{"id":30212,"date":"2020-04-07T14:17:39","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T12:17:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpkraken.io\/?p=30212"},"modified":"2021-08-10T15:26:15","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T15:26:15","slug":"productivity-tools-to-nail-that-quarantine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpkraken.io\/blog\/productivity-tools-to-nail-that-quarantine\/","title":{"rendered":"Productivity Tools To Nail That Quarantine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What does productivity really mean? When do we feel like we\u2019ve been productive? Does it mean doing as much as possible in the shortest amount of time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, it\u2019s more about achieving your short-term goals and completing daily tasks as needed. Sure, you can go on a cleaning spree and scrub that bathtub with a toothbrush for three hours straight, but it won\u2019t make a difference if you did that same thing two days ago and haven\u2019t, like, bathed an extremely filthy dog in it since. If I have a job to do and I finish it, I feel productive. If I sort through emails just for the heck of it – I don\u2019t. The same goes for productivity tools: I like using them, not bragging about how many I have installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are strange times we live in<\/a>, and I\u2019m not speaking about the coronavirus (more like \u2018not ONLY about the coronavirus\u2019). We\u2019ve fallen into a downward spiral of productivity.<\/a> Being busy has become a desirable state of mind. <\/strong>With the world on lockdown, it doesn\u2019t seem to change. Needless to say, we literally have more time now than ever. Being stuck at home is an excellent reason for being productive, but-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Being<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You sensed there\u2019s a \u2018but,\u2019 right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to remember that we function in different capacities, especially now. What some call \u2018productive,\u2019 others see as \u2018impossible to achieve.\u2019 I\u2019m not writing these words to judge you or make you feel guilty for not doing enough. We all live different lives: to some, the lockdown is a way to wind down, relax, have more energy, spend some quality time with close ones or themselves. Others may struggle. A lot of people are going through hard times right now.<\/strong> If you feel like a loser because you haven\u2019t decluttered your life, deep-cleaned your entire house, learned three new languages and lost 10 pounds since the quarantine started – please don\u2019t. It\u2019s okay not to be okay right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you feel slightly bored or would like to improve your day by introducing new, healthy habits, go ahead and check out our list of handy tools!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before You Try Tools For Productivity, Declutter Your Brain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I feel like the #1 thing that stops me from being productive is brain clutter. Like, how on Earth am I supposed to focus on writing an article if thousands of things I need to do later keep popping up in the back of my head?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to get rid of all that brain mess and focus on what\u2019s most important right this second<\/strong>. Take a notepad and a pen, then simply write down everything that\u2019s on your mind and come back to that list when you have the time to tackle it. Actually, you can use it later as a base for the Getting Things Done method and boost your productivity again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure you reduce the distractions around you to an absolute minimum – apps like Forest, Distraction-Free Mode for Google Docs, or self-control plugin for Google Chrome<\/strong> will help you achieve the peace of mind. But that\u2019s the part you\u2019ve probably heard a million times already. Now that we\u2019ve mentioned the obvious, I\u2019d like to show you Productivity Tools Level Two. Jump on that train and follow me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Productivity<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Act Now, Benefit In The Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Studies show that boring, repetitive tasks cost businesses an average of 19 working days per year per employee.<\/a> According to SmartSheet<\/a>, nearly 60% of employees estimate that automating some of their routine tasks would save them at least six hours per week. That equals almost a full extra workday that could be spent on other, more innovative challenges like concept work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what your job is, you probably face repetitive tasks for at least some part of it. Manual synchronizing between documents, programs, or systems, sending the exact same email to each candidate during the recruitment process, moving your emails between folders\u2026 the list is never-ending here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repetitive tasks are not only dull and killing your enthusiasm – they\u2019re actually bad for your brain and your mood<\/strong>. Trust me, you need that happy juice called dopamine in your life, and you can only get it from new, exciting challenges. Doesn\u2019t it feel like you\u2019re going nowhere with your life if your day feels like a production line?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making a change here may not be the easiest thing to do, but trust me, it\u2019s worth it. You\u2019ll reap the benefits of this step for years from now on, both during the quarantine and later, at the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Productivity Tools: Assess What You Work With<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To confront your routine and reduce mundane assignments, start by assessing what\u2019s been eating your day. Wait, did I just ask you to sacrifice even more time?! How\u2019s that supposed to help?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to put any time into this task, though. Apps like Timely<\/a> allow for an advanced time-tracking that requires zero attention. Running it for a couple of days will help you establish your work patterns, decide on what kills your productivity, and where there\u2019s room for improvement or automation. Then it\u2019s time to choose tools that will help you achieve that goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Running<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The concept of Inbox Zero has been widely discussed, but I feel like few can really accomplish that (and keep it that way). Do you want to know the secret of mastering this art? It\u2019s as simple as setting up labels that automatically prioritize your received emails based on sender or keywords. Your email provider should have that option available, but you can also improve this method by using tools like Astro<\/strong><\/a> and Boomerang<\/strong><\/a>. These AI engines learn your email habits and create response templates that look like written by an actual human being, not a robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also check Zendo, our app designed to handle customer requests<\/a> in one place without switching through multiple email threads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By introducing these methods, you can have your emails assigned to specific folders without actually clicking a single button. To take this experience even further, try setting up rules for forwarding your inbox. Before I joined MPC, I spent years being somewhat of a messenger. Forwarding emails to my bosses, my colleagues, my employer\u2019s clients or vendors was literally my whole workday. Using an app called IFTTT would have saved my life back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Struggling, Apply Logic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

IFTTT (If This, Then That)<\/strong> might be confusing at first, but it\u2019s a game-changer, both when it comes to work-life and your private life! Let\u2019s not jump to conclusions, though. Why is this system so grand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s go back to that emailing. Even if you\u2019ve already set up keywords to prioritize or rules to sort your inbox into folders, handling your mails can still eat up quite a lot of time, especially if you have to frequently chase others to do their bit so you could do yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IFTTT <\/a>helps you set up automatic patterns between different apps to reduce actions you need to perform manually. For instance, you can set up a reminder to follow up on an unanswered email as frequently as you wish to, or ask the app to automatically forward an email containing a specific keyword to someone else. If you work with email attachments a lot, set up a trigger to immediately copy an attachment to Dropbox, and then notify you on Slack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For social media managers, apps like IFTTT can be a real revolution<\/strong>. How? Let me tell you a little story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Setting<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Imagine you\u2019ve just set up an event on Facebook – let\u2019s say it\u2019s a workshop for entrepreneurs that\u2019ll happen in a month and will require the attendees to bring some items with them and fill out an extra form before they show up. You don\u2019t want to list that info on Facebook because you know no one will remember to do it unless poked. So, to save your time<\/a>, you set up a rule to send an email to anyone who signs up for the event with all the details, then follow up a week before the event and again two days before (because you\u2019ll provide lunch and need to know who fancies what). On top of that, IFTTT automatically copies the lunch orders to a spreadsheet, lets you know when everyone answered (or pokes you to chase them), and then reminds you to send the file to the caterer. Magic, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for other ideas for tasks to automate, check out this list of suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n