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I’ll be the first to admit this, but us physicians? We aren’t as organized as people like to believe.
I’m from an older generation that used ledgers and journals to keep track of work. But that just doesn’t cut in the modern age, where everything is moving faster than ever, and the technology is almost too much to handle.
So, what’s the obvious solution? Using that tech to work for us via organization apps.
Hear me out; the responsibilities of a doctor have evolved immensely over the years. We not only have to look after patients, but everything is digitized. Now, every test result and every diagnosis needs to be uploaded and organized.
And let’s not forget the pesky business side of being a physician. Your personal tasks and meetings are moving online, with constant last-minute changes.
And a simple journal to jog it all down is easily forgettable. But what is the one thing you’ll always have on you? A smartphone.
And yes, we’re taking all sorts of budgets into consideration here, so whether you’re a broke medical grad or a successful consultant? Well, there is an app for everyone! Or at least, a version of it as most of the apps mentioned have free and paid plans.
So today, let’s discuss some of the best organization apps and how they can streamline your career:
- Organization apps and how they benefit physicians
- Apps that function like a personal assistant
- Organization apps with additional premium features
1. LastPass
Let’s start with the thing that most of us forget and regret the most: Passwords. Everything nowadays requires a password with 2-step authentication, to boot.
And if you’re anything like me? You are not keeping track of any of them.
So, LastPass might be exactly what you need. It is a tool with both free and premium packages that helps keep all your passwords organized in one place. LastPass means you can access all your accounts safely and securely.
2. Togglplan
A free alternative to some of the more expensive planning apps out there, Togglplan is a great little program that helps you arrange all your tasks in a manner where you can easily keep track of them.
Togglplan has two main grids: Board and Timeline. It’s your preference to choose which way to display everything. It also has a Taskboard function for creating and assigning new projects on the fly.
3. ToDoist
People love ToDoist and for good reason. This organization app is great for making quick work of your to-do list.
Checklists, patient appointments, meetings, you can easily jot them all down into your ToDois, and even connect some of them to create a bunch of subtasks.
But the best thing about ToDoist has to be its user-friendly interface. This means that even the most technologically adverse doctor can use it fairly easily, and if you feel like you want more options, then you can always upgrade to its paid features.
4. ClickUp
The easiest way to understand how ClickUp works is to imagine a set of blocks that can all stack up on each other, while also working independently. This means that no matter how complex the project might be, it’s easy to log it in and branch it out as it advances.
But you can also divide your projects and view them through various categories, making ClickUp one of the most ideal project management apps out there. The free version offers quite a bit of use, so most people don’t consider switching to the paid plan.
5. Dynalist
Dynalist was made for physicians with chaotic minds, which is why I highly recommend it. Why? Because it combines all the best aspects of a list task manager with your typical notes app.
This means no matter how cluttered your work process is, Dynalist will make sense of it.
And its simple layout means you don’t get overwhelmed by the many ideas you throw at it. The markdown text format makes it easy to follow and add to the tasks started, meaning you can have a thread going without losing track of it.
Plus, it offers a student discount for its premium features, which may come in handy for any med students looking to get productive.
6. Asana
Asana is great for anyone who really likes getting involved with their project management. Asana is a paid organization app that offers so many features for the control freak in all of us. Think of being able to put in comments and tags, and even upload specific file attachments.
Asana has been used for years precisely because it is so customizable and immersive, allowing you to create and assign tasks and projects. It also has a priority option, meaning you don’t miss out on any important deadlines.
7. Trello
Another straightforward organization app, Trello works on the simple premise of using columns to jot down tasks and move them as you see fit. You make two columns of tasks that have been started and finished and move your cards to and fro. It really is that easy.
But Trello is also great because you can build on top of your existing checklists. This means that more complicated processes get broken down into easily viewable subtasks that can be sorted through more efficiently.
It offers a free plan with 250 workspace commands per month and unlimited cards. But if you ever run out, you can try their standard, premium, and enterprise plans too.
