If you're looking to organise your life, wearable tech is one of the best additions to your personal gadget armoury.
Smart devices are generally designed to cut through the noise of everyday life that makes staying on top so difficult, and each major ecosystem includes a host of apps that can make a difference.
Essential reading: Best Apple Watch apps
Here we've delved into the world of wearable tech from a different angle, and rounded up the best devices that can put you back in control – giving you the upper hand from the day's digital noise and saving you precious minutes that can improve the way you live.
Use Siri reminders – Apple Watch
You'd be forgiven for disregarding Siri hours after unpacking your shiny new iPhone, but on the Apple Watch it's a serious timesaver. Pressing and holding the Digital Crown enables you to bark natural language voice commands as diverse as "remind me to turn the sausages in ten minutes" to "remind me to take the bins out every Thursday." Never forget anything again.
Read more: Apple Watch review
Use Google Now cards – Android Wear
Google Now is a huge part of Android Wear's appeal, and just by using the smartwatch OS can be a turning point for your organisational habits. As well as reminding you about your next meeting, Google Now will tell you exactly what time to leave and pick the best route accordingly. It knows more about your life than you do – and if you're disorganised enough to be reading this with hope of salvation, that's exactly what you need.
In depth: Android Wear tips and tricks
Try turn-by-turn navigation – Apple Watch
For the tardy smartwatch user, the Apple Watch takes the cake when it comes to walking directions. Hooking up to Apple Maps, the Watch will guide you through every turn from your wrist, and even offer haptic guidance on your route. The only problem is Apple Map's dubious route guidance, but hopefully Google will save Apple's blushes with a dedicated app soon.
Try more cool stuff: Apple Watch ultimate guide
Use a Pomodoro app – Various
Pomodoro is a recognised technique for keeping focus, which uses a metronomic timer to keep you on task. The idea uses focused periods of work followed by a brain-clearing break, which should up your productivity. There are various Apple Watch and Android Wear apps that act as a timer for those studious bursts and it's well worth trying if you're the type to lose focus.
Supercharge your smartwatch: Best Android Wear apps
Switch to Timeline - Pebble
While there are plenty of smartwatch apps geared towards getting more done, the Pebble Time and its Timeline OS makes its business keeping you organised. It takes calendar entries, reminders and Facebook events and reflows them in chronological order to give you an overview of your day that others can't offer. What's more, Apple has looked at the result with such green-eyed envy that it's planning to launch its own Time Travel app with watchOS 2, which does much the same thing.
Get the right device: Pebble Time review
Get out of bad habits – Pavlok
Looking at Facebook too much? Can't stop watching YouTube videos when you're supposed to be working? Perhaps a little reconditioning is what you need. Pavlok – the electric shock wearable – is designed to administer punishing voltages whenever you break protocol, which should teach you to stay on task. It's science, yo.
Think outside the box: Best Apple Watch alternatives
Utilise Google Keep – Android Wear
Create immediate shopping lists and easy reminders with Google Voice and its nifty Google Keep integration. A simple "OK Google, take a note" will open the app and then you can just speak your reminder, as an easy way to do note-taking on the go.
Choose the right device: Best Android Wear watches
Cut digital noise – Various
When it's hard to focus, it's often technology that's the problem. Messages, chirps and buzzes can be the curse of concentration and sometimes a digital detox is what's needed. Of course, the logical idea is to cut yourself off from technology, but maybe throwing more tech at the problem is the best way. Smart jewellery like Altruis and Ringly are designed to filter out all but essential notifications, and Apple Watch/Android Wear users can customise alerts from your favourite apps to minimise interruptions.
Go smart: Altruis smart jewellery review
Use a brain wearable to energise – Thync
Too tired to work? Too stressed to think clearly? Perhaps the latest array of brain zapping wearables are the answer. Thync – which is soon to go on sale in the US, has an energise mode that uses electric signals to stoke receptors in the brain to boost energy, like a triple shot of caffeine. Likewise, Muse aids meditation, helping you take time out in your day, which can mitigate the pressures of deadlines.
How have wearables helped you stay on top? Or are they a constant distraction? Let us know in the comments below...
How we test
James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.