Productivity is the new talk of the town. Every other day we witness a dramatic launch of a new app that claims to be the solution to our everyday productivity-related concerns. Of course, a substantial amount of dollars go into bringing these solutions to you.
If you start searching online, you will get a new app in a blink of an eye. A single click and you’re presented with a plethora of apps to deal with your definition of productivity.
But another matter of fact is that the number of options available online can also cause massive anxiety and indecisiveness. The online hunt is so tiresome that it can actually kill the purpose of opting for a productivity app altogether (ironic, isn’t it?)
This brings us to the purpose of this blog.
Today I’ve compiled a list of the best productivity tools for your personal as well as professional needs.
Benefits of Productivity Apps
The sole objective of using a productivity app is to see significant improvement in output. Therefore, before digging into these tools, let’s first have a quick overview of the benefits you can enjoy by investing in one:
1. Organizing and Decluttering
The topmost benefit of a productivity tool is the organization it brings to the chaos. No matter how much we try, the mere process of keeping a track of everything happening around us keeps us on our toes. It’s no secret that even the most organized lot out of us needs some sort of professional help.
Enter productivity tools!
The myriad of options coming with these tools helps you organize your data the way you want and get down to business. They directly impact the amount of work you get done within the stipulated time frame and hence, can help you achieve more in less time.
2. Progress Tracking
The best productivity tools in the market come with built-in modules for tracking your progress against set KPIs. This helps in keeping a check on what you or your team have been doing over time and how to strategically design a roadmap.
When it comes to the best personal productivity tools, you’re given a different set of features that greatly enhances your efficiencies.
3. Next Best Actions
When you have a blueprint of everything right under your nose, it’s quite easy to decipher the next best action. Productivity tools catapult your efficiencies to the point where it’s easy to take the next big step without any added frustration.
All the critical information and deadlines are highlighted, so you never miss any updates. Best productivity tools for work especially come in handy when assigning tasks to team members and keeping track of workload.
4. Documentation and Reporting
Undoubtedly, keeping everything stored in a productivity tool makes documentation a piece of cake. All the information is right there when you need it, or even when you don’t. So in one way, having critical information at your disposal can work wonders for your productivity.
Not only this, but if you’re someone who dreads excel spreadsheets, you need a productivity app. These tools relieve the stress of maintaining spreadsheets and make reporting convenient.
Now that we’ve had a fair share of advantages associated with productivity tools, let’s see which of these are my favorites and why exactly.
Best Productivity Tools You Should Try
1. Slack – Best Productivity Tool for Team Collaboration
An online messaging platform that helps multiple teams to collaborate at the same time.
A powerful team messaging tool designed to streamline team communication and fill all the loopholes in real time.
Starting from: $7.25/month
Pricing model: Subscription Based
Free Trial: Available
Devices: Android, iOS, Windows
Get connected to your teammates in a jiffy and find solutions on the go with Slack.
If there’s one tool that finally puts an end to complex work email chains, it’s Slack! My favorite productivity tool for team chat, Slack is what you need to instantly improve your team communication.
It puts an end to those pointless email threads and brings real-time solutions to the table. You can also share screens and connect with your remote team members through video/voice calls.
Slack also supports emojis, gifs, and embedded images to make things even more fun. All in all, Slack provides a refreshing approach toward team collaboration, while keeping things simpler at the same time.
