3 Work-Friendly Gadgets That Put Time on Your Side
Block out distractions at work, track to-dos, and streamline daily routines with these ADHD-friendly time management gadgets — including a digital planner, a real-life “mute button,” and a watch that shows you exactly how much time you have left.
Work Gadget #1: Saent
$59
saent.com
Urgent emails, loud coworkers, the enticing “ping” of a new Facebook message. Working with an ADHD brain is a recipe for distraction. But while you may not be able to mute your desk-mate, you can mute some of the other background noise with Saent, a focus-boosting smart “button” that blocks digital distractions and serves as a “Do Not Disturb” sign to let others know you’re in the zone.
Here’s how it works. Before you start a task, use the desktop application to identify the websites, apps, or other digital minutia that steal your focus, and decide how long you want to buckle down. Now push the button. Saent will deactivate those apps for that length of time, using a nonintrusive LED light to count down how much time is left. To avoid brain burnout, Saent will allow you to take regular time-outs to reenergize and regroup. Its timing method is based on the Pomodoro Technique, a productivity strategy that alternates 25-minute bursts of sustained effort with short and long breaks.
The company intends for the button to serve as a visual signal that you shouldn’t be disturbed. It may take some adjusting to, but your coworkers should get used to leaving you alone when they see you in “productivity mode.”
[Quiz: How Seriously Do You Procrastinate?]
Work Gadget #2: Smart Planner System by Moleskine
$179 for the Pen+ Ellipse; $29.95 for the Planner
moleskine.com
When it comes to time management tools, almost nothing beats the simplicity and accessibility of an old-fashioned paper planner. But today’s technology has countless functions — reminders, syncing, and task reordering — that paper planners just can’t match. Combine the best of both worlds with the Moleskine Smart Planner System. When you use this paper planner with the companion Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse, it will sync your handwritten schedule and notes across your electronic devices.
The planner itself comes in a sleek design, and serves dual purposes. The left side holds your weekly schedule, while the right side is comprised of blank, lined pages — for jotting down grocery lists, reminders, or spur-of-the-moment ideas. Everything you write with the smart pen is automatically synced to your Google Calendar, Moleskine’s own Timepage app, or other compatible online tools that can be accessed from any device.
Work Gadget #3: Time Timer Watch PLUS
$89.95
timetimer.com
Love your Time Timer? Wish you could carry it with you everywhere? The Time Timer Watch PLUS is the perfect solution for bringing the iconic time management tool to wherever you need it most.
The watch looks like an everyday sports watch and serves many of the same functions, like setting alarms and timing exercise intervals. But its biggest asset is its Time Timer mode, which displays remaining time as an ever-shrinking red disc on the large, easy-to-read screen. You can set the timer for up to 99 hours (with optional repeat functions), and the subtle vibrating alert lets you use it throughout the day without drawing attention.
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Many with ADHD respond well to visual cues. Time Timer’s straightforward interface works with the ADHD brain, allowing you to get an immediate sense of how much time has passed, and how much you have left.
NOTE: Please note that all names, models, prices, links, and specifications were accurate and items were in stock at the time of this article’s last update on January 31, 2022.
