We’re about halfway through first semester, and it is apparent that the teenagers in our student body have had to spend more than enough time in front of the computer screen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that being said, it’s important for students to stay organized and manage their time well, so they don’t have to spend too much time online. Here are some easy to use chrome extensions to help with your daily school routine.

1) Pomodoro Study Timer
One of my all-time favorites for when you have a lot to do but don’t know how to organize. The Pomodoro study timer was invented by then university student Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, who struggled with time management. He decided to use a tomato (Pomodoro in Italian) to time himself and eventually wrote a 130-page book on the method and its simplicity. The timing method has you work on whatever task you have to complete for 25 minutes straight, with no distractions. At the end of the 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break, and then repeat. If you keep up with this, it makes working less stressful, and I have found I get my work done a lot faster when I set a time limit for myself.

2) Todoist
A great extension for a to-do list attached to your home screen. Within it, you are able to separate out your tasks from To Do, Currently Doing, and Done. I find it very helpful when I have a lot of work to do on my computer and when it’s inconvenient to switch from a paper planner back to my screen a lot. There are also some cool little features. For example, you can set recurring due dates for tasks, and set priority flags for the top 3 most important things you need to get done, and place tasks you don’t have a pressing deadline for in the Inbox. I’d highly recommend for anyone who enjoys planning their days out on their computer versus paper.

3) Coffeelings
This extension is a personal mini journal and mood tracker. It takes less than a minute to use each day and allows you to jot down whatever is on your mind. You can also select how you are feeling, and it is nice to go back and look at how your thoughts and perceptions grew over time. I find that it sets you up for the day when working from home because you have a clear idea of your emotions and how you’re planning on growing.

4) Weava
Weava is great for when you have a lot of notes to take on your computer or are reading through a lengthy article. The extension allows you to highlight on websites and PDF with multiple colors and make annotations. To organize all your notes, you can place them into a folder or subfolders. I think this is a great extension if you have a lot of readings to complete or are required to take notes, as it eliminates the need for having to print out everything since you can highlight and annotate the information online.

5) Momentum
Last but not least, my personal favorite of the list, Momentum. This extension places a beautiful scenic background behind your google search bar. You are able to see what time it is and the weather outside when you open up a new tab, alongside a quote and little box for one thing you want to accomplish that day. I love how all the backgrounds are shot in high quality and are super aesthetically pleasing to look at!