So, there’s this pretty cool thing that happens after every 12 months where a new year comes about (HINT: it starts the day after December 31).

To us, this time of transition from old to new is nothing short of exciting!

Why?

Well, because what also happens in the weeks leading up to the new year is that many of us are scrambling to make (and mentally commit to) new year’s resolutions — you know, that stock of personal pledges that are supposed to mold us into even more awesome people than we were the year before.

Stuff like this:

• Make new friends
• Volunteer regularly
• Exercise more
• Answer more calls from in-laws
• Learn a new skill
• Eat better
• Save more money
• Floss more

…and all the other sound-goods. Yay.

In any case, unlike years past, this new year we have the pleasure of meeting 2019!

Needless to say, we’ve already heard a ton of amazing things about it – from new tech predictions to projected economic growth and everything in between!

But, there’s more! To add to all the hype and excitement, we’re making our own declaration for the new year: 2019 will be the year for focus!

We’re talking head-down, tunnel-vision, full-proof, hardcore focus.

Yep, we’re claiming it.

If you’re also claiming full-on focus in 2019, then allow us to make sure you have the tools you need to hone in and get stuff done.

Here are our picks of the best apps and tips to help you make 2019 your year of productivity.

9 Top Productivity Tips and Apps for Focus

It’s safe to say that most of us have at least one 2019 aspiration on the list that calls for us to be more productive and in sync with our time and workload.

If you’re one of those folks, you’re part of the cool crowd, and you’re going to appreciate the tips and apps below.

APP: Grammarly

Okay, so you’ve mastered the difference between they’re, there, and their…congrats.

Now, in the true fashion of focus, the next step is to adopt tools and strategies that save you time when you’re writing whatever to whomever.

Grammarly is one of those tools. Most of us find ourselves typing something every single (work) day, which means that saving time will depend on getting it right the first time.

With Grammarly, you’ll be leaving all the misspellings, out-of-place punctuation, and incorrect homophones behind in 2018.

What’s even better is that Grammarly recently released support for Google Docs and the Grammarly Editor, the official dashboard for everything Grammarly. With the Editor, you’re able to do stuff like upload documents, make corrections, and manage your account and subscription from the comfort of any device.

APP: Monday.com

Luckily, there’s a difference between Monday and Monday.com.

The latter is not a day of the week, but it is an app that helps your team collaborate and focus efforts every day of the week.

Monday.com – or Monday for short – is one of those apps that just makes sense.

Need to plan your workweek visually? Do it on Monday.

Want to manage your HR from a central dashboard? Do it on Monday.

Need a run more collaborative onboarding process? Do it on Monday.

Unlike its less popular name-twin, this Monday will make you feel good about working and even better about being productive.

TIP: Say “NO!”

It sounds harsh, we know.

But, believe us when we tell you that the wound from saying ‘No’ heals much quicker than the one from overcommitting yourself.

To focus in 2019, you’ll have to add ‘No’ (back) into your vocabulary – at least to some extent.

You see, ‘No’ is one of the most underutilized guardians of productivity. It comes with a sting, but the reward is that your high-priority commitments get all the attention they deserve from you–leaving little room for you to fall behind, get off track, or lose focus.

APP: Trello

Aahhh, Trello.

There’s rarely ever an unproductive moment when Trello is involved.

The combination of team collaboration, project management, and real-time updates keeps Trello ahead of the game when it comes to a focus-first tool for every team and any project.

APP: Evernote

Being organized is great for productivity, but being in sync is even better.

There are a lot of apps and tools that promise complete synchronization across teams, tasks, and time, but few deliver like Evernote.

If two (or more) things working in sync is vital to your focus, then there’s no way you’ll make it through 2019 without this one.

TIP: Keep your productivity apps and tools in one space

There’s this saying that goes, “For ultimate focus, keep your most used apps and tools in one central space.”

Okay, so that isn’t a saying per se, but it should be!

When it comes to the focus factor we’re planning to inject into 2019, this tip will take you a long way.

If you recall in our article about top apps for maximizing focus, we talked about the undeniable logic of having all your most used apps and tools connected to your Shift dashboard to optimize productivity. This will save you so much time by eliminating repeated log-ins, tab switching, and forgotten passwords.

APP: Airtable

Admit it; focus is so much easier to achieve when spreadsheets and databases combine.

…too technical?

What this translates to is organization. Imagine this: your team’s workload organized in a way that makes sense for everyone’s time, input, and collaboration.

If that scenario doesn’t scream focus, we don’t know what does.

It’s all-in-one, it’s awesome, it’s Airtable.

APP: Spotify

Ask us, and we’ll tell you that a playlist a day keeps you fueled and focused.

With its ability to get the blood flowing and motivate us to get stuff done, music can’t be left off the list of must-haves for optimizing focus in 2019.

Luckily for you, with the Spotify app connected to your Shift dashboard, you’ll have all your productivity jams right at your fingertips.

APP: Expensify

Everything is an expense, including time.

But with Expensify in your app toolbelt, all expenses can be tracked, monitored, and automated with the click of a button.

Remember the days of manual expense tracking? Expensify eliminates that for good, leaving more time to do what? …focus!

Keep Afloat by Focusing More in 2019

The pressure is on! 2019 is a blink and two checks on the to-do list away, and it’s time prioritize and optimize your workflow for maximum productivity and focus.

Trust us when we say that focus will be a key ingredient in a successful 2019!