Opting for existing solutions to everyday hustle rather than going the first principles. Memories of my teenage years are locked firmly in the archives of the 90s- I will not even begin to relieve the nostalgic moments of decades ago, but sometimes I wonder if these apps were there at the time, how different that generation would have become. Yes probably less emphatic and emotional but certainly more nimble and agile than our lot currently are.

It’s never too late (in our journey through life) to enjoy the proceeds of human technological advancement especially in developing apps that make life easier.

I know we all have special apps on our phones and there isn’t any big deal in whatever we have installed for as long as they solve a specific problem for us. However, some of these apps may turn out to be weird(especially if it is at variance with your lifestyle) but somewhat useful. So I thought to share mine.

Here we go;

Relaxio– Are you struggling to get some sleep at night or perhaps even putting your kids to bed? Or do you get to a point where you would rather blank out every other noise for bland white noise allowing you to meditate or even work better?

Relaxio is a sound generation app with a bunch of other sound effects. It has defined sounds or noise that you can play at any time to create a unique atmosphere wherever you wish.

For instance, you can select the sound of rain pelting the pavement or the sound of a running stream or even burning wood in a fireplace, you can even mix the sounds and it can be timed so you don’t have to listen to it end on end. I have since found that the sound of running stream genuinely relaxes me.

Trello -This is an excellent productivity app for teams. I work with a diverse set of engineering professionals in Projects and operations where issues crop up every day by the dozens, and unless I lay claim to some superpowers, it would be a struggle keeping up with the pressure. Trello allows me to properly organize task, assign due dates, post updates on the go and get instant updates on the assigned task. It is easy on the eye and relatively straightforward to use,

For those in project management, you will find this tool very useful and productive.

Grammarly – If you are as fixated with writing correct and appropriate grammar whenever you communicate on social media or any other platform, then you will most likely love to have this app. 

It was a tough decision replacing swift keyboard with Grammarly, but it turns out that Grammarly combines the swiping of letters rather than the traditional typing with checking and correcting wrong grammar as you type. It gives suggestions for words spelt wrongly or used inappropriately. It simply makes my life easier.

Shazam – is one of the world’s most popular apps, it is a music app that lets you discover new songs everywhere you go. Growing up in the 90s and listening to music on the radio, there was often this challenge of identifying songs after they had just been played. You either have to wait until the OAP credits the artist for the song after a long line of commercials or you ask anyone who, by the stroke of luck listened to the radio that same moment if the artist or song title was mentioned before the song even played. 

This app solves that problem. With just a click and within seconds the song is identified and the artist name displayed. Improvements lately also shows you the videos of the artist and other information relevant to the shazamed song.

I still listen to songs on the radio, and I like to switch radio stations at will, now I don’t have to wait until the song has ended. I just shazam it and move on!

Rescue Time – is a productivity app, it literally tracks the way you use your time on your phone or any device you want it to run on. It displays reports in graphical form showing you what takes your time on your devices. At least now you would know that 60% of your time is spent checking out other peoples life on facebook or Instagram. Interestingly, you can set focus time; so that after spending more than one hour on distracting time during work hours, the app can block all websites and apps you consider distracting. 

You will find this app useful if you want to become more productive in your endeavours.

Edx – is a non-profit organisation which provides massive open online course for the public. This platform was launched by MIT and Harvard University in May 2012. Edx courses provide education in various fields and you can even have a masters degree in a few streams.

Edx courses are free to audit and you can also have a certificate after the successful completion of the course. Price of certificates depends on the courses. Contents are easy to understand; The tests and assignments boost your confidence by validating your learning. The teachers on Edx are from the best universities in the world, so there is no doubt that you will be on the right learning curve.

I strongly recommend edx for anyone who is desirous of learning on the go. The content is massive and the quality of learning is deliberately self-paced and at your convenience.

Eventbrite – For very outgoing people with keen interest in showing up at the right events for the right purpose then you will fancy this app. It allows you to be up to date with events ranging from music shows, food & drink events, parties, festivals, arts and entertainment, business, fashion , cultural and a host of other categories. It provides a varying list of events with tickets allowing you to book and confirm your attendance. When you feel like a free weekend, and you want to make yourself more useful, Eventbrite would fill in the gaps.

I have found this app useful for stage plays, drama and business conferences of interest. I have no doubt you would find it useful too.