Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Apps for Improving Your Concentration and Productivity

Between following markets, engaging in chat with fellow traders, and keeping up with news sources and social media flow, it is difficult to maintain a high quality of concentration during the day.  When we are distracted, we are more likely to make decisions on a reactive basis, without the mindful planning that comes from being in a zone and activating our brain's executive capacities.  Here are some resources designed to improve your focus:

Lift is an app that helps you track your goals, participate in structured plans for everything from diet to meditation and yoga, and connect with people with similar goals.  

*  Check out these online apps for improving focus curated by Lifehack.  These include tools for blocking unwanted online content when you're wanting to concentrate; create to-do lists that can be accessed from all your devices; and engage in brain games that train your concentration.

Lifelogger is a wearable video device that enables you to capture life events as they are occurring.  With 8 hours of video storage and wi-fi capability, it allows you to stream whatever you are seeing to others.  It is promoted as a tool for augmented memory, as anything--from market reactions to news to how we traded the recent breakout pattern--can be captured forever.

*  Here are 10 more apps for sustaining a calm and focused mind, including a mind-mapping tool for capturing your ideas visually and apps for brain training, meditation, mindfulness, and stress management.

Focus @ will is an interesting app that creates the right musical environment to enable people to concentrate on their work.  Here's an explanation of the science behind the tool.

Further Reading:  Proven Methods for Building Happiness
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