5 Apps That Can Help Executives Strike Work-Life Balance Yes, there are now apps designed to help you remember birthdays and keep the spouse happy.
By Pratik Dholakiya Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
"There's an app for that?!"
I don't know how many times I have heard that, and surely, you must have heard it too.
There's an app for almost everything these days -- from note-taking apps that resemble traditional paper notes to productivity apps that replace Pas, through to bubble popping apps that mimic the annoying bubble-wrap bursting habit. Developers are making virtual reality a bit too real!
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I have often mentioned here how some apps have helped me at work to cut travel expenses or keep me productive. However, this time I am going to shed light on apps that help you fellow business owners and C-suite execs keep things smooth on the personal front, so you can focus on your work without worries.
It often happens that when we are heads-down with work, we forget people around us. From parents to spouses through to co-workers, we end up ignoring their needs. In fact, if you think about it, their needs are small -- when compared to the work we do -- and hardly take any time, but you end up overlooking them. These five apps are godsends, as they help you strike the elusive work-life balance by carrying out your professional and personal duties effectively. So, let's check them out.
1. Big Days strikes the right balance.
Big Days allows you to remember and track your past and future events. It comes with an in-built countdown to give you a daily reminder, so you can plan things well in advance.
For instance, it will tell you there are X days to your business trip to London, so you can get on with your preparations. It will tell you haven't had a relaxing weekend with friends / family since X days, so you are reminded to take a break from your hectic schedule.
By logging each and every facet of your life like birthdays, anniversaries, business trips, conferences and weddings, you are better able to manage your life and work.
2. Inby keeps the Mrs. happy.
Back in March, Google's CFO, Patrick Pichette, stepped down from his position to travel the world with his wife. While you don't have to do something so drastic, you can keep the Mrs. happy by taking her out to her favorite local restaurants, pubs and bars regularly.
Inby informs you about all the latest sales, promotions and events taking place in your locality. The beauty of this app is that it is not only big brands but also small businesses, local restaurants and shops that find their way to you.
With timely updates from her favorite galleries, boutiques and libraries, you get points for thoughtful gifts and purchases. Also you can stretch your dollar to the max with great offers and promotions that you might otherwise miss from local businesses. You can even use Inby to pick the perfect destination for your team lunches, outings and other meetings. So it takes care of both aspects of your life beautifully.
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3. Quixey helps you get things done faster.
If you are like 55 percent of cell phone owners who use their phones to browse the internet, exchange emails or download apps, Launch by Quixey might be a good aid to use your time more productively. It is an Android launcher that uses Deep View Cards technology to enable you to search for information and messages that reside inside your apps and access them faster.
It helps you stay on top of literally everything in your phone, using intuitive gestures, customized folders, smart contact suggestions and app recommendations, so you're freeing up time spent in navigation.
4. MedHelper keeps the parents happy
In his book, Living for the Weekday, author Clint Swindall explained that health and relationships are amongst the most overlooked aspects of our lives.
Whether you're taking care of your aging parents or managing chronic health conditions, MedHelper is a great help. It allows you to keep a track of prescriptions and appointments and alerts you whenever medications are running low or it's time for an appointment with the doctor.
It also tracks and logs vital signs -- temperature, blood pressure, weight, glucose, etc. -- which can be exported to the doctor or kept for records.
MedHelper helps you take care of the most important thing in the world -- health. This app comes highly recommended by AppCrawlr with a 4.2 rating.
5. Schemes keeps everyone happy.
Sometimes, all you need is a simple "thank you" or another sort of heartfelt message to keep everyone happy. For example, did you forget to send a congratulatory note to your team after each project is over? Do you always forget a friend's birthday?
Schemes not only reminds you of these events but sends scheduled messages to concerned people on set time and date. You can send an email, text, Facebook message or tweet, giving you the flexibility to keep it as short or as long as you want.
The app notifies you each time a message is sent, so you can follow up with a call or another message if you want. The messages can be canceled or edited even after they are scheduled, giving you more overall flexibility.
From fulfilling your personal responsibilities to tracking life events, these five apps will help you keep a balanced ratio between work life and professional life. So even if you are neck-deep in work, you are better equipped to take care of those around you. After all, work-life balance is all about giving your 100 percent at work without disregarding other aspects of your life.
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