8. Evernote
Evernote is a classic for anyone who is used to making very comprehensive notes while working. I know quite a few physicians who prefer to organize their writing alongside studying difficult cases, and Evernote is the app they prefer.
Not only does Evernote work like a virtual logbook with sections aptly titled ‘notebooks’, but you can even insert recordings and images into each section to make them as detailed as possible. And while the paid version is nice, the free version actually covers all your bases.
9. Google ToDo
ToDo is a little different from other organization tools out there in the sense that it’s actually a Chrome extension. This means you don’t have to open up a separate app for it, you can just download it and integrate it into your preexisting Google Tasks.
It also has the most uncomplicated management system I’ve ever seen. Anyone can get the hang of it, no matter how bad they are with organization.
10. Ticktick
Ticktick makes task organization that much easier with a gorgeously simple checklist system and a Kanban board if you’re feeling fancy. If you just have small tasks to manage, like inventory or keeping track of different revenues, then Ticktick is more than ready to take it on.
Again, it won’t be the most powerful organization app at your disposal, but sometimes we don’t need all the bells and whistles to get our work done on time. But you can always buy them through the premium version.
11. Plaky
As someone who is a very visual task manager, I need all my assignments to be in front of me when I tackle them, or I’ll forget about them. This is why Plaky is a good fit for anyone with the same issue because it displays all your project details on one table so that nothing gets missed.
It also happens to be very customizable, meaning you can use any template and color-code everything to fit your needs. It is a bit limited in its free plan, but you can always pay for the premium later.
12. Calendly
If you’re struggling to juggle patient appointments and work meetings, then look no further than Calendly. Calendly is one of many online calendar apps available, but it has the bonus of being able to integrate with your existing Google Calendar schedule.
Calendly makes sure to create and generate unique URLs for separate meetings and organizes them based on time and necessity. Which means no clashing of appointments or overbooking yourself.
13. Obsidian
Now, Obsidian isn’t your traditional organizing app. It works more like a virtual journal, helping you gather thoughts and ideas in one space where they are easy to go back to and expand upon. All the while not muddling everything together because of how it keeps notes separated.
But here’s the deal: being a physician is a mentally exhausting job.
Sometimes, we need to collect our thoughts and experiences and learn how to process them articulately. And Obsidian helps make that easier with its intuitive and visual system.
14. AirTable
I often quipped that I went into medicine solely because I hated the idea of doing anything with maths or Microsoft Excel. But jokes on me, because I still had to learn to use Excel anyway! At least AirTable exists now, which is just the superior version of the spreadsheet program.
AirTable is better because how it doesn’t feel as rigid to use as other apps like it. Here, you can view your spreadsheets in many different ways, alongside creating custom dashboards that fit you best.
15. Notion
As a doctor, my mind usually runs ten million miles a minute, which can become a lot to handle. Notion is the perfect, quiet place for you to unburden your working memory. One of the best things about notion is that while it offers a simple interface, it’s also highly customisable.
Not only does notion itself offer templates (around 10,000), but people all over the world have put up free customisable templates that range from budget planning to academic goal tracking and travel!
It’s insane because it offers to dos, checklists, action items, images, vidoes, and every format imaginable. And my favorite? Pages, within pages that you will never lose again. The free version is spectacular for individuals and the paid versions are incredibly affordable.
Why Organization Apps Work
We are seeing more and more cases of physician burnout nowadays, and that is majorly due to the amount of work we have now taken upon ourselves. It isn’t simply about diagnosing patients anymore or being part of the healthcare system.
Now we have to organize and innovate the system in a way where the pressure doesn’t crush us. But organization apps help make that easier on us by not letting us rely on another person to help manage all these various tasks.
It also means that all the information we collect is managed in such a way that it is readily accessible and easy to go through.
And that’s exactly what you want when dealing with something as sensitive as patient diagnoses and treatment plans.
Conclusion
Physicians have so many responsibilities with the added pressure of both patient care and business dealings on the side. So, if any tools could help us work through them without issue? Well, we should utilize them.
Upgrading the way you work doesn’t have to be a hard and complicated process. These organization apps prove that! And hey, we could all use a little help, now and then.
