The best time management apps every uni student needs

Time is everything. It’s our most precious resource. Yet it’s so easy to waste!

If you wanna:

• Manage your time better
• Stop procrastinating
• Do things quicker and have more time for fun

Then this is the guide for you!

Check out our top picks for time management apps that’ll help you get stuff done.

Trello

Like to see things laid out visually and aesthetically? Trello is your go-to. You can organise all your projects into customised boards with info like task briefs, due dates and relevant files.

You can also create separate lists for tasks you’re doing now, tasks due later and tasks you’ve completed – so you always have a good picture of your workload. On top of that, you can invite others to collaborate on boards with you, making this one of the best productivity apps for group assignments.

Trello’s free plan includes up to 10 boards per Workspace and unlimited storage—perf!

Todoist

Todoist is basically your ultimate digital to-do list. Its clean, simple design makes it a cinch to track all your tasks in one place and organise them by project or subject. You can also add details like priority levels, due dates and reminders, so you don’t have to stress about remembering deadlines.

This app syncs across all your devices, which makes it easy to keep an eye on your tasks via your laptop, mobile or anywhere else. The free plan of this time management software also includes plenty of essential features – great for students on a budget.

Remember the Milk

Remember the Milk’s pitch is straightforward: “Get to-dos out of your head, and let the app remember for you.” Sounds pretty good, right? This tool is essentially a pared-down version of day planner apps like Trello and Todoist. So if you want something simple that helps you stay on top of all those little tasks throughout the day, this could be the one for you.

Remember the Milk syncs across all your devices and can send you reminders via email, text, mobile notifications, IM and even X (aka Twitter). The basic version is free to use, with the option to upgrade to a Pro account for USD$49.99/year if you want extra features.

Forest

Struggling to concentrate? Forest has you covered. This unique productivity timer app helps you stay on task and manage your time better. Whenever you need to get something done, you plant a virtual tree that keeps growing while you work. If you get distracted and leave the app, your tree will die. It’s a fun way to challenge your productivity and grow a lush digital garden while you’re at it.

As a bonus, Forest partners with a tree-planting organisation, Trees for the Future. When you earn virtual coins for staying focused, you can donate them to plant real trees and do your bit for the environment.

Evernote

Evernote helps you to take your organisational skills to the next level with notes, to-do checklists and reminders all in one place. You can make notes using text, photos, audio and videos, as well as attach Microsoft Office documents and PDFs. You can also categorise your notes with tags, so it’s quick and easy to find what you need. Everything is stored in a virtual ‘notebook’, with up to 50 notes included in the app’s free plan.

RescueTime

If you’re stuck in the cycle of procrastination or pointless screen time, RescueTime can help you get back more minutes in your day. The app’s task timer works in the background of your device to monitor your usage of apps and websites. It then shows you where you’re actually spending most of your time and offers guidance to get you back on track. For example, the RescueTime Assistant can notify you when you're distracted or multitasking more than usual.

The app includes a free 14-day trial so you can see if it’s right for you, with paid plans starting at USD$6.50/month.

Pomodoro - Focus Timer

This focus timer app is based on the Pomodoro Technique, where you break up big tasks into smaller 25-minute chunks called ‘pomodoros’. After each ‘pomodoro’ you get a five-min break. After four pomodoros, you can reward yourself with a longer break to give your brain a chance to reset. The idea is that this work-break pattern helps you maintain focus on one task and avoid getting distracted.

Pomodoro - Focus Timer is free to use. There are also loads of similar apps out there, so have a play with the different variations to see what you like.

Image source: Gettyimages.co.uk