I tested every paid productivity app I could find as a self-employed worked and didn’t spend a penny.

January 18, 2026

I tested every paid productivity app I could find as a self-employed worked and didn’t spend a penny.

When I started a free version, that’s when the problems began!

It worked, until it didn’t. Locked features and constant upgrade prompts leading to complications at every step.

That’s when I decided to walk away, before paying. Before letting an app manage my attention.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Most productivity apps aren’t built to organize you.
They’re built to convert you.

I see this constant, in coaching sessions and the classroom, an over-reliance on apps.

Freelancers feel it most, alone and discovering new skills. They need agility and mastering multiple skills. Working alone. Learning as they go.

When work feels messy and unorganised, it is easy to think that tools lead to discipline. This is not always the case. Productivity isn’t downloaded. It’s practiced.

What worked and continues to work for me?
Excel. A phone. Discipline and checking my schedule on Sunday afternoon and every morning.

Happy Sunday.

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Brid Doherty-Appriou

Brid is a native English speaker, fluent in French, a graduate in both International Business Communication and in Instructional Design. She is also accredited (TEFL) to teach English as a foreign language. Her professional experience spans over 20 years in an international environment, working in CAC 40 communication groups and as a consultant in Executive Search.

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