Although a 9-5 job adds stability and a sense of routine to life, it doesn’t always add excitement. Sometimes it can be difficult to make it through the day when you have stacks of paperwork waiting for you and cubicle walls surrounding you. If you have a smartphone or a tablet, however, you have an escape!
We’ve compiled a list of 10 apps that range from silly to essential, all of which will help relieve some of the strain and make that office job easier and more fun.
Spotify (free 48-hour trial for iPhone/iPad and Android) – There are days when those 8-hour shifts really seem to drag. They seem to last even longer when all you can hear is your coworker typing away and making calls. Give your monotonous day some much-needed music with Spotify’s mobile apps. You can customize your own epic playlist to get you through the day, or tune in to one of the user-created playlists or Spotify’s radio stations.
Office Jerk (free for iPhone/iPad and Android) – Have a coworker that you just can’t get along with? A Dwight to your Jim, or, as the case may be, a Gareth to your Tim? Take out your work-related frustrations with Office Jerk. This fun game allows you to relieve some stress by lobbing a variety of objects at the titular character’s head, including a stapler, a pencil and a chocolate cupcake. We can’t think of a better way to blow of some steam!
Save My Eyes ($0.99 for iPhone/iPad) – If you visit an optometrist on a regular basis, then you know how much computer work can damage your sight. You know that you need to relax your eyes from time to time and relieve the strain, but you get so caught up in work that you forget. Now there’s Save My Eyes, a helpful app that reminds you to rest your eyes according to time intervals that you set.
Office Antics ($0.99 for iPhone/iPad) – Let’s face it, the office can be a pretty tense environment. Office Antics lets you lighten the mood by giving you a variety of sound effects at your fingertips. Coax a chuckle or two from your coworkers as you add a rimshot to the punchline of your boss’ lame joke, or give an announcement more excitement by adding a drumroll.
Evernote (free for iPhone/iPad and Android) – Tired of copying and pasting and bookmarking data for your projects? Keep all of your essentials and notes in one spot with Evernote. This handy app is also available as a browser extension, giving you the ability to clip as much, or as little, of a webpage as you want and categorize it accordingly.
Epic Win ($2.99 for iPhone/iPad) – Procrastinate much? Keep yourself on track with your tasks with Epic Win. This fun task manager app rewards you for completing tasks in the style of a role-playing game. Earn points, improve your stats and develop your character, all while staying on top of the tasks at hand.
Clear ($0.99 for iPhone/iPad) – If you prefer a more straightforward task managing app, Clear is a good choice. The interface is sleek and straightforward, giving you just the information you need. The heat map colors indicate the items that are highest on your list of priorities, and you can change lists by simply pinching the screen.
Dimmer ($0.99 for iPhone/iPad) – Keep your private browsing, well, private with Dimmer. Dimmer allows you to visit sites, browse search engines and even watch videos without recording a single url or acquiring a cookie. There is also a Boss Key that causes your screen to go blank, handy for any surprise visits you may get from your boss or coworkers.
Share Board ($7.99 for iPhone/iPad) – Collaborate with colleagues, or goof off with your friend two cubicles down, with the Share Board app. This app creates a virtual whiteboard for you and up to three other users to write on, draw on and manipulate. Whether it’s a chart that needs to be reviewed and discussed, a brainstorming session that needs to be shared or just a game of tic-tac-toe to kill time, Share Board does it all.
Writing Kit ($4.99 for iPhone/iPad) – Need to finish that report? Ensure you stay on task with the Writing Kit. More than just a word processor, Writing Kit allows you to search/browse for information without having to leave the app. It also allows you to insert images, sync with your Dropbox account and search for definitions in addition to other fantastic features. It’s a must-have for writers and researchers.
Is there an app that has made your job exponentially easier? Did we fail to mention it? Give us a shout-out on Twitter and let us know! You can also peruse our past app must-haves for more app essentials.
