Hello and Happy June! Summer is officially around the corner and I couldn’t be happier. Today I’m rounding up 2 of my current obsessions that have been lifesavers for me lately.  The best thing about them all is that they’re perfect for anyone looking to maximize productivity. People always ask me how I keep up with everything, here’s a glimpse of how I keep it moving.

• Hoopla – So, I was casually walking around the newly improved Richland County Public Library looking for a book and realized there was a waiting list for We’re Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True by Gabrielle Union. Anyone read this book yet? I still haven’t gotten around to it! Anyway, the staff suggested I download this app and see if it was available there, it wasn’t but I found lots of other books (not even mad). It’s basically like Audible but, totally free if you have a library card (also free) and all you do is enter your card number and the pin and you have access to thousands of eBooks and audiobooks. After doing my research I realized there’s tons of different apps available that are connected to public libraries where you can read on devices so there’s a lot of options. With a busy schedule like mine it’s very hard throughout the day to just sit down and read, Hoopla helps!

• Google Keep –  This has easily become my go to app for everything. All the random lists, reminders, and random thoughts I have go here…. there’s even audio, which is perfect for when you have a random thought driving.  The best part about Google Keep is the layout, you can create a list or sticky notes and you can color code the notes, I prefer the sticky note layout and the color of my note depends on the category.  It reminds me of Mary Jane (who is also Gabrielle Union lol, total coincidence), from the show Being Mary Jane: she’d write random thoughts on sticky notes and put them on her bathroom mirror…. but Google Keep allows you to keep it all in digital form. Another perk to this app is the accessibility, my lists are always within reach because it syncs to all your devices. I am able to log into my Gmail from my computer or access it on the app on my iPhone or iPad. My favorite uses are taking pictures of things I want to add to a list later and creating daily, weekly, and monthly musts.

The best part about these apps is that they are totally free!

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” ~ David Allen