As human beings, we have limits to work for a given period of time. By working for longer hours without taking any breaks, we’re obstructing our productivity. There are many aspects affecting how much gets done during the day. We have gathered online tools, apps, and some personal tips to help you reap the benefits of productivity within your business and daily life.
Hipcal is an online calendar and to-do list. You will be reminded via phone or email about the upcoming important events. Join or create a group for projects and link up with colleagues so you always have each other’s contact information.
inDinero can help you keep on top of your budget. For anyone who is familiar with Mint.com, inDinero is similar but geared specifically toward businesses. You can link your business accounts within the site and inDinero will categorize your expenses. A dashboard will then be produced to help you see where you are spending your money and even suggest ways you can be more profitable.
RescueTime is a tool that allows you to easily understand and optimize how you and your team spend their time and attention. One of the most important things about RescueTime is that there is no data entry. You install a small application on the computers at your company and we magically track what software and which websites are actively being used. Rescue Time claims to recover 3 hours and 54 minutes a week per person.
Remember the Milk allows you to create your to-do list from anywhere. It will connect the online services of the same name – if it is Android. With millions of users worldwide, Remember the Milk is everywhere you are: from your phone to the web, to your Google apps, and more.
CamScanner is a free android app that can change your phone into a scanner. Using CamScanner you can digitize paper documents. By taking picture you may able to create a standard PDF file. You can upload the documents in the cloud more easily. Dropbox, Google Doc, etc are some of the clouds we can depend on.
Evernote is a brainstorming, idea clipping, bookmark storing powerhouse. Evernote syncs beautifully across all devices and allows you to outline your life without having to commit anything to memory.
Dragon Dictation is an iPhone app allows you to speak a memo and have it converted to text. The app then allows you to e-mail the text or manage it in various other ways.
Pixelmator can be your replacement for Photoshop. At $29, this tool comes with most of the basics included in Photoshop and is also much easier to use.
Addressing Personal Habits:
- Make it a point to take breaks! Working without taking breaks is actually very counter-productive. Everyone has a set amount of time in which they can be productive and get work done. If you feel bored or cannot concentrate fully on your task, it is probably time for a break. It is important to change pace completely – walk away, read a book on a different topic, have a quick conversation. Rather than diminishing productivity, these short breaks will allow you to maintain focus and quality on your task when you return.
- Create and follow flexible to-do lists. You don’t have to be a stickler, but keeping tabs of goals within your own set timelines is important.
- Don’t excessively wander online. If you have a problem with distraction, try something like Google Chrome’s website blocker. Instead of checking the internet all the time, try to check your emails daily.
