There are only so many hours in the day, and we want to make sure that we get the most out of those hours. Especially when there is work to deliver and deadlines to meet. So how can you get more time in the day? You can get more productive! And how can you get more productive? You use the available tools to streamline your processes and prevent you from having to double handle tasks.
Want to know more? Then have a read of our favourite 10 productivity tools.
1: Xero [https://www.xero.com/nz/]
This powerhouse accounting system does it all. With automatic bank feeds you can reconcile your accounts in minutes. Do you do work for the same clients every month? Then set up a recurring invoice to automatically send to them. Load all your receipts and bills with the click of a button. Calculate your Tax and GST in minutes. Give your accountant access to your Xero subscription so that they can see all of your daily transactions. A super time saver in the accounting department.
2: Insightly [https://www.insightly.com]
Looking to manage all of your client records in one place? Then Insightly is the CRM for you. With integrations to Gmail and Xero, you can do all your emailing, invoicing, and client management from one place. You can also manage your to do list, the progress of enquiries and link all your team members also.
3: Google Keep [https://www.google.com/keep/]
If you are on the go and you need to write something down, then jot it into Google Keep. It is perfect for keeping notes in one central place. Never lose little pieces of paper again, and never lose those genius ideas that you have in line at the coffee shop either!
4: Feedly [https://feedly.com/i/welcome]
For all the content you could ever want! Customise your feed so that you can follow the blogs that really interest you. Love digital marketing, finance, or food? You can follow them all here. Set up lists so that you can instantly have reading material in front of you, no more wasting time hunting for the right blog. If you create content for your business, then you can get fantastic inspiration here without trawling site after site.
5: BuzzSumo [https://app.buzzsumo.com/research/most-shared]
Hunting for a topic to blog on? Check BuzzSumo for what is hot in your industry right now, then write your own take on it. Save hours of pondering what to write about. BuzzSumo tells you exactly what people want to read, so write about that!
6: Freedom [https://freedom.to/]
Do you find yourself constantly getting distracted by social media or online shopping when you are meant to be working? Freedom is an app that can block these things for a designated time period across all of your devices. Focus on your work, not your notifications to up your productivity massively.
7: Daily Water [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daily-water-free-water-reminder-and-counter/id466387763?mt=8]
Do you find yourself getting absorbed in what you are doing, forgetting to take a break to stretch or get a drink? This app will remind you to do it at regular intervals. When you are stuck into a task it can seem counter-productive to take a break. But a short break will energise you and you will be even more focused when you return.
8: Stitcher [http://www.stitcher.com/]
Are you wanting to upskill yourself, but can’t find the time? Maybe you want some motivation, or to learn about a certain topic? Then you need podcasts in your life. Stitcher is the way to listen to a massive range of fascinating podcasts. You can save your favourites, or try something new. The best part is, you can listen on the go to maximise your commute to work, or your lunch break.
9: Jell [https://jell.com/]
Need to communicate with your team, but don’t want to waste 30mins on a briefing meeting? Then use Jell. It allows you to communicate information on where projects are at, what everyone’s tasks are, and how you are tracking – all in one place. It also integrates with Slack for speedy communication.
10: Headspace [https://www.headspace.com/]
Begin your day in a mindful way. Meditation allows you to stay focused on tasks for longer and do less task switching during the day. Headspace is an app that provides you with 10 minutes guided meditations designed to help you gear up for the day.