Boost Your productivity with these 6 Essential Apps to Help You Stay Organized and Collaborate with Ease

Working from home can be a challenge for many people. Fortunately, there are many apps available that can help you stay productive and organized. Even when you are having a bad day. In this article, we will discuss essential apps that every home worker should be using.

Slack: Online Communication and Collaboration

The first app that every homeworker should have is Slack.
Slack is a messaging app that allows you to communicate with your team, clients and customers in real time. You can create different channels for different projects or topics, and share files and links within those channels. Think Facebook messenger, but for work, and far better.

Slack is also a great tool for remote team building, as it allows you to have casual conversations and share personal stories with your colleagues. For example, you can use Slack to discuss a new project with your team or to ask for feedback on a draft document. It is a tool that promotes both communication and collaboration.

You can learn more about Slack at https://slack.com/ or you can read this book (https://amzn.to/40FZ475) that explains how to use slack, even if you are a dummy.

An alternative to Slack is Microsoft Teams https://teamsdemo.office.com/#/

Trello: Managing your ongoing projects

The second app is Trello, a project management tool that can help you stay organized and on top of your never-ending, and growing lists of tasks. With Trello, you can create boards for different projects or departments, and add cards for specific tasks. Each card can contain a checklist, due date, attachments, and comments. It follows the Kaban methodology and is best summed up as being a digital wall where you can stick digital sticky notes.

Trello also integrates with other tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Evernote. For instance, you can use Trello to organize a marketing campaign or to keep track of your daily to-do list. There are far too many ways to use Trello, however, this article by Zapier (https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-use-trello/) will help you discover more.

You can sign up for Trello here - https://trello.com/

An alternative to Trello is https://Monday.com

Zoom: Remote communications, telephone and video conferencing.

Zoom is another essential app for home workers, especially those who need to have virtual meetings with their team or clients. With Zoom, you can host or join video calls, share your screen, record meetings, and chat with participants.

Zoom also offers features like breakout rooms, virtual backgrounds, and live polls. You can use Zoom to conduct a weekly team meeting or to give a presentation to a prospective client.

The real boon for Zoom over Microsoft Teams is the ability of paid subscription plans to integrate both telephone and video calls so it can become a one-stop shop for external calls, communications and client meetings. Indeed, many organisations appear to use Teams for internal meetings and communications and Zoom for external meetings and communications.

You can learn more about zoom at https://zoom.com

An alternative to Zoom is Zoho Meeting - https://www.zoho.com/meeting/

Evernote: Note-taking, documents and task management

Evernote is a note-taking app that can help you keep track of your ideas and notes. With Evernote, you can create notes, notebooks, and tags, and add attachments like PDFs, images, and web clippings. You can also set reminders, create to-do lists, and share notes with others.

Evernote is a great tool for capturing ideas and brainstorming sessions. For example, you can use Evernote to take notes during a conference call or to jot down your ideas for a new project. I have used Evernote for around 8 years and I find it is the perfect place to store scanned in files, and personal notes and also used as a backup for all my old writings.

You can find out more about Evernote at https://evernote.com

Google Drive: Cloud Storage

Google Drive is a cloud storage app that allows you to store, share, and collaborate on files with your team. With Google Drive, you can create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and share them with others. You can also collaborate on documents in real time, leave comments, and track changes. Google Drive is a great tool for creating and sharing documents with your team. For instance, you can use Google Drive to create a project proposal or to share a report with your boss.

You set up a Google Drive account - https://accounts.google.com

Focus@Will: Music for the digitally distracted

Last but not least is Focus@Will, a music app that can help you stay focused and productive. Focus@Will offers scientifically optimized music that can help you concentrate and block out distractions.

You can choose from different genres like classical, ambient, and acoustic, and set a timer for your work sessions. Focus@Will is a great tool for those who struggle with distractions and need to stay focused on their work. For example, you can use Focus@Will to work on a challenging task or to study for an exam.

Conclusion

In conclusion, working from home can be challenging, but you can stay productive and organized with the right apps. Slack, Trello, Zoom, Evernote, Google Drive, and Focus@Will are just a few examples of apps that can help you stay on top of your work and collaborate with your team. By incorporating these tools into your work routine, you can be sure to stay focused and productive while working from home.

TLDR

Slack, Trello, Evernote, Zoom, Google Drive and Focus@Will are all superb apps that all homeworkers should be using.