At work we are constantly being pushed to do more and more, faster and faster. Our work days are getting longer and our to-do lists are never-ending. But what if I told you there was a way for you to get a handle on your workload and relieve some the stress that it’s causing you?
Productivity tools. There are three tools and applications that I use on a weekly basis that help me get more work done. By being more productive during regular working hours, I’m able to get home on time and leave the workload in the office where it belongs.
Since the rise of cloud applications, there have been a number of outstanding tools created for people busy professionals like ourselves. I tested many of the ones that created the most buzz and narrowed my productivity toolset down to three applications.
In this blog post, I will give an overview of each of these tools, discuss the benefits of using them and show you how they can help you become more productive.
1. Trello for project management
Trello is a free web-based project management application that is incredibly flexible and easy to use and helps you stay on top of any size task.
This tool is the simplest project management tool on the market. Forget the bells and whistles –Trello is purposefully lightweight and easy to use. It works by letting you create different ‘lists’ to keep your tasks organised. Under each task, you can assign specific team members, add notes and comments, attach documents and set due dates.
You should use Trello if you are struggling to keep all your to-do lists organised. If you find yourself writing your tasks on a piece of paper, crossing things out, running out of room and eventually losing the paper, then Trello is for you.
How does Trello boost productivity?
Trello puts your to-do lists on supercharge. Trello will help you prioritise what you need to get done and keep you organised so you don’t forget important items and their due dates. Since the tool is hosted in the cloud, you can access your Trello to-do lists from any mobile or tablet at work or at home. No more bringing home scrap pieces of paper or sending yourself an email reminder!
Imagine if you implemented Trello today. You’d be more organised and on top of your tasks, you’d say goodbye to paper lists and you’d be able to access all your tasks from your mobile.
In respect to pricing, Trello is free. Yes, free – can you believe it?
2. Canva for graphic design and images
Canva is a productivity tool for everyone that simplifies a number of types of design. You can use Canva to create designs for web, print, blogs, presentations, Facebook posts, invitations and more.
The best thing about Canva is you don’t need any graphic design experience. The tool is so easy to use and comes with premade templates, photos, icons and shapes. It works by asking you to select a size for your design and then proceeds to the design control center, where you can select from a wide range of layouts, fonts, icons and backgrounds. They even have stock photos and ‘premium images’ that you can pull into your designs for a small fee. Once you’re done with your design, you can publish your creation as an image or pdf with one click.
How does Canva boost productivity?
Remember that time when you had to wait on a graphic designer to finish off a couple of changes that should have only taken a few minutes? Or remember when you had to fumble your way through Adobe Photoshop – not knowing what you were doing – just to tweak a font or change some copy?
Well with Canva, those scenarios are a thing of the past. This tool will save you hours of time. No longer will you need to rely on a graphic designer, or have to pretend to be one in Photoshop, because Canva replaces these options and empowers you to quickly create high-quality designs for all your marketing needs.
Previously, I worked with a designer to create really beautiful blog post images, been using Canva for the last eight months. Now, I spend a total of five minutes and create even better graphics myself.
Check out one of the designs I’ve created for an R & G Technologies blog post:
And as if it couldn’t get any better, Canva is free to use. They do charge a small $1 fee per licensed stock photo, which, by the way, I strongly recommend using.
3. Grammarly for spelling and grammar
Grammarly is a writing-enhancement platform that helps users check their writing for errors with spelling and grammar. The tool automatically proofreads your work and acts as your personal grammar coach so you can learn from and improve upon the mistakes that you are making.
If you struggle with grammar and spend a lot of time rereading and rewriting your work to ensure there are no errors and that it makes sense, this tool if for you. It will save you so much time. The tool works by asking you to upload the document you want to check. It then automatically scans the complete document and picks up all spelling errors and checks for 30+ different types of grammatical errors.
Once the scan is done, Grammarly will show all of the errors it picked up and make recommendations for corrections. You can work through each error individually and choose to accept or ignore the recommendations. For each recommendation, Grammarly explains the error that you have made so that you understand what you did wrong and can learn from your mistake.
How does Grammarly boost productivity?
If you’re anything like me, learning proper spelling and grammar hasn’t come naturally and requires a great deal of work.
With Grammarly, no longer do you need to be second-guessing whether your spelling or grammar is correct. You can write confidently and use Grammarly to check for errors. This will save you hours upon hours of time. Furthermore, if you presently use an external editor, you will no longer need to rely on them so heavily. For smaller things, just use Grammarly and get your documents edited and proofed instantly.
Pricing is $29.99 a month, with a free 7-day trial to see what you think. Compared to how much an editor would set you back (hint: $60+ / hour), Grammarly’s monthly fee is a good deal. Plus, you’ll naturally improve as a writer and be able to spot your future spelling and grammar mistakes.
Don’t work longer, use these productivity tools to work smarter
You shouldn’t need to work through lunch and into late at night. Although our workloads are increasing, we can leverage new tools and technology to improve our productivity levels and get more stuff done.
I challenge you to think differently about the systems and processes you follow inside your organisation.
Are there any tasks that you do on a regular basis that you could leverage technology to systemise and streamline?
Try the three productivity tools I’ve discussed today and browse the internet for other ones, and trust me, there are thousands. Don’t be afraid to change the systems and processes that you and your organisation have been using for years.
The technology era has arrived. It’s time you take advantage of it to get more done.
Do you need help with choosing the right technology?
R & G Technologies is a Brisbane IT support and IT consulting firm. We help organisations across Australia use cloud computing and new technology to boost productivity. Call us on 1300 562 886 to learn how we can help you.
