In my everyday life the apps I use most would consist of YouTube, Spotify, Snapchat, Audible and Finch. The first 3 I would say I use mostly for leisure and entertainment as for audible I use for my own hobby as well as academic help since I do have a learning disability whenever I can I try and listen to everything I am required to read. Finch is an app that combines entertainment and productivity into one. I have been using it for 127 days now and it helps keep me accountable and motivated to do the everyday tasks I dread doing. Finch keeps me motivated because of the little penguin you get to help reach goals, Mine is named Pebble. She asks me to complete tasks and when I do I can check them off to earn energy, once you reach 35 energy points I can send her on an adventure. Once she is back from her adventure she will share what she found and this will help her develop her personality traits. Another fun feature is that you can earn money to buy furniture, clothing, and different colours for your penguin. I think I enjoy this so much because I was a fan of Webkinz as a kid so now I have a helpful app that also adds fun.

Another app I use mainly during the school semester is google keep. It acts like a sticky note for me of what assignments and tasks I need to do for each class and is accessible on my phone, iPad, and computer which is helpful to keep organized.

I think the number of distractions for me is my notifications. When I am doing something, for example writing this blog I find myself glancing at my phone each time it buzzes or lights up. I think now that I am aware of this I could use the focus feature on the iPhone to help me focus on the task at hand. I also know I do work better with music, videos, or a movie playing for some odd reason but I have noted it is best for me to play something I have already watched or heard before so that I don’t get caught up watching the screen instead of doing my task.

I struggle greatly with balancing my screen time for personal and academic use. I think this is just because I am a procrastinator so when I tell myself to get on my iPad and do some work it often leads to telling myself I can watch a 10 minute video before I start. What I have been doing this semester as of last week is using my boyfriend’s physical laptop to do my work as I open it. It has my blog and UR courses pulled up and not any distracting apps to tempt me instead!