Today’s Writer Wednesdays post is about efficiency and organization. It’s about phone apps! And not just apps for authors!!

I’m a lucky woman to be surrounded by so many teenagers because, to be honest, if it wasn’t for them I’d probably still be carrying a small pocket calendar and notebook with which to keep myself organized (actually, I still do). Since I have an iPhone with only 16 gig of storage (which my kids mock relentlessly), I don’t have a ton of apps. And I have a bad habit of adding and deleting apps as I need them.

Right now these are the top apps (other than the ones that came pre-loaded) on my phone. All of them I use to help keep my family organized, safe while on the move, and in touch.

WeatherBug – my favorite app for all things weather-related. It even sends me alerts so I have time to text the kids and make sure they’re not driving in bad weather. (They’re all new drivers)

Write 2 Lite – it’s a writing app I use to jot down all the random thoughts and ideas I have about all the stories running through my head.

CVS Pharmacy – Let’s me keep track of Minute Clinic hours and wait times and also alerts me to when I have to renew and pick up prescriptions.

Expedia – We are a traveling family and I use Expedia to keep track of our flights and travel plans.

Google Hangouts – I use this app to keep in touch with my 2015 Golden Heart class aka The Dragonflies!

Uber – You never know when you’re going to need a ride.

Pandora – so convenient to have music only a click away.

Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest – because SM is sometimes the only way I can keep up with the kids. I don’t have FB or FB messenger. The kids don’t use FB and the app takes up way to much memory on my phone. Also, the constant alerts are annoying.

There are a few other apps I use when I have the space:

Waze – A GPS app that’s great but eats up my battery and storage.

Smart Traveler – The State Department app for when we travel overseas.

Airline/Amtrak apps –  I load these up whenever I travel.

Prep & Pantry – Kitchen food storage app that I love but requires a lot of memory.

GoodGuide – A very cool app that scans food/cosmetic/household products bar codes and gives a toxicity rating. This is an interesting app, but also kind of depressing when you realize how many chemicals are in all the products we use. Also eats up my battery, so it had to go.

I’d love to know what kinds of apps you use. I’m always looking for ways to make life more efficient and fun!

Please join my Golden Heart sisters in our year-long blog party!

Contemporary Romance Writers Tamra Baumann – Priscilla Oliveras  | Paranormal Romance Writers Kay Hudson – Pamela Kopfler Young Adult Romance Writers TL Sumner

All photographs courtesy of Sharon Wray.

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16 Comments

  1. Excellent tips! I wish I could keep the digital clutter as organized as you do.

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      Thanks, Pamela. All kudos belong to the kids!

  2. Shannon McGrail says:

    I started using Daylio at the suggestion of one of my teenagers. The app tracks your daily mood and saves activities so you are able to see what of your own behaviors make you happy or sad and monthly patterns as well.

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      I am going to look that one up now. I’m reading the book by Gay Hendricks called The Big Leap about overcoming emotional barriers to happiness so this app sounds like a perfect fit. Can’t wait to look at it. I just hope it fits on my phone. Pandora may have to go!

  3. We have a lot of the same apps, Sharon. I’ll think of it as “great minds think alike!” 😉

    The Waze app is my favorite for directions and for knowing what’s ahead on the road. Pandora– love the variety of stations I have programmed into my account. No matter what mood I’m in, there’s a station to suit my needs.

    I have to say though, I’m probably with your kids in being shocked at your 16 GB of storage. Kudos to you for being able to manage and juggle adding and deleting apps the way you do. 🙂

    Thanks for sharing your favorites!

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      I know, Priscilla. The phones were all so expensive so I cut corners on mine. But I seem to manage. It just stinks when I don’t have any room to take photos. So glad to know another Pandora lover! 🙂

  4. Tammy Baumann says:

    I shall have to check out this GoodGuide! Great post, Sharon!

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      It’s an addicting app, Tammy. And I always embarrass my family as I walk around stores zapping labels and then screaming “It’s poisonous!” They were all very happy when I took it off my phone when I needed the room for the new Instagram update.

  5. Great post, Sharon! I especially enjoyed the pics of your kids. They really are a great help for all things technological. My older daughter is always bailing me out when I get stuck!

    I’m writing down GoodGuide and Write 2 Lite as two apps to check out. I have no idea how much storage space I have on my phone, so we’ll see what happens.

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      Thanks so much, Carol. I’d love to know what you think about both of them. And yes, thank goodness for teenagers!

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      Thanks, Diana! Hugs back!

  6. I love the Pandora app and I also use Amazon Music. Two that I definitely can’t live without. Thanks for the heads up on Smart Traveler. I need that one, too.

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      I love Smart Traveler and luckily I’ve never had to use it. 🙂

  7. I have Westherbug on my desk top computers at home and at work, but I haven’t put it on my phone. I’ll have to check out Write 2 Lite–that might be just what I’ve been looking for.

    1. sharonbwray@verizon.net says:

      I hope you like it, Kay. It’s very basic and easy to use. Great for note-taking! 🙂

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