02 Oct I hate my favorite apps!

Say what? Let me explain. Someone publishes a list of their top 10 apps for their phone or computer. After reading the post I feel compelled to download the apps and give them a try. I later find my phone or computer littered with applications that I do not use. I’m done with getting an app and then trying to find a use for it in my daily routine.

My new approach is to identify a need and then see if there is an app that can answer the need. Remember the story of Cinderella? The King proclaims the Grand Duke will visit every house in the kingdom to find the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper. The prince was looking for Cinderella, the only one whose foot would fit the slipper.

The apps I regularly use are ones that comfortably meet a need. In my case I am frequently on the road away from the office. I need to know where each R&S worker is scheduled to be. The native iPhone calendar fits like the stepsister’s foot in Cinderella’s slipper. The Weekly Calendar app by from weekcal.com is a Cinderella app for me.

Instead of reading another blog listing someone’s top 10 apps, take 10 minutes to identify a need you regularly face then search to see if there is a Cinderella hiding in app store. Two or three Cinderella apps can add real value as you work through your daily routine.