Productivity is a major requirement in the workplace for one to be considered an effective team player. To complete tasks in time and in the correct manner may sometimes be challenging depending on individual strengths and weaknesses. But this should be a thing of the past thanks to several productivity tools and apps in the market that aim to boost your effectiveness.
Not all tools will work for everyone as everyone has different needs making it important to know exactly what will work for you. You may be an efficient communicator with your other team members but have trouble finishing tasks on time. This means you need more of a productivity tool for time management rather than one for team communication.
To help you identify one that will work for you, this article discusses 10 productivity tools and apps to help you choose those you may badly need. Sit, relax, and let’s take you through these important productivity tools that will make you an effective team player.
Rental24h App
The Rental24h App is a car rental app designed to help you compare car rental prices between different car rental companies. For frequent travelers and PAs to executives who travel a lot this app will come in very handy to save time on getting the best car rental rates. The app reduces the hustle of going from one car rental app to the other comparing prices and creates a one-stop shop to compare all you would want to compare including rental policies. Apart from the app, you can also use the site Rental24h.com.
If for example you are looking for comfortable 6 seater car rentals you just search on the app and you will get a list of the best 6 seater car rental deals and you just have to choose one that is most suitable for you. Renting a 6-seater van through the app will take a considerably shorter time compared to going through several car rental apps as you compare prices before settling on one.
Hive
Hive is a multi-purpose productivity tool that helps increase efficiency in workers. Through Hive you can check your to-do lists, share files, communicate with colleagues, and even check on the progress of projects.
Hive is available as a mobile app, desktop app, and web browser. The web and desktop applications however have more features than the mobile app. Updates made on projects can be viewed by everyone to keep everyone on the same page. Tasks assigned to you appear on your to-do list helping you know what you are required to work on. This tool is free when you are two users. If you are more than two users you will have to upgrade to Hive Teams which is a paid version.
Todoist
Todoist can be considered as an upgraded version of the normal to-do list. It is a top tool recommended to help you manage your daily tasks. Apart from coming up with and organizing your tasks, you can also use the app to assign and share tasks with other team members. This feature encourages teamwork and in the process boosts productivity.
The basic version is free but has limitations on the number of projects. To enjoy unlimited projects opt for the premium version which will cost you $3.99 a month.
RescueTime
RescueTime is a top productivity tool that helps you track how you spend time on your computer or phone. You will be able to know the sites or apps you spend most time in as a way to develop better working habits. It does so automatically in the background without distracting you.
After analyzing how much time you spend on what sites and apps, it allows you to set targets and alerts to reverse or enforce traits you will have noticed. It’s a good tool to help you improve time management and efficiency in your work.
Calendly
Calendly is a great tool for scheduling meetings. It helps one avoid the back-and-forth emails associated with arranging meetings and appointments. After creating an account, you sync the app with your calendar with the option of choosing when you can be available including the duration, say 15 min, 30 mins or even an hour. To schedule a meeting or appointment with someone, you simply give them your Calendly link, and from it, they can choose the most suitable time to meet you based on your availability.
Brain.fm
Brain.fm is a great productivity tool that harnesses the power of music to help your brain achieve specific desired results. These include relaxation, focus, and even sleep. Some people don’t believe this but it is based on scientific research. You just need to select what outcome you want the app to help you achieve, have your speakers tuned to the right volume and it will do the rest. It is free but also has a paid upgraded version that comes with more features.
Chanty
Chanty is a tool that is used to promote harmony and improve communication in the work process. It helps align and arrange tasks in one space to ensure a productive work routine. With the tool, you can create, assign, and manage tasks not only on the app but also by using text messages. It also supports audio and video calls with screen-sharing capabilities available for the whole team when needed.
Evernote
Evernote is a productivity tool designed as a one-stop shop for your ideas and thoughts. Apart from taking notes on the app, It also allows you to take pictures of your handwritten notes that you can then upload to the app. With its handwriting analysis feature, you can then search for all your files whether typed or uploaded. It syncs across all your devices so you don’t have to worry about your notes if, for example, you forget your phone at home.
Forest
The Forest app is a great productivity tool for people who are always on their phones affecting their effectiveness. When you need to focus and accomplish something, you simply open the app and plant a tree. The tree continues to grow as long as you remain focused and don’t touch your phone. If you exit the app at some point before you complete your task, your tree dies.
The more you continue working, the more you plant trees and you can end up with a whole forest as a reward for your focus. To make it more fun, you can be rewarded with new tree species and soothing sounds to make the experience even more natural.
Engross
Engross is a productivity tool designed to help you improve your focus and manage your distractions. It applies the Pomodoro technique timer that helps you break your working sessions into smaller intervals to improve your productivity. In between the working sessions are break intervals that you can customize based on your preferences.
Engross also comes with a distraction tracker, a feature that helps you track how much and when you are distracted when you should be working. The basic app is free and you can download it on both Android and iOS.
Conclusion
There are lots of productivity tools available to boost your performance and efficiency. However, what works for another person may not necessarily work for you. Choosing one will ultimately depend on what you feel you need to improve on. This article has shared some of the best productivity apps available, sample them, and based on your weaknesses identify those that will make you a better performer.