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12 things that will help you be productive in 2021

Set yourself up for success this year.

These products will help you achieve your goals. Credit: Flexispot/iRobot

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Congratulations—we've survived 2020. Now that 2021 is here, you might be thinking about New Year's resolutions, even if they'll look a bit different amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

One goal you might have for yourself is to get things done. Whether or not you found 2020 to be a productive year, there are plenty of products out there that can help boost productivity if that's something you're looking to do in 2021.

Whether it's finding time for daily exercise or learning how to work from home effectively, we've rounded up 12 things that will help. From the highest-rated planner on Amazon to our favorite robot vacuum, these are the products that will boost your productivity in 2021.

1. This planner to keep track of everything

Credit: Panda Planner

Get more productive and organized.

While Google Calendar is great but for some of us, there's just something so satisfying about crossing things off a to-do list or writing down all of your weekly plans in a physical planner. While there are tons of planners out there to choose from, this one on Amazon has over 6,400 rave reviews. It has plenty of space to record all of your daily tasks and reminders and even has a separate section for goals.

Get the Panda Planner from Amazon for $20.97

2. A convertible desk for your WFH setup

Credit: Flexispot

Convert any tabletop into a standing desk with the Flexispot.

Sitting at a desk for hours gets old. But so does standing at a desk for hours. (It's way too easy to zone out or start scrolling through social media.) The solution? A sit-stand desk that you can easily adjust, like this highly-rated one from Amazon. Some 3,000+ reviewers rave that it takes zero effort to switch from sitting to standing and that it's very stable and durable.

Get the FlexiSpot Convertible Desk from Amazon for $149.99

Credit: Philips

Rise and shine with the (fake) sun.

If you aren't a morning person, fear not—the Philips wake-up light can make getting out of bed a little bit easier so you won't waste half your morning hitting snooze. Thousands of people love that the glowing light (which mimics the sunrise) wakes you up gently and naturally and that you can easily customize settings like brightness, alarm sound type and volume.

Get the Philips Wake-Up Light from Amazon for $99.95

4. A Fitbit for staying active

Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

Get moving.

Just because your gym might be closed or you might be spending all of your waking hours at home doesn't mean it's impossible to stay active. After all, getting in steps/movement, sleeping, and drinking water can all help boost your productivity. You can track all of the above and more with the Fitbit Charge 4, which is our experts' top-recommended Fitbit. Plus, it's both easy to use and comfortable to wear.

Get the Fitbit Charge 4 from Amazon for $118.95

5. The best noise-canceling headphones

Credit: Reviewed / Lee Neikirk

Headphones on, outside noise off.

Maybe it's your noisy neighbors or maybe it's your kids playing downstairs. Regardless, outside noises and sounds can be very distracting. Enter a quality pair of noise-canceling headphones: the Sony WH-1000XM4. They're the best ones we've ever tested because they fit comfortably and effectively block out the rest of the world.

Get the Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise Canceling Headphones from Amazon for $278

6. This expert-approved coffee maker

Credit: Keurig

Now you can be your favorite barista.

There are those of us who can get up and start our days right away and then there are those of us who require at least a cup (or two or three) of coffee to get going. For a quick cup of joe, you'll want the most versatile single-serve coffee maker: the Keurig K-Cafe. It brews delicious coffee in just seconds and even has an attached milk frother for when you want to get a little fancy. 

Get the Keurig K-Cafe from Amazon for $169.99

7. Our favorite weighted blanket

Credit: Gravity Blanket

This blanket "out-weighed" the competition.

Have you ever tried to be productive after a sleepless night? As a self-diagnosed insomniac, I can verify it's next to impossible. Fortunately, a weighted blanket like our experts' favorite, the Gravity blanket, can improve your shuteye. It's super soft to the touch and provides just the right amount of pressure to help relieve stress and help you drift off to dreamland.

Get the Gravity Blanket from Gravity for $189

8. These top-rated meal prep containers

Credit: Prep Naturals

Lunch, solved.

Sure, it would be nice to cook every meal from scratch every day but sometimes that just isn't the most efficient or most possible thing. Rather than resorting to takeout, prep a few meals at the beginning of the week and then portion them out in these popular glass containers. Our kitchen and cooking writer loves them because they're durable and she can easily see what's inside of them so she knows what she's grabbing in the fridge. 

Get the Prep Naturals Glass Meal Prep Containers (5-Pack) from Amazon for $28.99

9. A smart speaker to keep you organized

Credit: Amazon

Hey Alexa, how can I be more productive this year?

Whether you want to record your grocery list, find out what the weather will be like tomorrow, or put on some focus-boosting tunes, Alexa can help you be more efficient with that. Of all the Amazon smart speakers we've tested at Reviewed, we like the 3rd Generation Echo because of its range of capabilities, great sound quality, and far-field voice recognition (so you can talk to Alexa from any room in the house). It's sold out almost everywhere so if you want one, you'll want to act fast.

Get the Amazon Echo (3rd Gen) from Lowe's for $99.99

10. A supportive chair pillow for anyone who works at a computer

Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Moskowitz

The LoveHome back cushion is very easy to install.

You won't get much work done at your desk if you have to keep getting up because your chair is uncomfortable. To upgrade your chair (and prevent aches and pains), our senior audience development manager, Rachel Moskowitz, swears by this lumbar support cushion. She says the memory foam molds perfectly to your back and it's allowed her to sit at her desk comfortably for hours on end.

Get the LoveHome Lumbar Support Back Cushion from Amazon for $29.94

11. A robot vacuum to do your chores for you

Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

It's like your own personal cleaning assistant.

The more time you spend cleaning, the less time you have for everything else. That's why so many people are obsessed with robot vacuums, which will do your (literal) dirty work for you. Of all the ones we've tested, we like the iRobot Roomba i7+ the best because it's quiet, effective at picking up dirt and debris, and can even empty itself. If you want a more budget-friendly pick, however, we recommend the Eufy RoboVac 11S.

12. An oversized wall calendar

Credit: Amazon

All of your to-dos in one convenient place.

There's no way you'll forget exactly what you're supposed to be doing and when with this jumbo calendar that you can hang in your foyer or over your desk. At 38" x 50", it's big enough for the whole family to use and it has over 2,000 positive reviews, with people saying it's easy to erase every month (no streaking or staining!).

Get the Dry Erase White Board Wall Calendar, 38" x 50" from Amazon for $29.99

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