I love to try out new productivity apps. Some of them hook me for a few days, and some can even keep me there for months. But once the dopamine rush subsides, I always return to my good habits. And I feel like I’m more productive than always.I cut my stack down to five apps. They are not trendy, but they are life-changing. Let’s dive in!

Trying New Productivity Apps

Todoist is ideal for quickly noting and managing daily tasks without wasting time or effort.

Why I Choose It

Notion, paired with my Second Brain template, is unbeatable for organizing complex information, managing long-term projects, and maintaining clarity.

Readwise bridges the gap between reading and real-world application, effortlessly enhancing how you retain and use new ideas.

Stoic is a simple, thoughtful companion that significantly enhances emotional clarity, helping me stay productive without burning out.

Pick two tools from this stack. Whether it’s jotting down tasks in Todoist, building your Second Brain in Notion, staying focused with Forest, reviewing notes with Readwise, or reflecting with Stoic—commit to using them for the next seven days.Track how your days feel. Are you more focused? Calmer? More in control?

Most productivity tools today are a trap. They promise structure but deliver chaos. They make you feel busy instead of helping you get things done. That’s why I cut through the noise and shared only the five apps that saved me time.Now, it’s your turn to test them.

The Challenge of The Week

I always hated timers. They felt stressed and made productivity feel like a chore. But one day, I found Forest.Many of you will think it’s only another timer app. But Forest is much more. During my first university years, it helped me gamify my productivity by planting virtual trees whenever I was focused.It sounds silly, but it’s incredibly effective. You plant a tree, set a timer, and your tree grows as long as you stay off your phone. Get distracted? The tree dies. Seeing my forest grow week by week turned my focus into a fun challenge rather than a punishment.

3. Forest: Gamify Your Focus

If you’re like me, you highlight hundreds of insightful sentences in books, articles, and podcasts. But how often do you actually revisit them?Probably never. I never did it once until I found Readwise.This tool automatically syncs and organizes your highlights, delivering daily reminders straight to your inbox or integrating directly into Notion. With its spaced repetition, Readwise transformed my scattered notes into actionable knowledge. Now, I actually remember and apply what I learn, turning passive reading into active growth.

4. Readwise: Supercharge Your Learning

Forest is a playful yet powerful way to conquer distractions, reduce procrastination, and make deep work sessions genuinely enjoyable.

Most productivity tools today suck. Everyone wants to build theirs, hoping to cash out once a couple of people buy their solution. But are they working or just another way to procrastinate?They require a significant amount of time to set up. They have hundreds of features. And they leave you busier than before. Once you finish setting everything up, it’s already time to go to sleep. Are they worth it? Most of them are not. But there are a few that can make a difference.

Productivity Tools Suck

Notion is not only an app for me — it’s my entire productivity system.Everything from my notes to my business projects lives there. With Notion, I stopped jumping between apps and started managing my life from a single place.The Second Brain concept changed how I approached productivity forever. And Notion was the perfect tool to build it. <a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com/p/the-second-brain-method">My Second Brain template helped me capture every thought </a>, project, and goal systematically. It’s not a quick-fix tool — it requires setup — but the payoff is massive.

2. Notion: Your Life's Headquarters

You're reading an excerpt from <a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com/">The Challenge</a> — a weekly newsletter dedicated to self-improvement, goal-setting, habits, time management, and health tips.Every week, you'll receive:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">A life-enhancing challenge</li><li class="ql-align-justify">A custom infographic to track your progress.</li></ul><a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com/">Join 4100+ driven individuals </a>and take your first challenge.

The Challenge

I’ve always struggled with consistent journaling. It felt forced, unnatural, even tedious. But that changed completely when I found Stoic.This minimalistic journaling app doesn’t overwhelm you with blank pages. Instead, it guides you with daily prompts, mood trackers, and reflections that feel meaningful.Stoic has become my emotional anchor, helping me clear my mind, manage stress, and gain clarity on my goals — essential for maintaining sustainable productivity.

5. Stoic: Your Personal Journal & Emotional Anchor

<a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com/">Unlock exclusive content</a> and take your self-improvement to the next level with a premium subscription.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">✅ The Productivity Mastery Series – Proven productivity systems in Notion, ready for you to implement.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">📚 The Challenge Book Club – Actionable insights from the best personal growth books so you can apply their lessons without reading them all.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">🔥 Monthly Exclusive Content – The top 5 must-read articles, behind-the-scenes life updates, full archive, and more.</li></ul><a href="https://cosmopolitanmindset.substack.com/subscribe">Join 4100+ driven individuals</a> who are serious about growth. Upgrade now and invest in your future.

Next Steps

Todoist has been one of the first productivity apps I have ever used. And I’m glad it still works almost the same way today — simple, efficient, no fancy, useless features.During my university years, I used it to track the chapters or paragraphs I needed to study. And I kept using it also during my first job when I had to track many todos a day.Over the last few years, they introduced prioritization with color coding and syncing. But the core remained the same — a fast and reliable to-do list you can use for anything from your home chores, to the shopping list, or simple reminders.

1. Todoist: The Speed Organizer

Streamline your work with tools that pay for themselves in hours saved. Use this 5-stack essential tools to improve your productivity and save time.

Why I Choose It

Similar ideas to Why I Choose It

How I do it?

Giving up too quickly

2. Planning their day.