With the pandemic shifting the way we do business, we have all had to make changes in our daily flow and the overall setup of our office spaces. That has us all trying new tools, sometimes outside our own comfort zones, to stay productive. (By the way, if you haven’t yet, go check out the free Pandemic Pivot guide. It can get you back on track into Q3 and beyond.)
So which new tools are you experimenting with these days? I’ve picked up a few new ones, during this pandemic uncertainty. Here are just a few I’m finding helpful.
Productivity
Focusmate
I’ve talked about this tool before. (Learn how it can be your best ally here and more about why I love it here.) Focusmate brings that accountability that comes with working in an office environment to your home office, or wherever you are, by setting you up with a live, remote accountability partner for 50 minute work periods. It’s stellar for knocking out projects throughout the day.
Roam Research
This is a great note taking app that I’ve been leveraging. As a bit of a productivity geek, I’m constantly searching for a better option. So far, Roam has been hitting a lot of marks. You can check out my friend Mickey Mellen’s overview and videos about using Roam here.
Calendly
We’ve been using this one for a while, but during this pandemic, stay-at-home season, calendly has been carrying a lot for us. Integrating with Zoom, Calendly lets our clients and friends set up meetings with us at their convenience, when they can’t just pop into the office.
Communication
Loom
I started using this video/screenshare tool before the pandemic work-at-home shift, but now that I’m not face to face with my colleagues as often I find myself using it even more. It’s a great way to talk through different ideas, client communication, or assignments, since I can share my screen as you see me speak. I can easily assign tasks or explain a concept to keep projects on task.
Zoom
Yes, we are all using Zoom these days, including our grade school kids. But have you tried out all their awesome integrations yet? That’s what’s been setting Zoom apart for us as our go-to communication tool among the McNary team and with our contractors and clients. We can link it up with our Google calendars or Slack conversations and it’s just set to go.
Miscellaneous Business Tasks
CashFlowTool
I use this tool to help project cash flow, a necessary task for any business owner and particularly important in these murky days of pandemic. I was a beta tester for this tool and was really pleased with the process so I’ve been using it ever since. It integrates nicely with QuickBooks and just helps bring clarity to finances.
SocialBee
This has become our go-to social media automator. We love how powerful SocialBee is, letting us set up posts by category and send them out to our favorite social profiles. And of course, the tracking is key. Automation is critical to staying productive and not reinventing the wheel.
Bonus
SiriusXM
I don’t know if this is a tool, per se, but it’s definitely been a great addition to my workflow. They are offering a free four month trial. It’s a great way to change up the doldrums of the daily work-from-home routine. Some of my current favorite channels include: Calm, Spa, Real Jazz, Cinemagic, B.B. King’s Bluesville, Lithium, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
I’m always on the lookout for tools that can make our work lives easier, more efficient, and more productive. In fact, you can check out all my favorite digital tools over in the Freebies section. These are just a few standouts during the pandemic. I’d love to hear what you’ve discovered. Drop me a line and let me know.