With so many distractions on the internet and in real life, accomplishing all your goals feels like an abstract dream of the faraway future. All you need to do is to strengthen your resolve and get on with things. But it’s easier said than done.
Fortunately, you can help yourself get out of the funk by training yourself to see the silver lining, reflecting on your goals and motivations, and trying out a new stimulating hobby, among other things. You can also help yourself become more productive by using tools that will ease some of your daily struggles.
Optimize your time and get more work done with the help of these tools.
High-Speed Internet or Wi-Fi
Nearly everything can be done through the internet. Users can communicate, make transactions, collect and share information, and do a wealth of things with their computer or smartphone as long as there’s an internet connection.
It has taken the “office” out of skyscrapers and small cubicles. Because of the internet, modern professionals can work anywhere, anytime. Some jobs, like research, marketing, retailing, and customer service, have been made easier and more efficient by the internet.
For example, market researchers can create polls on social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr) to identify the needs of different demographics, which use up less resources and yield faster results than does handing out product surveys on the street and different institutions.
While the internet has brought its fair share of disadvantages, it also has given many benefits to users, institutions, and organizations and given birth to many industries.
Cloud-Based Apps
Cloud computing is the latest technology that allows rapid transfer and sharing of data and a host of other functions. How does this impact your productivity? Cloud computing technology has brought many applications that have made work faster, easier, and more efficient.
Cloud-based office suites and drives are some of the most useful products of this technology. G Suite, Office 365, OnlyOffice, Dropbox, and iCloud allow modern professionals to create, store, share, access, and manage documents, sheets, presentations and media across many devices through the internet.
Whether you’re working on a report or presentation, you no longer need to transfer files to a USB or attach them to an email (which has a size limit, by the way). You and other users with the right permissions can access them in different computers and smart devices as long as there’s an internet connection.
This makes the revision process much faster since users can review, comment, and edit the document anytime when it’s done.
Smart Typewriter
In this age of information, internet users are bombarded with new content every day. This makes it easier to find information and stay updated on latest events and advancements. It’s one of the reasons the new generation is the most educated group among other generations. However, the unprecedented open and rapid sharing of information has also made it more difficult for the new generation to concentrate on one thing.
The smart typewriter was invented for the primary reason of helping authors, writers, journalists, and other professionals avoid all the distractions that the internet has to offer and help increase productivity.
Unlike the old typewriter, the modern version is portable and paperless. You can take the portable smart typewriter indoors or out and online and offline. Most smart typewriters can store millions of pages in its internal memory. They can also use cloud technology to back up your files and share them across your smart devices.
Group Chat Apps
Communication is a crucial part of working with people. Misinformation and misunderstandings are some of the common problems that arise from poor communication. In a team, it’s important to open several avenues for members to communicate, more so if they’re working in different places and times.
Email, voice call, and video conferencing have made rapid communication possible for people who are in different places and parts of the world. In the recent years, group chatting has also become a popular way for people to connect faster and easier.
Group chat applications are especially useful in the professional setting. These let you send short messages, ask for quick updates, and give immediate feedback, without all the formalities you use in sending emails.
Time Tracker
Time management is a necessary skill to be productive. Setting a time frame and following a schedule can help you maximize your time to complete your tasks before the deadline.
But constantly keeping track of time can weigh you down. Fortunately, there are several time-tracking applications that can relieve the pressure and help you manage your time. Apps like Toggle, TrackingTime, and Harvest let you keep track of how much time you’ve spent on a task, calculate billable time, and create weekly productivity reports.
Some time-tracking apps also send reminders, offer pleasing visual timelines, schedule meetings and take screenshots. With a time tracker, you can set the turnaround time of different tasks, increase your efficiency and monitor your productivity levels.
Pen and Paper
No matter how digital the world becomes, the good ol’ pen-and-paper pair will always find a place in the many circles—students, teachers, office workers, government officials, etc. It’s a ubiquitous tool for many reasons.
Writing concepts with a pen and paper increases your recall and understanding of them. People have also noted the effectiveness of organizing thoughts on paper. You’re compelled to stretch your brain, form words out of abstract thoughts, and illustrate the symbols or characters that represent these ideas, which is an exercise that requires concentration.
When writing with a pen and paper, you can slow down; every person needs to calm down and think clearly when they’re being overwhelmed by much stimuli.
Final Word
Work tools help ease certain tasks, maximize your time, and make you more effective and efficient as long as they’re used properly. Of course, the good tools won’t have much of an effect if you yourself lack the motivation and skills to be productive.
Tools can’t address the root cause of your problems. If you want to be more productive, you need to change how you manage your time, reassess your goals and put your good intentions to action.
