as well as apply labels to prioritize the most important ones. 

3. Workfrom

Freelancers and remote employees, who rarely stay in one place for long, often need to find a decent public space to work. Finding a quiet and comfortable work-friendly spot with reliable Wi-Fi has made me go around in circles more times than I’d like to admit.

Working while traveling has been a breeze since I discovered Workform. Recommendations on this app are driven by an expansive community of remote workers like you, so you’ll never be let down by the ambiance.  

You can compare and judge listed venues by their “workability score”. Might I add, don’t shy away from sharing some good finds of your own because it’s always nice to give back to your community.

4. Remember the Milk

My best friend calls me scatterbrained. I believe I tend to overlook a couple of errands because my hands are always full. Basic phone reminders and sticky notes didn’t work for me, so I started looking into effective work management apps.

“Remember the Milk” caught my attention for obvious reasons. It’s a bizarre yet crafty name for a productivity app, so how could I pass on it? This app played the role of my savior for years, and I conclude that it’s ideal for beginners in the remote work scene.

The app is great for third-party integration, works offline, and seamlessly syncs with all devices. The free version has reasonable features, but you can upgrade to the paid version later if you want more from the app.

5. Asana

I’ve tried several apps for project management, and Asana has proven to be the best so far. It’s an expedient tool for teamwork, especially when team members are working remotely at different locations.

You can keep it simple with to-do lists and timelines for different teammates, or add a Kanban board to optimize workflow. As a team manager, you can set up custom dashboards, track milestones, and view your team’s progress from multiple perspectives.

If you’re working with a small remote team, the free version supporting up to 10 members will do. You may sign up with a premium version for elaborate projects and more flexibility to take new people on board.

6. Brain.fm

I am the kind of person who gets anxious when it’s too quiet, and I get distracted by the merest of sounds in my surroundings. Previously, I’d take out my headphones and put on my favorite playlist to block out white noise, but most days I’d get lost in the lyrics.

One day I found out that some smart people out there make music that helps you concentrate on work, and naturally, I was hooked. Brain.fm uses a short quiz to understand how your mind works and designs music accordingly.

What I like about the music from this app is that it doesn’t distract me from my work, and at the same time, it prevents me from feeling jaded.

7. Gather

Do you miss going to work at an office sometimes? Socializing with coworkers, taking coffee breaks to spill the tea, or just making small talk to keep up with each other’s lives? You can still keep in touch with your colleagues through text, voice, and video calls, but it’s not the same.

Are you a fan of virtual reality too by any chance? If yes, you will surely enjoy living in a virtual workspace built using Gather. Here you can replicate the kind of office environment you fancy and interact with coworkers as you did in person.

You get to roam around different parts of the virtual office, visit colleagues at their workstations, personalize your own space, and even bring in a virtual pet.

8. Toggl

Time-tracking tools are either a hit or a miss, and Toggl definitely falls into the former category. I used to think that time-trackers were designed to be too rigid, and even unfair for the average remote worker. However, this one is as flexible as it gets, and I can integrate it with Asana, which is a plus.

What makes Toggl stand out among other time-tracking apps you ask? Well, for starters, it incorporates the Pomodoro Technique. This means the app encourages regular breaks or intervals, so team members don’t overwork or exhaust themselves.

Sound mental health is integral to being productive, which is why time-tracker tools that make one feel pressured to meet deadlines are no good.

9. Rescue Time

Have you experienced days that just begin and end spontaneously? You’re left thinking about where the time went. You barely left your home office or workstation, so why is more than half of the stuff on your to-do list still pending?

How did sunrise turn into sunset so quickly? You may not have a time machine to go back in time and sort things out, but you can be more mindful of your actions in the future with Rescue Time. Once you learn to manage your time, your productivity will soar.

When we’re working on a computer, our attention is frequently diverted by social media notifications, text messages, and various mobile apps for entertainment. This app helps us identify our distractions and understand how much time we’re losing on them.

10. Freedom

We all need some tough love from time to time, and luckily, we live in an era where we can get it from technology. One of the biggest problems faced by all generations of our time is excessive screen time. The doom-scrolling we engage in every single day is toxic to our productivity.

When the deadline for a project is at my doorstep, I tune into this app called Freedom. Contrary to the name (brilliantly ironic), it can put you in a temporary jail so you can’t access your regular distractions.

You can set the time frame for keeping distractions at bay, and then there’s no turning back. The time you’re locked out of your favorite social apps and websites can be dedicated to your work. Sounds daunting? Take that as proof of its effectiveness.

Final Thoughts

Remote workers from a variety of industries and professions share the same kind of challenges. If you’ve always worked in a traditional office space before, getting the hang of working from home or on the go will take some time.

Hopefully, the discussed digital apps will help you improve your productivity; not to mention, there are many more to explore. That being said, a lack of productivity often results from a poor remote work setup.

For example, a slow internet connection or outdated computer system may become a hindrance to timely project completion. In this case, you should switch to a reliable internet connection or invest in better hardware.