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Study Smarter, Not Harder: Productivity Apps to Help You Succeed

February 26, 2021

Study Smarter, Not Harder: Productivity Apps to Help You Succeed

Are you a working professional who is preparing for a certification exam or a current college or university student who is hustling to study for an upcoming proctored exam? It makes sense that the more time and effort you put into studying, the better your results will be. But, how can you make your studying efficient? Many people find that they are spending long hours studying material without really absorbing it. This challenge relates to the famous quote about working smarter instead of working harder. There is no need to overwhelm yourself and double your workload. Instead, focus on efficient tools which can help you make the most of your studying time. Here is a broad exploration of some helpful productivity apps which can assist you in studying and memorization, including an artificially intelligent app that can take your study notes and turn them into practice quizzes.

Using Technology to Make Your Life Easier

Technology has come a long way and it continues to develop in surprising and creative directions. When it comes to studying, the use of artificial intelligence, automated tools and even crowdsourcing can be super beneficial to your process and peace of mind. Here are three recommendations to get you started:

Artificial intelligence is probably the most fun place to start for productivity apps to help you study. Consider the Knowt app, which can help you learn and study more efficiently by taking your notes and automatically turning them into practice quizzes. There are so many different styles of learning, but practice quizzes are a pretty universal way of testing your understanding and building your confidence. The company also offers some helpful guides on how to format your notes so that their artificially intelligent software can easily read and understand them.

Are you more of an auditory learner than a visual one? It can be frustrating having to read through pages and pages of complex material in order to prepare for your exam. Consider using voice software such as Natural Reader, which can translate your written material into audio. This text-to-speech software boasts natural sounding voices, OCR Technology for easy reading from scanned documents or images and accessible options to listen on the go by converting your written documents into transportable audio files. Depending on your budget and needs, there are free or paid options available, including downloadable software for your computer, an online web browser reader or a downloadable app for your phone. The software is also particularly helpful if you are newer to the English language and prefer listening to someone speak than reading material on your own.

Love flashcards? Make them digital with an app such as Quizlet. Students and working professionals can use their online website or downloadable phone app to upload course materials and play around with a variety of fun study techniques. The app is especially effective for memorizing key terms or core concepts by reviewing flashcards in a meditative and measured way. For every set of notes, you will get detailed progress reports on the memorization process. You can also test yourself through varied methods which encourage you to fill in the blanks and make key connections. Another bonus feature is that you can browse other quizzes and study materials uploaded by students around the world.

More Productivity Apps Worth Checking Out

Aside from the tools listed above, there is an entire world of productivity apps available to you. Check out some of these honourable mentions and popular suggestions from leading educational institutes:

Summary

There are so many productivity apps out there to help with studying and exam preparation. Do you have any favourite apps that you use to help you stay organized and focused on your work? It is worth exploring additional options to make your life easier and help you achieve your certification or educational exam goals.

Written by CJ McGillivray