12 Online Tools And Extensions To Avoid Procrastination
The online world offers opportunities to excel and learn outside the classroom. In fact, eLearning has become a tool for people with very limited means to access education. The internet provides thousands of online tools that can boost the learning experience.However, with perks come perils. The internet poses a tantamount of distractions that can hamper the productivity of online students and online teachers alike. If you're an eLearning student, then these distractions may double since you have no choice but to stay online. Online Students end up cramming due to everything they see and hear online. They are often advised to focus well to get stuff done. Sadly, focusing is easier said than done. Necessary tools are needed to help online students focus and manage their time well, and most of them can be found online.
4 Computer and Mobile Applications for Online Students
- RescueTime
The first step on trying to curb your cramming habits is understanding how you've been spending your time. This application runs on your computer and mobile device giving you a detailed view of your day. RescueTime is an all-in-one tool to keep you focused. This tool highlights on the things you've accomplished and alerts you when you've spent too much time on a website. It can even block distracting websites based on your modifications. - Evernote
You'll never miss another important read again with this tool. Evernote helps you save web pages for later reading. When you're in a hurry or have other things to do such as your homework, Evernote can save web pages for you. Whatever device you're using, you can access any of the files, web pages, and images wherever you go. It even lets you organize similar pages for a more efficient research. - Remember The Milk
This application can be best described as the online to-do list. It's a more efficient to-do list, too, since you won't be misplacing it. It allows the user to properly group related tasks, set specific day and time for tasks to be done, and even locate the place where you must do the task! You can even share tasks to friends to get things done together. Remember the Milk is a great accompaniment with Evernote. It's available for Android, Apple, and Blackberry devices. - Focus Booster
To help you achieve better focus, this tool employs the Pomodoro Technique. This time-organizer breaks down periods of work with a 5-minute break in between intervals of 20-25 minutes. It works on the theory the breaks in intervals increases productivity. It can be installed on your computer so you can still use it when you're not online. Focus Booster has an online version so you can use it whatever computer you may be using.
4 Firefox Add-ons for Online Students
- Mind the Time
Another way to track how much you spend time on a website is through this Firefox add-on. It gives accurate summaries of the report for up to 70 days. Mind the Time is a good way to track how you spend your time online. - LeechBlock
This Firefox extension blocks website that distracts you from work. Users can modify the features and they can also specify the date and time a website must be blocked. You can specify up to six sets of sites and the days they can't be accessed. - ReminderFox
A tool that will not let you forget crucial tasks and dates, ReminderFox is an add-on that tracks your to-do lists and sets an alarm for it. This way, you won't forget another deadline. It alarms right in your browser so there's no need for a separate calendar tool. - Pocket
Going back to interesting web pages is made easier with this add-on. Instead of wasting precious time reading something unrelated to your task at hand, you can use Pocket to mark the page. Any content saved through Pocket can be read even when you're offline.
4 Google Chrome Extensions for Online Students
- StayFocusd
This extension limits the time you spend on a website. If you've used up the time you specified for a website, you can no longer access it for the rest of the day. So you may end up checking your Facebook, but StayFocusd makes sure that you don't spend extra time on it. It can block entire websites or just pages. - Strict Workflow
To emphasize productivity, this extension employs the Promodoro Technique as well. It sets a 25-minute work interval with a 5-minute break in between. Another feature is its ability to block websites. Strict Workflow has blacklist and whitelist which tell the browser which websites to allow and which ones to block. - Note Anywhere
Unlike sticky notes on desktops, Note Anywhere allows you to post sticky notes on any website. It's an effective way to make notes on sites you deem useful. Another good way to use this extension is by sticking the note on your social networking sites and reminding yourself of the school work that needs to be done. - RemindMe
An extension that you can excess on whatever computer you're using, RemindMe lets you specify when to be reminded of tasks, deadlines, and whatnot. The reminder can be specific such as 'an hour from now' or even '10:00PM.' But it can also be just the date or 'next week.'