If you find yourself busy all the time, you need to reconsider why it is happening. Is it really work, an escape from things you don’t like to do, or you’re just stuck in a trap of divided attention? In other words, distraction.

Remember, every extra minute spent on a task, which should’ve already been completed long ago, is borrowed from your personal life. And it results in you working in your personal time, stressing in your office hours, and completely ruining your work-life balance.

Fortunately, the following apps can help. Let’s find out how.

1. Instapaper

If you’re scrolling through Facebook, watching funny videos on YouTube, or stalking a celebrity on Instagram, you know you’re wasting time. And when you know something, it’s easier to put a stop to it.

But what about the things that delude you into thinking that you’re working while you’re actually wasting time?

Surprised? Well, they exist.

Here’s a common example of how it happens. Let’s say, you’re researching a project on the internet and have found some fascinating information that you can use for your next assignment. Now, you know it has nothing to do with what you’re currently working on, but you just can’t stop reading it.

And that is one of the ways you waste time while working without even realizing it.

Instapaper is made just for that, with a browser extension and an app. It keeps you free from your internet distractions, by letting you save the essential data offline.

You can save articles, images, videos, or highlight the quotes you come across online using the browser extension. Later on, you can view and read the saved pages on your phone or computer whenever you have time. It helps you give undivided attention to the task at hand and finish the work on time.

Download: Instapaper for iOS | Android | Chrome (Free, in-app purchase available)

2. Timeneye

Another great tool that you must have to keep your work-life balance is a time tracking application, Timeneye. It helps you track time for almost everything you do, such as your office projects, personal hobbies, or any other activities.

Moreover, you can also sync it with the third-party apps, viz., Google calendar, Trello, Asana, etc., to keep everything in one place and avoid switching between multiple apps.

Once you’ve used it for a certain period, it starts recognizing your patterns and suggests tracking time for certain activities you do regularly. Plus, if you just want to use it for personal use, you’re in luck. It’s free for individual usage, and you only have to buy a subscription if you need it for a team.

Download: Timeneye for iOS | Android (Free, $6)

3. Focus Booster

Focus Booster app pomodoro timer

Focus Booster is a great app that works on the Pomodoro method to boost your focus and help you complete your work on time.

The Pomodoro method is an Italian technique, which puts a 25-minute timer, called a Pomodoro, on your work. Each Pomodoro is separated by a 5-minute break. And once you’ve completed four Pomodoro, you can take a 20-minute break.

To make the most of this technique, you have to estimate how many Pomodoro you’ll need to complete your work, for instance, 6 Pomodoro or three hours approx., and get started.

When you begin your work using Focus Booster, it only stops the timer for 5 minutes break as per the method. It motivates you to focus on your work only and keeps you from distractions.

Download: Focus Booster for Mac | Windows (Free, $2.99/mo)

4. Nike Training Club

Increased energy helps you boost productivity and reduce stress. And working out in the morning is a perfect way to prepare you for the day with full energy.

An astounding app like Nike Training Club can be a great addition to your work-life balance tools. It provides you with on-demand workout sessions instead of regular exercises.

To get started, just select the type of fitness you want, viz., focus, tone, strength, or lean, and the difficulty level, i.e., beginner, intermediate, or advanced. And the app will give you a customized four-week exercise program. The step-by-step process with images, videos, and a narrator ensures a better experience.

Plus, you get rewards every month for finishing a routine. The workout is good for your daily work productivity and your health. Moreover, it’s a better use of your personal time.

Download: Nike Training Club for iOS | Android (Free)

5. Splashtop Remote Desktop

Splashtop Remote Desktop helps you operate your computer from anywhere and use your time better. You can use PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Keynote, and other applications with this app without staying glued to your office desk.

Related: Ways to Open the Remote Desktop Connection Tool in Windows 11

For instance, if you have an important appointment, and you need to leave your desk during office hours, you can use the wait time to work on your project remotely. Thus, it’ll keep you from staying in the office late to complete the task you had to finish that day.

To get started, just install the app, follow the steps it shows, and start accessing your PC or Mac remotely. If you have this app on your phone, you can also take care of the small tasks in your daily commute.

Download: Splashtop Remote Desktop for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. Cozi Family Organizer

Another mind-blowing app to keep your work-life balance intact is Cozy Family Organizer. It helps you manage the schedules, appointments, and other activities with your family members. All you have to do is sync the app with your calendar and add reminders.

Once you’re done, you’ll remember every little detail for the people you care about when it’s needed. Henceforth, you’ll never miss attending your kid’s parent-teacher meeting or their big event, visiting your sister, or going to a family dinner.

You can also use it to set and share a daily or weekly agenda of the things you want to do with your family, with time and date. Plus, it allows you to share the grocery shopping list and even organize recipes with ingredients needed for the meal you’re cooking for the day.

With this app, you can quit stressing about anything you might be forgetting and to whom or what it was related. Everything will be at your fingertips.

Download: Cozi Family Organizer for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

7. Sort My Box

Sort my box home page for login

The last tool on the list is Sort My Box. It helps you declutter your files and organize them for easy and quick access by adding various rules to different folders.

These folders stay on your cloud, and whenever you save new files, including photos, videos, and documents, they’re automatically saved to the new locations as per your rules.

The tool checks for new files and carries out the procedure of moving new entries to the intended folders every 15 minutes. Additionally, it keeps track of every move it makes so that you know which file went in what folder.

Maintain Your Work-Life Balance Like a Pro

Despite how much workload or responsibilities you have, keeping your sane is essential to manage everything properly. And that’s why your personal and professional lives should never mix up, putting your mental stability in jeopardy.

Let the tools we discussed in the article help you improve your work-life balance and keep it all sorted.