Earlier this month, I detailed my journey of transitioning from a news producer to a sitcom writer. While I have yet to get a seat at the table inside a prestigious writer's room in Hollywood, I'm writing to no end and finding ways to pay the bills as an entrepreneur. Being your own boss sounds fancy and comes with flexibility, but it's also a pathway to failure if there are cracks in your infrastructure.
What I failed to mention in my essay are methods to ensure productivity. For every hour we spend a day mindlessly scrolling on social media or sharing screenshots in group texts, this time could translate to building a concrete business plan, connecting with innovators in our field or simply putting our passion into practice. Imagine what you could accomplish if only you knew how to maximize your time.
Here are seven tools to help streamline your day-to-day processes.
1. Pocket
We know how much you love Blavity articles and why you just can't get enough of our funny listicles. But we're also aware that it's virtually impossible to keep up with every post throughout your busy workday. Pocket is the "save for later" app. When you come across striking videos and eye-catching articles that you don't have time to view, you can save them directly from your browser into Pocket when you have time to give them your full attention. The cool thing is you don't need an Internet connection to access them later.
2. Trello
A to-do list on speed, from brainstorming to completion. Trello provides organization for your tasks and projects, no matter the size. You can create a unique card for each action item, users can collaborate by uploading files and adding comments. To keep you on schedule, a due date can be added to each card. You'll receive a notification about upcoming due dates. Trello works in real-time, letting you know when someone moves a card.
3. Evernote
Are you a scribbler like me? I jot down notes all day long on scratch pieces of paper and go back later trying my best to decode my own handwriting. Evernote organizes your thoughts. The must-have for creatives and those "aha" moments. When you're browsing your favorite sites and see an excerpt that inspires you and need it for future use, you can clip it and save it for later. Automated email forwarding, note sharing, saved searches, shortcuts, and calendar notifications all in one.
4. Slack
Bring the entire time together. Real-time messaging no matter where you are in the world. Slack has customized channels, both public and private, for your time to discuss various projects. With the newly added threads feature, communication is more efficient for you to catch up and skip over random conversations. My favorite part? The gifs. If you're in a team meeting or direct message and not sure how to express yourself, the built-in Giphy function will find a moving image to express the moment.
5. Google Drive
Google Drive turns your smartphone or any device into a mobile office. Your files, spreadsheets, emails, downloads, and more, all in one place. Think of it as a digital USB drive.
6. 1Password
That moment when you can't remember your password. Get locked out. Forced to reset it. Use the same password, even though the system says it's wrong then get "password cannot be the same as the last password" error message. Ah, the joys of web security. 1Password is self-explanatory. Store your passwords in one place and the app will sync them between various accounts. No more writing down passwords on papers that will eventually get lost or trying to remember difficult security questions. Your code is safe.
7. WorkflowMax
In the beginning stages of entrepreneur life, it feels as though you're working 80 hours as opposed to the 40 you left behind from your full-time gig. WorkflowMax helps you to find a groove, or as it suggests in the title, a workflow without the interruptions. This tool allows you to set daily expectations and find accountability partners. If you're easily distracted, WorkflowMax uses the "rescue time" function to measure how much time you've lost and what's causing you to veer off course. This app is all about achieving goals.
Now you no longer have an excuse for your excuses. Find an app that works for you and your team.
Death to procrastination.
Photo: Awkward Black Girl