Key Features
- Intuitive user interface to make navigation easy
- Drag and drop functionality for files sharing
- Team member mentions for addressing distinct members
- Specific team channels to promote collaboration among multiple teams
- Emoji and gifs support to give more context to messages
- Numerous third-party application integrations for developing workflows
Pros
- Free Version Available
- Team Chat
- Channels for Multiple Teams
- Customization Options
- Voice and Video Calls
- Screen Sharing
- Custom Permissions
- Two-Factor Authentication
- Message History
- Search Abilities
- Workspaces
- Multiple Integrations
Cons
- Free version has limited features
- Screen sharing available only in paid plans
- Audio and video call quality is not at par with industry standards
2. Trello – Best Personal Productivity Tool for Simple Task Management
A simple project management tool focused on planning and tracking projects, without compromising user-ease
A lightweight productivity tool that allows project tracking through customized lists and easy-to-move cards
Starting from: $5/user/month
Pricing model: Subscription Based
Free Trial: Available
Devices: Android, iOS, Mac, Web, Desktop
Say hello to Trello if you’ve been looking for a productivity tool centered on managing simple projects. A minimalist at heart, Trello wins big at organizing your project requirements through Kanban boards. The tool comes with massive customization options to give users the freedom to enjoy their work, whilst getting things done.
You can make lists according to your needs and add cards to each one of them. These cards, essentially, indicate the progress you’re currently at and give clarity over what needs to be done. Moreover, you can assign deadlines and reminders for critical tasks which require your utmost attention.
A great thing about Trello is that it works perfectly for both individuals as well as teams.
Key Features
- Kanban boards for visualizing workflow
- Tasks assignment for defining roles
- Task labels, tags, and categories to show work structure
- Comments and file attachments for giving more context
- Calendar view and due date commands to keep an eye on deadlines
- Multiple third-party integrations and power-ups for improving functionality
Pros
- Free Version Available
- Unlimited Lists and Cards
- Drag and Drop Interface
- Reminder Alerts
- Status Setting
- Tasks Assigning
- Multiple Team Boards
- Unlimited Power-Ups
- Built-in Board Templates
- Calendar View
- Custom Fields
- Hundreds of Integrations
Cons
- Advanced features are available in the paid version
- No advanced reporting tools available
- Weak security in the free version
3. Evernote – Best Productivity Tool for Note-Taking
A cloud-based note-taking solution for your everyday needs. Create, organize, and play around with your notes the way you want.
An effortless note-taking app designed to enable your mind to get clarity on all the things you need to do.
Starting from: $8.99/user/month
Pricing model: Subscription Based
Free Trial: Available
Devices: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac
Chances are you’ve already heard about Evernote and the sophistication it brings along. It is one of the best personal productivity tools you can get your hands on. Although it might seem a little pricier compared to other productivity apps available, it’s definitely worth the tag.
It would not be an overstatement if I say that there are few to almost no contenders for Evernote’s prowess. The tool smartly syncs across devices, so you don’t have to worry about accessibility. Also, the cloud storage facility lets you hoard your data for as long as you want.
Moreover, if at any point you like some online content, you can easily save parts of that web page only to be viewed later on without any hassle.
Key Features
- Notes storing and syncing across multiple devices
- Built-in meeting notes templates for instantly getting started
- Habit tracker for keeping track of your progress over time
- PDF and Word doc attachment with Notes
- Organizing notes using keywords and tags
- Integration with Gmail, Outlook, Google Drive, and more
Pros
- Web Clipping Functionality
- Pre-built Note Templates
- Notes Sync Across Devices
- Team Spaces
- Document Scanning
- Hand-Writing Search
- Keyword Tags
- Advanced Search
- Notes Sharing
- Edit Rich Text and Sketches
- Third-Party Integrations
Cons
- Paid plans are a tad bit pricier
- Fewer features in the free version
- Cap on notes size and uploads
4. Zapier – Best Productivity Tool for Workflow Automation
Zapier takes away all the credit for creating seamless workflows through the automation of commands.
A powerful tool connecting all of your multiple apps into a single workflow using the ‘If This Then That’ mechanism.
Starting from: $19.99/month
Pricing model: Subscription Based
Free Trial: Available
Devices: Web
All of us are well aware of our dependence on apps and the crazy obsession with juggling multiple platforms at once in order to get stuff done. To help ease the process, Zapier comes into play.
My personally-recommended best productivity tool, Zapier creates workflows through ‘zaps’. These are a chain of actions that are initiated through a trigger. Essentially working on the principle of If This Then That, Zapier creates interlinked connections among functions.
