5 Best Productivity Tools
Your time is precious
I have a work iPad. We bought it for Coworking House when we opened, and 3+ years later, we’ve replaced the purpose it served with other tech. So I’ve been searching for a reason to use it for something else! To feel high tech and super streamlined… Maybe I’ll use it as a planner! Maybe I’ll use it for designing our social media content! Maybe…
I don’t need it currently. It’s not really adding anything to my life, so it has to go. I was spending time trying to make something fit, which really, is just added clutter to my otherwise simple business operation.
Have you done this before? Tried to make a tool fit, because others tell you how much it’s changed their lives? This was the case here. However, this travesty DID make me realize that there are tools that DO increase my productivity, that I couldn’t (don’t want to) do business without. So here’s that list, in case it’s helpful.
Social Curator: This tool allows you to schedule and automate social media posts, saving you time and energy on this important but time-consuming task. My favorite thing about this is that Jasmine gives beautiful images that are different than what’s on other stock sites, and great caption ideas to get you talking to your audience.
Calendly: This scheduling tool makes it easy to schedule meetings with clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders. Share your Calendly link and let people choose a time that works for them. I recently gave a tour at CoHo, and the person commented on how scheduling time to come in to see our space was easier than any other space he was looking at. Holla!
Canva: This design tool makes it easy to create professional-looking graphics for social media, marketing materials, and more. There are a million tips and tricks to use Canva for your business, but I suggest starting to upload your brand colors, fonts, and logo, and then playing around with all the designs!
Open.Ai I refer to this tool as my robot bff, and while it is not perfect, it gives a great first draft when you need to write standard things: email templates, faqs, etc. Use it as a starting point when you’re staring at a blank page, and then let your creativity and heart mold it into what you want to say.
Google Drive: I live and die by the Google Calendar (which Calendly integrates with), I back photos up to Google Photos, I draft content in Google Docs, and my budgeting spreadsheet lives in Sheets. I appreciate that it’s secure, I can access it from anywhere, and that auto-save feature is the dream for my former 8th-grade essay writing self. Having one place for all your business operations files and documents to live makes life simple, and easy.
Oh and as for a fancy planner on the iPad? I’ve realized over the years that a spiralbound lined notebook, coupled with my google calendar, is how I work best. Unrestricted, simple, and with a sweet nod back to the days when notes + highlighters were Queen.
What are your top productivity tools, and what do you skip over? Email me and let me know!
