Productivity

Summer Session Is Looming

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My summer break officially ends in five days. I’ll be starting up summer classes on June 2. While it’s been nice to have a break, I think my brain is ready for some structure again. I’m usually not very productive when I don’t have a regular schedule. As I start to prepare myself for [insert climactic orchestra] the second half of Organic Chemistry Lecture+Lab, it’s time again to list off the tools I’ll be using to help keep myself organized.

1. Google Calendar: While they haven’t ever released very many new features, this is still one of the best calendar tools I have ever used. I love the text message reminders for events. Using Google Calendar has become essential for me stay on top of school work and exam dates.
2. iPod Touch: After downloading the January software update, this thing turned into a lifesaver for me. I almost forgot that it also plays music. Some of the widgets/tools I use most on this incredible device are: Notes, Maps, and Google Reader.
3. Jott: The most useful applications are the ones that work in the background. The ones that blend in. The ones that offer features that perfectly adapt to your lifestyle without a major learning curve. I started using Jott very sporadically, but I bet I use it at least every other day now. I rarely visit my actual Jott account. The major uses I get out of this service is the ability to add an event to my Google Calendar, to set myself a quick reminder, or to update my Twitter status. I absolutely love this simple little service, even if they don’t get it right every time.

Those are my top three as of right now. I just saw a tweet from Kelly Sutton at HackCollege. He’s back from a camping trip and looking for ideas for a post. If you’re up to it Kelly, I’d love to hear your top three tech tools you’ll be using to conquer the upcoming semester.

[Homepage photo taken from Abizeleth's "Most Interesting" photoset on Flickr.]