What tools do you use to stay productive?
Interview with Alexandra Cote, a remote digital marketer and freelancer
I'm going to be boring here and tell you I've nailed productivity back in school, so I don't have any issues staying focused. I'm also the exact opposite of a procrastinator.
In time, I've come to realize I need to take care of important tasks firsts if I want to achieve my top goals. This is why I always try to finish ALL of my work first and then just take a larger break. Works for me, might not work for you. Always remember to take breaks though!
If you need motivation, just think of your higher targets. Then, make decisions based on how each action of yours will help you get towards your main goal.
This is really the only secret you need: only do things that will help you with your key life goals. All else can wait.
I do use certain small tools and Chrome extensions that have honestly become a part of my life, so I see them as essentials, not just tools. Google Docs, Hootsuite, TweetDeck, Canva [I'll count it as a productivity tool because I also use Affinity Designer for complex work, but Canva just makes it all faster.], Grammarly, and MozBar.
These essentially save your life so many times.
Alexandra juggles freelancing, a full-time remote job, YouTube, and Skillshare instructing. How does she manage it all? Find out in her interview.
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Interview with Cameron, a designer who works remotely at a WordPress agency
This is actually a topic I love to nerd-out about! I've probably tried every to-do list app and strategy you can think of. My current approach (and the one that works best for me) includes a mix of software and good old fashioned pen and paper.
Being a remote worker, it can sometimes feel lonely and cause us to spend too much time on social media.
I find the need to block these social media sites during most of the work day which is why I use an app called FocusMe which lets me set a time period to block distracting websites.
I also use a Pomodoro timer called Be Focused Pro which lets you break your workday into 25-minute blocks with a 5-minute break after each block. I use these 5-minute blocks for things like getting coffee, stretching or walking my dog.
This prevents me from sitting in front of the computer for 8 hours straight which can cause some long-term physical and mental problems.
In terms of to-do lists, I've found the best method for me is pen and paper because I'm such an “out of sight, out of mind” type of person.
Learn how Cameron started full-time remote work after trying freelancing and starting a digital agency.
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Interview with Andrew, co-founder and CEO of Insured Nomads
Andrew, co-founder, and CEO of Insured Nomads talks traveling while working, productivity tools, and the best advice he has received.
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Interview with Patryk, a Front-end Developer & UI Designer
Memo notes. 📝 Seriously.
I tried out dozens of shiny apps and read hundreds of articles on productivity. And this old school item is the simplest and the most powerful solution.
Each evening, I write down up to 3 tasks I want to accomplish. The key idea is focusing on what's the most important right now. The next day, I don't need to prioritize.
Patryk has learned that there is no reason to wait for the flow - once you start working, it will happen naturally.
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Interview with Alaina, a nonprofit program state director
I like to keep it old school with written to-do notes in a notebook.
Something about physically writing tasks and adding sub-notes or crossing out completed tasks on paper is more gratifying than typing it up on the computer.
A very simple tool I use in my Gmail is the starred email feature. In Gmail settings, there is an option to have different color stars or markings like the red and yellow exclamation points. I use those stars to sort my inbox and keep track of emails I need to follow-up on.
If I have a task that is time sensitive, I will create a task on my calendar.
A habit I use to employ and need to get back to is time blocking my day on my calendar with events and using my Google Calendar as an extension of my to-do list. This method is also helpful for getting a visual layout of tasks for the day and seeing where your time is spent.
It takes a minute to find your rhythm in a new remote position—hear how Alaina organizes her time to hit the ground running in a new remote work job.
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Interview with Dane, a freelance writer and author with 7 published books
As far as freelancing sites go, I use Upwork and PeoplePerHour. I also have a website and my portfolio is on SlideShare, which helps to give it a little extra exposure. And I sometimes get leads through my social media presences as well, predominantly from LinkedIn and Twitter.
Other tools that I use quite a lot include Dropbox and Google Docs for storing and sharing files, Slack and Skype for communication and occasionally Trello for project management.
I spend a lot of time in WordPress admin panels as well. But it really depends upon the client, and I’m generally quite flexible about what I use. All I actually need to write copy is Microsoft Word to write it in and Google Chrome to carry out a little research and to find sources.
Dane is a freelance writer and author who works remotely, and balances client work with writing his own books.
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Interview with Kirsten and Jay-Allen, remote team coaches & collaboration experts
- Google Calendar (and it’s reminders)
- Music apps
- Standing desk and ergonomic chair
- Putting phone and Apple Watch on silent
- Trello
It might be worth mentioning our favourite remote collaboration tools here too:
- Google slides for interactive workshops (the barrier to entry is low, the co-editing limit is high, and accessibility is easy)
- Zoom
- Mural
- Asynchronous communication - while it’s not a tool, it is a method that is really useful in remote teams, especially when there are many timezones at play.
Remote team coaches, Kirsten and Jay-Allen, offer three pieces of advice for new remote workers and reveal the one question every remote job seeker should prepare to answer.
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Interview with Henry, a consultant who found remote work by saying No
These are the ten tools I use every day, specifically because we are a fully remote team. We also use Xero (accounting software), Gmail (email), and other basic tools—I just wouldn't consider those remote-specific.
Check out the Build Remote Remote Tools site for a full list of tools that people in my network use.
Sometimes a "no" can lead to an exceptional opportunity. For Henry, that answer led to an ideal remote work career. In this interview, Henry shares his remote work tool stack, and essential tip for remote employees and managers.
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Interview with Chloe, a customer support freelancer and multi-project expert
I have a MacBook, a Mac Desktop, a printer/scanner and my trusty pen, paper, highlighters, and binders for each project.
Chloe uses the flexibility of freelancing to her advantage—see how she successfully manages multiple projects at one time.
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Interview with Melissa, a co-founder and remote work champion
This has always been a challenge for me even before I started working remotely. I've purchased every brand of planner and platform there is.
Where I'm at now is a very simple Excel spreadsheet shared with my business partner in Google Drive.
We have three columns, my to-do's, her to-do's, and our "middle of night thoughts." The third column is critical for me because sometimes you don't know where to start with an idea so I just need to put it down in a list and then divvy it into actionable tasks at another time.
This works now because we are two people. As we grow, we will go back to using either Monday.com or Dubsado. For us, it wasn't worth the cost until we had more people's time to manage.
Another method I use is to chunk out the workday. I give myself deadlines because sometimes I can spend too much time on one thing. So I'll say, "You can work on that web site copy for 30 more minutes only."
If I don't pay attention to the clock I'll get lost in it and not get other tasks done.
I even have a penguin-shaped egg timer that I stole from my daughter. I know, very high tech over here!
Melissa started Work Well Wherever to help individuals & companies embrace remote work—see how she balances entrepreneurship, parenthood, & self-care.
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