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13 Accountability Apps To Keep Your Goals From Slipping Through The Cracks

Forbes Coaches Council
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Forbes Coaches Council

As the day gets more complicated, it's easy to lose track of everything you need to do. This is especially true for the things you decided were important 10 days ago, which are only now coming due. This can leave you juggling urgent tasks, or spinning your wheels during down times, rather than working to get incrementally ahead on a long-term project.

Accountability apps keep you on task, whether it's managing your time, taming your inbox or tracking your health. There are a number of popular apps, some extremely task-specific, which means you have options to find what works best for you. Below, members of Forbes Coaches Council share their favorite, along with why it helps.

All images courtesy of Forbes Councils members.

1. Asana 

Asana is my favorite because of the friendly and visual design. This project management app helps me complete projects on time by sending me a daily to-do list. You can lay projects out like Post Its, or create a list. You can update followers automatically or keep tasks private. I love the achievement of checking things off my list and notifying my team in one step! - Meredith Moore CrosbyLeverette Weekes 

2. Goals Wizard 

Brian Tracy's Goals Wizard app sent me a notification just this morning that read "You have activities that need to be completed towards your goal. Can you start now?" When I opened the app, it took me to a goal that I had set to accomplish by month's end. It was a refreshing reminder that I won't accomplish that goal if I wait until the end of the month to begin working on it! - Prof. LaTanya WhitePivot University 

3. My Fitness Pal 

Healthcare and associated costs will continue to be a major concern for employers and our government. My Fitness Pal is a great to tool for leaders to track their calorie intake and exercise, as well as behaviors when stressed. The increased functionality with synchronization to wearable tech products — such as scales, fitness trackers and watches — adds value for data analysis. - LaKisha GreenwadeLucki Fit LLC 

4. Masterminds App 

My favorite accountability app is actually tied to a mastermind group I belong to. The app is called Masterminds App in the app store and it allows you to track an annual goal and a 30-day goal, with space to receive coaching. It works so well because it is based on a 30-day period, and you have other people who can check in with you. You can also check in and help others with their goals. - Mike Ambassador BrunyNo More Reasonable Doubt 

5. Money Manager 

I use the Money Manager app to stay accountable with my spending. I record all of my spending, and it can let me know if I have overspent in an area. Just knowing I have to write down what I spend makes me more accountable and deters me, so that I can save more money. It all adds up! - Rebecca BoslDream Life Team 

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?

6. Outlook 

I stay accountable and on track using the task function in Outlook. It's not some fancy app — and something else to manage! — and it keeps me organized with daily, weekly and monthly task lists, so I never miss an important deadline. - Lizabeth CzepielLizabeth Czepiel, LLC 

7. SaneBox 

SaneBox is my favorite time saver and accountability app. It sorts my inbox — keeping unimportant email out of it — so I can focus on what matters. It sends me reminders if I haven’t received a reply to an email I sent, and it leaves email items I need to address in my inbox. It also rescues authentic email from my spam folder. I find it the best app to manage my follow-up process. - Rick Itzkowich501 Connections Inc. 

8. Schedule Once 

I've learned that as a busy CEO, I have to live my life by a schedule. I schedule everything related to work, home and everything in between. Schedule Once allows me to send people a link that they can use to get on my schedule. Every day I only do what's on the schedule, and when I've done it all, I'm done for the day. I let the technology keep me accountable and dictate my time. - Ryan StewmanHardcore Closer LLC 

9. Stickk 

Stickk is a web-based platform that allows people to set goals and build an accountability structure around them. In Stickk, you set commitment contracts that work on the principle of loss aversion. For example: I could set a goal to exercise three times a week and enter into a contract where I pay a certain amount of money to a charity or organization I dislike when I break the contract. - Gia GaneshGia Ganesh Coaching 

10. Teamwork 

Whether you work with a team, manage projects, run launches or need some straight up accountability, Teamwork does the trick. It has the capabilities that allow you to assign tasks, upload files, and see what's working or where you may need to adjust so you can reach those goals you set early on. - Gina GomezGina Gomez, Business & Life Coach 

11. Things 3 

When it comes to accountability for me, a big key is remembering and tracking tasks that need accomplished. I recently started using Things 3, and I love the simple design as well as the ease with which I can track, log and resolve tasks. I've tried a number of apps related to personal accountability and productivity and, hands down, this app has out-shined the competition! - Billy WilliamsArchegos 

12. WEEK PLAN 

Not only does WEEK PLAN integrate with my Google Calendar, but it also offers a convenient overview of my goals and to-dos for the week, color-coded to match the roles I’ve defined for myself. I can also prioritize tasks based on their importance versus urgency, and track the time I spend on each to-do. Moreover, WEEK PLAN is a cross-platform, allowing me to stay on top of things on the go. - Arno MarkusiCareerSolutions 

13. Wunderlist 

My team uses Wunderlist, where you can enter and assign tasks and add relevant files and comments. Employees mark them complete or comment if they are stuck. It reduces emails, keeps conversations together and keeps me completely up to date on status. And it's free! - Sandi LeyvaSandra L. Leyva Inc.