If you are like most of us, staying on task at work seems like a pipe-dream most of the time. Digital distractions and human interruptions can completely derail your workflow, and before you know it, the day is gone. Perpetually falling behind on projects will leave you overwhelmed, de-motivated, and maybe even a little depressed.
You aren’t alone: It’s a feeling we’ve all experienced at one point or another.
Thankfully, there are some really great tools out there to help streamline your workflow, set priorities, and stay on task. Once you find the perfect fit, you’ll feel a weight lifted as you zoom through your daily to-do list. Since productivity breeds more productivity, it won’t be long before your team (and boss) notice your recent rock-star status. Soon, they’ll be seeking YOU out for productivity tips.
Before you let another eight-hour workday fly by faster than you can say “Jack Robinson,” check out some of our favorite tools to keep you on task, on time, and on budget:
- Pocket: Have you ever read half of an amazing article or blog post, only to be pulled out into a meeting or conference call? With Pocket’s Chrome extension, you can save it to finish reading later. Our favorite part of this handy app is the tagging function used to organize those amazing articles.
- Thrive Day Planner: If you are tired of keeping up with a paper-based day planner, Thrive is something you’ll want to check out. It looks very similar to the book you’re used to carrying around, but you’ll be amazed at how much more it can do. Track yearly goals, profits, and productivity all on one handy screen!
- StayFocused: Are you guilty of keeping twenty extra tabs open at the top of your web browser? Have you every tracked how much time you waste by mindlessly clicking through all of them during a workday lull hoping something magical might happen? This extension gives you control to block certain websites (ahem…Facebook) when you really need to focus on your work.
- TopTracker: Whether you manage a large team, or are out in the freelancing world, TopTracker could soon be your best friend. This handy platform handles projects, time tracking, and much more. The best part? It’s FREE.
- Wunderlist: Have you ever been in the middle of a workout and suddenly remembered a task that needed to be done back at work? With Wunderlist, you can quickly add it to one of many customizable and sharable lists right on your smartphone. When you get back to work, Wunderlist will sync it to your desktop.
- Hootsuite: Are you in charge of publishing social media posts for your organization? Hootsuite could be your best friend. You’ll save so much time pre-scheduling posts on any platform, keeping up with each of your streams, and collaborating with other team members.
For more great tips on increasing your productivity, we highly recommend this article.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below, or drop us a line!
