The average workweek in the U.S. is almost eight hours longer than those in the rest of the world. One Harvard Business School study showed 94 percent of subjects worked over 50 hours per week, and of that group, nearly half worked over 65 hours per week.
What’s worse—in the digital age leisure is often interrupted by non-stop connectivity to work.
But don’t throw out your tech just yet. Useful mobile apps and software can help free up time to do more of what you love—as long as you resist the paradox of productivity and don’t fill up your free time with even more work!
Toggl helps you track both personal and billable time. Tell the app what you’re doing, start the timer, then stop it when you’re done with your task. Create a chart of what’s consuming your time, then make a plan to delegate and eliminate. Free for iPhones and Android mobile devices, and Windows and Mac computers.*
RescueTime runs in the background of your computer or mobile device, tracking the minutes you spend on sites or applications. This is especially useful for those who suspect email distractions! The premium version ($9 per month) also blocks user-defined websites after a set time. For Android mobile devices, and Windows and Mac computers.*
My Minutes helps you focus on goal setting. Simply set the amount of time you want to put into a task, set the days on which your task repeats and start. When you hit a goal (or you’re close to exceeding it) you’ll get a notification. For iPhones only.*
*Availability at time of writing.
Sources: Fast Company, 99U.com