Best time-management apps

Rosalind Scutt

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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Some people are able to manage their time without the help of lists, apps, planners, and calendars — others can't get out of bed without an alarm clock. If you're one of the latter, read on for some of the best time-management apps yet.

1. Password Manager

LastPass
Free
Life's too short to spend it chasing down passwords. Use LastPass to store them all in a safe place (it also helps you generate complex new passwords and remembers them for you). But the best part? You can access passwords from the cloud no matter where you are. Get LastPass today. (Free and $12 Premium).

2. Family organiser

Cozi Family Organizer SM
Free
The whole family can stay connected with this family-centric calendar that allows each member to share info and add tasks as well as contribute to shopping lists, to-do lists and the family journal. It sends the entire family reminder alerts so you're never late for soccer or short on milk.

3. File sharing

LogMeInIgnition
$29.99
It's a bit expensive but this app is a lifesaver and great for the busy professional. The file-sharing app saves the day when on a Sunday afternoon you find you forgot that important document on your work computer. Most reviewers rave about how they save time and fuel costs from having to return to home or office for files.

4.Voice to text

Dragon Dictation
Free
Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition system that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. In fact, it's up to five times faster than typing on the keyboard. Dragon Dictation will also utilise the data in spoken messages collected over time to continuously improve and provide high speech recognition accuracy.

5. Conversion time

Convert Everything
Free
Perfect for baking where recipes or measurements are in the wrong units. Convert Everything is a simple application that can convert between units (distance, area, weight, etc), translate words (online using Google translate), convert currencies with rates updated online.

6. Movie magic

MovieFix
Free
Don't waste time standing in line. Browse movie schedules and buy tickets anywhere, anytime using the MovieFIX app now available for iPhone.

7. Meditation calm

Meditation Oasis
Free
Meditation helps to calm the mind which ultimately results in you feeling more balanced (and being able to be more efficient). You might not have time to get along to a meditation class but with this app you don't need to. Meditation Oasis (version 5) has three varying length meditations. First a Breath Awareness Guided Meditation offers a five-minute session to help centre and relax the listener — ideal when time is short! Next, the Deep Rest Guided Meditation is 13 minutes long and allows the listener to fall into a deep restful state — ideal for before bedtime. Last, the Whole Body Guided Relaxation at 24 minutes long helps locate tension in the body and let it go.

8. Calorie counter

MyFitnessPal
Free
If you want to shape up, lose weight or generally eat better you don't need to spend hours planning it. The MyFitnessPal app makes calories counting easy with the largest food database of any calorie counter (over 1.1 million foods). Just enter what you ate for each day and you'll get a full view as to calories consumed (and what vitamin groups were lacking) and importantly — if you finish the day in surplus or deficit.

9. Restaurant guide

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Free
If you love eating out but can never decide where, this is the app for you! The app is easy to use, clean looking and intuitive with quality independent national reviews. Try it, you'll love it.

10. Grocery shopping

Woolworths
Free
With a recipe section that includes over 800 recipes, a product finder section that directs you to the correct isle and all the wisdom of shopping list functionality this app helps you save time in planning and executing your weekly shop (time left for a manicure?)