Five Productivity Apps to Kick-Start the New Year

Apps can play a pivotal role in helping to reach new goals, form habits, or simply improve personal productivity – here's five you should consider adopting going into 2024.

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Each app we've chosen for this list has a unique ability to aid Apple device users in various aspects of personal and professional development. From sophisticated task management to habit formation, these apps offer a wide range of functionalities tailored to meet the diverse needs of users seeking to make the most out of the upcoming year.

  • Things 3 ($9.99 for iPhone and Apple Watch, $19.99 for iPad, and $49.99 for Mac): Things 3 is a popular task manager designed for Apple devices, offering a more robust feature set compared to Apple's default Reminders app. It stands out for its elegant and user-friendly interface and powerful features like project planning, deadlines, Markdown support, and more. These capabilities make it an outstanding tool for anyone looking to bring more structure to the tasks in their personal and professional life at the start of the new year.
  • Obsidian (free): Obsidian is a versatile Markdown note-taking application that surpasses the capabilities of Apple Notes with its distinctive approach to personal knowledge management and plug-ins. Unlike most note-taking apps, Obsidian specializes in linking thoughts and ideas through a network of interconnected notes, creating a personal knowledge base that grows and evolves over time. Obsidian's ability to map out and visually connect goals, plans, and ideas could be incredibly valuable going into the new year.
  • Streaks ($4.99): Streaks is a habit-forming app designed to help users establish and maintain good habits by leveraging the psychological power of "streaks" or consecutive days of completing a specific task. What sets Streaks apart is its focus on consistency and incremental progress, encouraging users to build small, daily habits of their choosing that lead to significant long-term changes in behavior – perfect for sticking to those tricky New Year's resolutions.
  • Fantastical (free, "Premium" subscription available): Fantastical is a calendar application known for its superior functionality and user-friendly interface, distinguishing it from the default Calendar app. It offers a range of features that enhance scheduling and time management, such as natural language parsing and a highly customizable view that integrates tasks and reminders alongside calendar events. This makes Fantastical a perfect tool for anyone seeking to start the new year with better time management.
  • ChatGPT (free, "Plus" subscription available): ChatGPT is a conversational AI tool that offers users an interactive platform for various tasks and queries. It can provide assistance across a wide range of areas, such as generating creative ideas, offering productivity tips, helping with language learning, or even providing motivation and mental wellness advice. ChatGPT's capacity to provide instant, informed responses on a diverse range of topics makes it an excellent tool for anyone seeking a reliable and intelligent digital assistant to enhance their daily productivity or learning.

Are there any other productivity apps that you'd recommend to start the new year? Let us know in the comments.

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Top Rated Comments

m53rd Avatar
15 months ago

ChatGPT's capacity to provide instant, informed responses on a diverse range of topics makes it an excellent tool for anyone seeking a reliable and intelligent digital assistant to enhance their daily productivity or learning
That’s an interesting way to spell “hit-or-miss.”
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Artemis70 Avatar
15 months ago
I used to have Fantastical, until they moved all of the most interesting features to the premium subscription. I have no problem paying for premium, and do for many apps. But the price for the Fantastical premium subscription was too high (for me) given the benefits.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zest28 Avatar
15 months ago
Am I the only one that uses the Apple Reminders and Apple Calendars? I used Fantastical in the past, but they turned into a subscription based app despite having paid for the full version already. I don't trust 3rd party apps anymore.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3xBoom Avatar
15 months ago

The article really shouldn't claim that ChatGPT is reliable.
ChatGPT wrote it most likely, after all...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
15 months ago
I really miss the Fantastical calendar on my phone and watch. Ever since their debacle with moving to sub, I stopped using them.

Streaks is simlple but works. I don't care for their orange layout.

MR, you should have mentioned Calendar 366. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/calendar-366-events-tasks/id1265892516
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shasterball Avatar
15 months ago
The article really shouldn't claim that ChatGPT is reliable.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)