The popularity of productivity apps like Slack has recently been questioned. According to some, these tools should make our lives easier and help us accomplish more in a shorter amount of time, but they actually do the opposite.
Using productivity tools more productively moving forward is the topic of this article. It’s time to get started!
What Is A Productivity Tool?
Whenever a software or app helps a person accomplish more in less time, we’re defining it as a productivity tool. CloudApp, Slack, Dropbox, G Suite, Trello, and Dropbox are among the most popular productivity apps.
The tools on this list are meant to make your professional life easier. In order to determine whether they succeeded in their goal, let’s examine their performance.
How Effective Are Productivity Apps?
Consider this for a moment: do the tools you use on a daily basis really lead to greater productivity? Your response might surprise you if you answer honestly. Using productivity apps can help us accomplish more tasks and become more efficient. There are, however, exceptions to this rule. If we’re not careful, they can lead to a slowdown.
In reality, most productivity apps serve a valuable purpose and can bring a whole new level of productivity to our lives. Our tools aren’t always used effectively, which is why we don’t always make the most of them.
Consider Slack as an example. The tool is great for communication between professionals, allowing them to find important conversations at a later time and converse quickly. In this case, Slack actually becomes a hindrance to productivity rather than a tool if you use it constantly to discuss local sports teams instead of working. More information is available at simplerlist.com.
Productivity Apps: How to Use Them
In this article, we’ve established that productivity tools aren’t the problem; using them in the right way is. Keep reading if you’ve tried making Slack, G Suite, Trello, and other productivity apps work while you’ve been unable to figure out the code.Keep reading if you’ve tried making Slack, G Suite, Trello, and other productivity apps work while you’ve been unable to figure out the code.
As we proceed through this section, we will outline five best practices for making use of productivity tools. Do not worry if you use some obscure app, these best-practices apply to all tools available. However, you will still be able to benefit from the following advice.
1. Don’t use more than you need
We overindulge in productivity tools, which is one of the problems. There seems to be some obsession among professionals with finding the latest and greatest app and incorporating it into their daily routine. There is a significant risk of productivity being negatively affected by this habit.
If you currently use productivity apps, consider asking yourself, Do I really need this? Remove it from your technology stack if the answer is no.
Although Trello is a great tool, it doesn’t help you become more productive if you have to spend more time creating cards than completing tasks. There is a similar rule that applies to every productivity tool currently on the market.
Utilize only those tools and tools that are actually relevant to you as a professional as an individual.
2. Become familiar with your app’s features
When you decide which app(s) you’ll use regularly, it’s time to familiarize yourself with them. When we aren’t aware of how to use productivity apps correctly, they can hurt our productivity. Trying to find out how to access key features on YouTube is a waste of time. This trap is not for the faint of heart!
Taking a few minutes to learn the key features, keyboard shortcuts, and other nuances of your app will save you a lot of time in the end.
3. Apps for Productivity Integration
The good news is that productivity apps can help you work faster and better. When you’re constantly switching between 12 different tools, your productivity gains will vanish if you’re wasting too many minutes switching between them.
We already discussed the first remedy for this problem: reduce how many apps you use frequently. Twelve apps are rarely a good idea under any circumstance.
You can also reduce friction between your tools by integrating them together. There are many productivity apps that integrate seamlessly with one another. In case your tools don’t, Zapier is always there to help.
If you want to connect Zapier with Dropbox, Slack, and your email provider, you can do so. A Slack notification alerting your team will be sent automatically when an email with an attachment comes in from a particular sender.
In the beginning, you will have to invest some time in learning this tip. Your tools will need to be connected for about a half-hour. You’ll become more productive once you complete the task.You’ll become more productive once you complete the task.
Lucas Noah, a distinguished writer with a Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) degree, is currently enriching the digital spaces of Creative Outrank LLC and Oceana Express LLC with his expertise. His professional background in technology lays a solid foundat... Read more