The Best Productivity Tools I’ve Tested (And Still Use)
True story: a few years ago, I spent an entire weekend testing 37 to-do list apps. Not because I needed to—my setup was fine—but because I *had to know* which one was best. Spoiler: none of them were perfect, but I walked away with a favorite (shoutout to TickTick). That weekend? It set the tone for my relationship with productivity tools: relentless, nerdy, but ultimately rewarding.
If you’re someone who’s feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just curious if you’re missing out on the next big thing, I’m here to share what I’ve learned—filtered through way too many hours of testing, spreadsheets, and caffeine.
Why You Can’t Rely on Just One Tool
Here’s the thing no one tells you: there’s no one-size-fits-all productivity tool. Your life isn’t one-size-fits-all, so why would your system be? Productivity tools are like power tools in a workshop—you need different ones for different jobs.
For example, I use:
- Notion for high-level planning and knowledge management (like my tool comparison spreadsheets).
- Todoist for daily task management because it’s fast and has killer natural language processing (“Pay rent every 1st of the month,” done).
- Clockify to track how much time I’m actually spending testing all these tools so I don’t spiral into a black hole.
Could I do all of this in one app? Maybe. Do I want to? Absolutely not. Keeping these functions separate helps me stay organized and sane.
The Tools That Have Actually Stuck (No FOMO Here)
Let me save you time by naming the tools that survived my relentless testing phase and still have a spot in my daily workflow:
1. Obsidian
Obsidian is my brain’s second home. If you’ve ever had a random idea at 2 a.m. and needed somewhere to stash it, Obsidian is a dream. It’s free, local-first, and has this magical graph view that links your notes together like a conspiracy theorist’s corkboard. I’ve logged 820 notes in Obsidian since January 2023—so yeah, I’m obsessed.
2. Toggl Track
I switched to Toggl Track after realizing I was mismanaging my time by checking emails *way too often*. Toggl gives me a guilt-free reality check. In 2024, it showed me I was spending 15 hours a week on “admin stuff” I could’ve automated. That alone was worth the switch.
3. Zapier
I know I said no buzzwords, but Zapier is pure magic. It connects all my tools so I don’t have to manually input things. For example, every time I flag an email in Gmail, Zapier creates a to-do in Todoist. I’ve automated 78 workflows through Zapier, and I’m never going back.
3 Quick Tips for Finding Your Perfect Tool
If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of options out there, here’s what I’ve learned after testing hundreds (seriously):
- Start simple: Don’t jump straight into a Swiss Army knife tool like Notion or ClickUp unless you really know what you’re doing. You’ll waste hours configuring it for no reason.
- Pick tools that play nice together: Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), and native integrations are your friends. If your entire system crumbles when one tool fails, you’re in trouble.
- Track your usage: Keep an eye on what you’re actually using. If you haven’t opened an app in a month, it’s dead weight.
FAQ
What’s the best free productivity tool?
If you’re just starting out, try Trello. It’s visual, super easy to use, and free for most features. Plus, you can customize it to fit almost any workflow.
How many tools should I use at once?
It depends on your needs, but I recommend starting with 2-3 core tools, max. Any more than that, and you risk spending more time managing tools than actually getting stuff done.
How do I know when to switch tools?
If your current tool feels like a workaround instead of a solution, it’s probably time to switch. Bonus points if switching saves you time or money.
What about you? Got a favorite tool—or a question about one? Drop me a comment or find me tweaking my spreadsheets. Always happy to nerd out!
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