During the pandemic, I’ve stuck to a strict work schedule. Sure, there are some “Groundhog Day” feelings to the whole remote lifestyle, but I’ve finally melded into a new routine. My productivity has skyrocketed, and while my hours are longer, they’re somehow more enjoyable. After thinking back to the reasons why I’m loving the remote work lifestyle, I can attribute it to two things: spending more time with Bob (naturally) and six apps that streamline my life. Today, I wanted to share my recommendations for the best productivity apps to help you get as much out of your day as possible!
Best Productivity Apps
Okay, these apps are meant to help you stay on track while safely social distancing and working from home. Keep in mind, some of them require membership fees but many are completely free!
Unroll.Me
FREE
Do you subscribe to a bunch of newsletters (whether you want to or not)? Personally, I receive more than a hundred newsletters for brands, news outlets, bloggers, content creators, non-profits, etc. Over time, they all started to pile up in my inbox and cause me unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Unroll Me simplified things by combining individual newsletters into ONE daily email (or even weekly, depending on which frequency you choose). Think of it like a digest. Don’t worry, you still have the option to keep individual newsletters separated from the rest. Best of all, you can unsubscribe to newsletters in an instant on their dashboard. Love that!
IFTTT (If This Than That)
FREE
I’m all about working smarter, not harder. If This Than That is a brilliant software platform that creates shortcuts for certain actions. IFTTT calls the shortcuts “recipes.” Instead of diving into every single recipe option, check out this blog post for 35 useful IFTTT options.
Canva
Pro Membership is $120 / year
Oh, how I love Canva! Talk about a crucial resource for all things design. Since I’ve never had graphic design help for Style Charade posts, I’m often trying to make my way through product collages, invitations, marketing collateral, branded materials, etc. Canva streamlines this process. Highly recommended!
Teux Deux
FREE 30-day trial
This app came as a recommendation from a former colleague. Teux-Deux is a subscription services that keeps track of your “to-do” lists from week-to-week. I love using it for work and personal lists. There aren’t a bunch of bells and whistles, but I love the formatting, and I even share an account with Bob so we can tackle our “couple to-do’s” and tasks. Fair warning: if you are not someone who’s good about keeping a routine, do not purchase a subscription. You have to be diligent about using the app for the cost to make sense.
Blogovin’
FREE
Yes, Bloglovin’ has been around for quite awhile. But frankly, I love waking up to their daily digests and round-ups of all my favorite bloggers. It’s a quick and easy way to skim through what people are posting, and it allows me to pick and choose what to read each morning.
Frankly, it’s hard to keep track of what everyone is publishing. I’m an avid reader of blogs, and I end up checking out hundreds of blog posts per week for my full-time job. Check out Bloglovin‘ for yourself!
Microsoft Teams
Premium Plans start at $5.00/user/month
I’m not going to spend too much time talking about Teams, but let’s just say it’s been super helpful for my full-time job. Between Slack, Basecamp, Trello, and the countless other services that I’ve tried, Teams is my fave. The other ones just feel like a Soho House membership simply to say you’re a member. Teams is simple, straight-forward, and saves time that would have otherwise ended up being a long winded email. Please note the premium plans require a one-year commitment.
Honorable Mention
For the past few months, I’ve been testing out a few other apps. Since they’re newer-to-me-brands, I didn’t want to include them in this list just yet. However, I did want to highlight them in case you’ve been seeking similar solutions:
Loom
DIFFERENT TIERS ($0-12/month)
Did you know you speak six times faster than you type? Imagine if you could provide thorough edits to documents, presentations, proposals, and emails in an interactive and engaging way.
Enter Loom. It’s AMAZING. Especially if you’re in a job or industry that requires a constant (and consistent) flow of communication and/or managing other team members.
Plus, have you ever felt like someone has taken the tone of your email different than your intention? Loom bridges that gap and makes sure your actual feedback gets across.
Sadly, I’m not currently using it for my full-time job. However, I’m doing a test run to see what I think about it on the blog side of things. So far, I love it!
Other Recommendations?
What are your recommendations for the best productivity apps? Feel free to leave a comment below – I’d love to hear!