No business can thrive without adequate productivity. But even the most productive and enthusiastic individuals, teams, and corporations require careful management, planning, and collaboration. Unfortunately, these essential business tools can be challenging to organize, especially as your company grows and you balance work and home life.
Fortunately, there are numerous excellent and intuitive apps available for almost all phones using iOS and Android. Many apps are also available as desktop or web programs for Linux and Windows operating systems. Additionally, integration with existing apps is common such as integrating Calendar with Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook.
Calendar – Integration with Others
It’s not uncommon to keep personal and business life separate and in separate calendar apps. Apps like Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook are excellent on their own, but you can find yourself switching between them. However, doing so can lead to scheduling conflicts and forgotten events. Fortunately, there is one planner to rule them all.
Calendar is a web app accessed via mobile or desktop web browsers such as Chrome or Firefox. This intuitive app can merge data from your existing schedulers like Google Calendar and Outlook into one. It will also sync up with other apps. So anything created in one will show in Calendar and vice versa.
Systems: Web Browsers
Trello – Professional Collaboration
Most of your business likely revolves around collaboration with others. For example, you cannot hope to be the best florist in your area without meeting with your team, suppliers, delivery drivers, and clients. Trello is one of the best management and collaboration tools available. It’s kind of a business version of Todoist.
As such, Trello can appear a little more professional than similar apps, putting some people off. But once you learn how to use the interface, it is compelling. Trello allows you to arrange meetings, set deadlines, and organize tasks. But the real power is its robust real-time system that allows quick changes and asynchronous communication.
Systems: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web Browsers
Todoist – Simplified Task Management
Running a business can get in the way of life, and life can get in the way of running a business. You can easily forget simple tasks like picking up groceries or attending your child’s play. While you probably already create simple To-Do lists in your journal or calendar app, they sometimes get spread across multiple devices or apps and can be missed.
Todoist simplifies complex tasks by allowing you to add functions as projects. For example, you can set deadlines, schedule specific times and dates and organize tasks into projects. This way, the app always knows what you are doing and when, so nothing is missed or double-booked. You can also manage tasks by priority, and the app comes with a nifty reporting feature.
Systems: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web Browsers
Airtable – Familiar and Powerful
Whether you operate a large-scale international shipping company or a street corner café, you must manage productivity and projects. There are numerous project management apps and programs available, but they can be tricky to learn. Airtable isn’t the easiest to learn as it requires some knowledge of functions.
The fact that it operates as a spreadsheet program means it is familiar to anyone who has used apps like Excel in the past. However, Airtable is more powerful than Excel and others in that you can manage projects just by clicking. In progress and planned projects are broken down into smaller tasks, and you can assign priorities to each task.
Systems: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Monday – Large-Scale Collaboration
Project management apps like Trello are excellent for collaboration and communication with smaller teams. But there may come the point where you require something more robust. Monday is a collaboration and project management tool aimed at growing or larger-scale projects where multiple teams and tasks are managed simultaneously.
Surprisingly, the interface is more simplified than other management apps of the same caliber. For example, you can manage tasks, teams, and individuals using timeline and task views. And you can also utilize multiple views for tracking progress, assigning new jobs, or acquiring reports. Additionally, Monday also supports file sharing between various parties.
Systems: iOS, Android, Web Browsers
Doodle – Makes Meetings Happen
Doodle is one of the best collaboration management tools available because it is straightforward to use. The interface operates precisely like a spreadsheet-based planner, yet meetings and collaboration features are built-in. Many planners are available, but Doodle comes into its own when arranging meetings, video calls, or conferences.
The app can organize collaboration around availability, events, and even time zones. Essentially, if you use this tool, you can make a meeting happen. The system works best when each user sets their availability times for others to see. You can then plan events accordingly. Additionally, Doodle can integrate with other apps like Outlook and Google Calendar.
Systems: Web Browsers
Toggl – Keep Track of Time
Money is vital in business, but time is valuable. Unfortunately, time is the only thing you cannot ever get back, so it’s essential to make the most of it. Toggl is among the best tracking apps and will allow you to track the progress of any task. However, its main feature will show you just how much time you’re spending on individual clients.
With individual tracking information, you can make decisions about how much you should charge for your expertise. Expertise such as start to finish projects, consultation, and employee labor. You can then translate this information to your invoices. The great thing about Toggl is that its interface is straightforward, and the app is cross-platform between mobile and desktop operating systems.
Systems: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web Browsers
Forest – Focused Productivity
A recent survey in the United States found that the average American spends almost 4 hours per day on their smartphone. That equates to 50 days, a highly shocking loss of time that you could spend being more productive. Unfortunately, you might be one of those people who spends too much time on their phone. Fortunately, like everything else, there’s an app for that.
Forest is a friendly app that turns staying away from your phone into a game. The idea is that you set a task and focus on it for a set amount of time. In that time, the tree will grow. Pick up your phone, and the plant will die. A successful plant will earn coins. You can use coins to purchase natural seeds for planting in underdeveloped countries.
Systems: iOS, Android
