How I reclaimed 5+ hours a week — my 12 essential productivity tools of 2026

Between a full-time job, a busy 'side hustle', and a growing family, free time isn't a luxury — it's a myth.

Despite its mythical status, I made it one of my goals to free up some time to focus on the things that matter most to me in 2026. But with 64% of New Year's resolutions never making it to February, I knew I couldn't do it alone. I needed help.

Since January 1st, I've spent hours researching and testing the best ways to increase efficiency in my day-to-day tasks. From locking my phone in a box to trialing the Pomodoro method, I've tried it all.

Here's what actually worked.

Planning: I started with note pad and pen, which helped, but moving to a tablet made things so much easier to manage.

Focus: Noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, and timers played a huge role here. Plus, using an Alexa to set reminders and answer questions stopped me from reaching for my phone every 5 minutes.

Managing fatigue: Products like a standing desk help me maintain comfort whilst focusing for long periods.

To save you a month of research, I've curated a list of the 12 best productivity tools on the market.

Many of these I have fully tested in the past month, others I have extensively researched and are on my 'productivity wishlist'.

So, what are you going to do with all that spare time?

Selected by:

Selected by:

Owain Williams

Ever since I started my career as a Business and Marketing Apprentice back in 2011 I have been seeking out ways to balance getting more done, in less time, whilst keeping quality high. Over the past year 14 years I've done everything from taking courses on 'managing your workload' to testing productivity gadgets.

Better planning

Improve focus

Manage fatigue

• Check out our list of the best standing desks
• We've listed the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market
• Want more on productivity? Check out our list of the best productivity tools
• Logitech reports that noise is the biggest productivity killer for in-office workers