My only grievance with the tool is the absence of mobile apps. The tool which is supposed to connect all the apps should have one of itself too.
Key Features
- Easy and smooth creation of Zaps
- Dashboard for keeping track of progress
- Import/export through Google Sheets
- Tasks storing and tasks history access
- Sync across multiple devices
- Integrations with lots of third-party applications
Pros
- Quick and Easy Onboarding
- Loads of Third-Party Applications Support
- Zaps Creation
- Tasks and Tasks History
- Dashboard
- User-Friendly Interface
- Free Version Available
- Gmail, Dropbox, and Other Powerful Integrations
Cons
- No mobile apps
- Not suitable for enterprise-level automation
5. Google Keep – Best Productivity Tool for Checklists
Keep your inner essentialism instincts at peace with Google Keep’s simple interface and to-the-point feature set
Backed by Google, Google Keep knows how to keep an ordinary person happy through minimalistic features and a pretty interface
Starting from: Free
Pricing model: Completely Free
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
If you’re a fan of good old post-it notes for making lists, you’re in for a treat. Google Keep takes the classic sticky notes functionality up a notch by coming up with a feature set that supports more than just a standard list.
Google Keep wins hearts by keeping it to the point. You won’t find yourself lost in a sea of complicated features; neither do you find it too simplistic to even accomplish daily tasks. A perfect balance that allows you to get things done during the day without feeling overwhelmed.
However, if your productivity needs revolve around getting a more sophisticated tool, you can always opt for Evernote. Google Keep is perfect for daily grocery lists, or to-do list items.
Key Features
- Lists making and sharing with friends and family
- Integration with G-suite allows easy transfer of items
- The web version of Keep allows transcribing of text from images
- Pop-up reminders for staying updated with important details
- Location-based reminders help accomplish tasks whenever present at a specific location
Pros
- Completely Free
- Post-It Notes Like Functionality
- Unlimited Notes
- Voice Notes
- Reminder Alerts
- Sync Across Multiple Devices
- Custom Filters for Notes
- Lists Sharing
- Offline Access
- Location-Based Reminders
- Integration with Google Ecosystem
Cons
- Might come off as too simple for advanced users
- No notebooks
6. Asana – Best Productivity Tool for Task Management
Visualize your workflows and improve your productivity using Asana’s top-notch project management features
An elaborate task management solution specializing in workflow structuring and timeline management.
Starting from: $10.99 per user/month
Pricing model: Subscription-based
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
The word Asana literally translates to ‘seat’, which is widely used to refer to comfortable yoga postures.
This is exactly what Asana (the tool) does for you! It helps you get onboard and allows you to take the backseat and relax. Taking control of all of your team tasks, Asana is one of the best productivity tools for work.
It is a fast, flexible, and reliable workflow management tool that helps you quickly accomplish all of your tasks. Whether your team is remote or not, job roles and responsibilities can be distinctly assigned and performance can be tracked effortlessly.
The feature that I love the most in Asana is the timeline view. The functionality provides a clear blueprint of what lies ahead, along with an explicit indication of what exactly needs to be done over time.
Key Features
- Tasks and subtasks management for creating a streamlined workflow
- Tasks assignment, along with comments for taking real-time updates
- Timeline designing, as well as task dependencies for showing relationships
- Multiple third-party application integrations to enhance functionality
- Milestones setting to highlight important events and achievements
- A dedicated toolset for managing Agile teams
Pros
- Modern User-Interface
- Easy Task Assignment
- Activity Feed
- Project Templates
- File Attachment with Tasks
- Task Comments
- Priorities and Due Date Setting
- Task Dependencies
- Multiple Workspaces
- Real-time Updates
- Project Timeline
- Notification Reminders
Cons
- The learning curve can be steep for beginners
- The free version comes with limited functionality
And it’s a wrap!
Do you use any productivity apps for yourself or your team? Share your experience and I’d love to add those insights to my blog.