5 Apps I Can’t Live Without

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A few months ago I confessed I was a recovering perfectionist. While I’m less obsessed with being busy, I still prioritize efficiency and maximizing my time, so I’m able to be confident in the boundaries I set for myself between work and play. Here are five apps I use to keep me focused, organized and on the top of my game.

The best part? They’re all free, bishes!

Evernote

I went paperless about a year ago ditching my physical notebooks and planners in favor of digital tools. While I wish I could say my motive was to reduce my carbon footprint, but really, my work bag was getting too heavy, and I needed to amalgamate. I rely on Evernote to keep tabs on my projects, my professional to-do’s, and every list I could ever dream of making. The Evernote app on my computer syncs with the app on my phone and updates in real time. I genuinely miss crossing items off, but the bullet/check mark functionality makes a close alternative.

My Fitness Pal

Before my pregnancy, I tracked my calories and macros daily for close to 5-ish years. Notice my word choice: tracked not counted. Unless I’m preparing for a shoot, a special occasion, or another short-term milestone I never count. I track calories to be mindful of my intake and to monitor the nutrition I’m putting into my body. I’m at the point now where I can pretty much eyeball a serving of food and have a general idea of the associated caloric value. What I’m more interested in are the macros. I’ve followed a high fat, low carbohydrate diet for a few years and those metrics are a bit harder to guess. I use the general macro counter, but there is a premium upgrade you can buy for more detailed data.

Water Alert

Even though I’m so active, I’m not the best when it comes to hydration. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew my habits would need to change, and hydration would need to be a priority. This app allows you to set alarms to remind you to sip, pour, or refill to meet your daily hydration goals.

Note: In pregnancy, the hormone that your body releases when you’re dehydrated is similar to that of labor and can cause pre=term contractions! A pregnant woman (pending her height and weight) should have AT LEAST 96 ounces of water daily. If you’re breastfeeding, you’ll need even more than that.

Cheers!

The Meditation Podcast

My husband and I have developed a nighttime routine that I’ve come to appreciate significantly. We turn off all screens at 10 PM, get ready for bed together and are lights out by 10:30 PM. He travels on a near-weekly basis, and when he does that nighttime routine goes by the wayside. I stay up too late, my computer blazes for hours on end and I can’t seem to relax or unwind. This podcast is something I use to help me quiet my mind and subsequently sleep like a rock.

Unroll Me

I’m saving the best for last because this app will seriously TRANSFORM your inbox. Unroll Me gives you a list of ALL the emails you’re subscribed to and lets you unsubscribe in one swift click. With less shit flooding my inbox I’m less distracted by click bait, retail sales I DON’T need to be perusing, and newsletters that are no longer relevant to my lifestyle.

As if it couldn’t get any better, you can consolidate the emails you do want to receive into a “roll-up” that hits your inbox ONCE. It’s like digital minimalism perfection.

To unlock all the features there is one catch, you’ve got to do ONE social share, which is a small price to pay IMO.

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