5 Apps to Make Your Job Easier

Tech was supposed to make our lives easier, but it just seems like we're all so much busier. However, there is a silver lining to the integration of tech that has taken over our very being. Here, I list the top 5 apps that can make your 21st century worker bee lifestyle that much better. Dig in, and enjoy.

Trello

When you've got a team spread out throughout a city or even the world, it can be hard to keep track of a project or tasks. That's where Trello comes in, and surprisingly you get a versatile package for free. Of course, there are paid features, but truthfully we use Trello in the Sync office every single day, and it's kept us organized in a way that Evernote could never dream of.

Slack

The oddly named app is BBM, Whatsapp, and Facebook Messenger on steroids. Slack provides secure chat across various channels, and groups. There's also private messaging between colleges, file sharing, app integrations, and a plethora of other features. My only hang up is with the clunky sign-in and sign-up process. After you get past that though, you'll be hooked.

Google Drive

Gone are the days of Microsoft Office, their prices, and the headaches with their 365 products. Say hello to your new little but mighty friend. Google Drive is a free cloud based solution for document, spreadsheet, and presentation creation. There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you have taken the tutorials you'll wonder why Office still exists.

Dropbox

Still messing around with multiple hard drives, trying to make space on your computer, or emailing files? Say no more, because Dropbox is here to save your world. For a surprisingly low annual rate, you can have your own private piece of the cloud. It's important to note that you will need an external HD to run Dropbox because the app does save local copies of the files (except on mobile). Once you've jumped over that hurdle though, it's clear running towards the finish line. A side note: if you have a lap top and want to run Dropbox, get those no residue velcro strips, and affix your HDD to the back of your lap top. With Dropbox, your team will always be in sync, your files will always be available, and you'll never have to utter the words, "I'll send you that file when I get to my computer".

TextExpander

Find yourself sending repetitive messages, or typing the same content many times over? I have the solution for you. You may be thinking, "But Jay, I copy and paste with the best of them." Well, copying and pasting is so 2012. This is 2017 and automation runs the world. TextExpander allows you to formulate any sized content with the stroke of a couple keys. I personally have a piece of content that's 24,000 characters. I use it all the time, and all I have to do is hit 2 keys for it to appear. No more searching, copying, pasting, modifying, or messing around with multiple snippets in many different places. Just expand on your text.

Conclusion

So there you have it. 5 apps that will change your workflow for the better. Go ... play. You won't regret it.

Next blog, I'll touch on hardware to help you reach new heights of productivity.