The office work organization and self-development is a neverending story. There are no universal rules on how to manage your work and communication; it all depends on a person or a team. Thanks to technological development, we have many opportunities to experiment with.
With that in mind, we made a list of the main components of the workplace and chose the best office apps accordingly.
Communication.
Information flow and providing each other with honest feedback is the core of a well cooperating team. Especially if the company is large or has non-local branches. That’s why the selection here is:
Slack.
An extensive corporate kind of communicator that offers both private and group chats and phone calls. It’s possible to create guest accounts to arrange discussions with third parties, as well. Slack improves project coordination and data organization (all information is easily searchable in your conversations). The communicator is also integrated with apps like OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Calendar, etc.
FaxBurner.
Fax is not dead! FaxBurner is an office app that enables sending free fax via your mobile phone. Fax helps you make sure that important documents will get on time even if the internet connection in the receiver’s office is unstable.
iBrainstorm.
This brainstorming app lets your team confront each other’s ideas and opinions far from markers and whiteboards. Create your own private project and share them afterward with your colleagues. You all can make notes and drawings — just like on a traditional board. Stay connected and included even on assignments abroad.
First Agenda.
My boss once said that a meeting without a proper agenda is as pointless as tea without milk. Nothing more right! Plan the gathering carefully in advance, so it’s crystal clear what it’s going to be about, what should the team members expect and prepare beforehand. All users can also make documentation of the planned meeting, or even record everything with the app.
Self-discipline.
Let’s not get carried away with unhealthy work pressure. That’s not what self-discipline at work means. Sensible organization, responsible distribution of tasks as well as carefully thought postponing deadlines are the keys to the highest possible work efficiency. Here’s a couple of office apps to make your own work more productive.
Todoist.
It’s easy to get yourself buried under layers of notebooks and sticky notes. Trying to keep track of your tasks with the help of technology may also be confusing and get chaotic very easily. Although Todoist deserves to get a chance! Keep all your lists in one place, and in a very transparent system. With the app, you can measure your progress and develop healthy productivity habits.
Clockify.
Having a lot on your plate causes awful chaos and panic, especially if you’re losing track of time while doing your tasks. Using just the timer and alarms in your phone is alright as a one-off. Although as for a long-term solution, it’s not productive nor measurable at all. Clockify lets you observe how much time particular activities take, what you’re spending too much or too little time on. You can create different projects and measure time for all the separate activities and tasks within. Keep in mind that it’s not about making you feel overwhelmed by the clock ticking. You have to observe yourself better, to get better results in the future.
Google Keep.
Google Keep is a universal, multifunctional keep-it-together app. It’s a great tool to make super quick notes and take memo pictures to have them selected and distributed by the end of the day. The app is shareable so you can swap or enlarge, e.g., shopping lists with other users.
Mental wellbeing.
Every employee’s mental state is in a company’s best interest. The sense of stress, pressure and high expectations, even if groundless, has a devastating influence on our mind and nervous system. It would be perfect if your employer offered, e.g., mindfulness workshops. In the meanwhile, you can find an outlet for your emotions that would just fit your needs.
Jour.
It’s an encrypted journal app for your own private use. Writing down what’s eating you is a popular form of self-therapy. Get all the stress, negative emotions, and thoughts out of yourself after a long workday. With the app you’ll be able to write every time and place. You won’t have to remember to take your notebook and pen along with you.
Calm.
Meditation should also be a part of your daily routine. Calm will help you develop this healthy habit. Meditation is a wonderful break for your mind and body. With this app you can also adjust your body clock and take care of the quality of your sleep.
How about you, Dear Readers? What are your favorite methods of organizing work? Maybe you’d like to share your office app picks with us? We’re waiting for your opinions in the comments!
