10 Scheduling Tools to Improve Your Productivity

Productivity is a word we hear a lot in the world of entrepreneurship and it's a goal that many people have in common. This is a very noble mission for which some find it easier, while others need a helping hand to achieve it. In this age where people's schedules are tightly regulated, it is not always easy to optimize how to use each period of time.

In order to manage this problem, many companies have created tools and applications to manage your schedule and improve your productivity. We decided to bring together the 10 tools most recommended by convinced users.

Here are 10 tools to manage your schedule and become more productive

Here we present different tools that we have divided into several categories, according to your needs. Often people use more than one tool at a time. Most of the tools are free or affordable so it is easy to test them without having to make a long-term commitment.

Task management and schedule management tools

The traditional calendar is still very effective, but we now find calendars and electronic diaries offering "augmented" functions, in particular to calculate the amount of time we devote to each aspect of our work and even to receive advice and data accurate.

1) Toggl

The Toggl application is a time management tool whose main purpose is to calculate how long it takes you to complete each task. By doing so, you will have a better insight into how you spend your time when you are at work. There are different plans, including the basic service, the team management plan, and the premium plan. This tool can be used by all members of the company's team.

2) Remember the milk

Remember the milk is a nice application, with a rather simple but effective design. This tool will help you create structured and effective to-do lists. The main advantage for users is that it is possible to synchronize the application with other accounts including Gmail, Google Calendar and Evernote.

You can also schedule notifications on your mobile phone or by email. If you want to test the application, there is a free plan. Once you determine if you like this tool, you can upgrade to a paid account.

Tools to help you disconnect

These days, it's too easy to get distracted. Notifications, news, alerts... All this affects our concentration and prevents us from being very productive. With this in mind, several tools have been created to block the distractions of the modern world, including the annoying urge to visit social media 100 times a day.

3) StayFocusd

Install this plugin on your Chrome browser to restrict the amount of time you spend on social media. Unlike other apps that completely block these pages, StayFocusd offers options that allow you to go there, but once you have reached the allotted daily time limit, they will no longer be accessible. This plugin is completely free.

4) Anti-social

Do you practically need a straitjacket to stop you from going on social media? Anti-social is even more drastic than the previous option. Once you activate the application, you must shut down and restart your computer to be able to return to these distracting sites. It is up to you to choose which sites you want to block. The Anti-social tool requires a fee, but the price is very affordable.

Tools for managing team tasks

Managing teamwork is not easy, particularly in this era where a lot of work is done remotely. Even in open-plan offices, employees' days are often very busy, so efficiency is not always there. Fortunately, there are many tools that help you manage tasks and divide work well, while still being able to monitor progress at each stage and what remains to be done. Here are two tools to try:

5) Collaboration tools created by Google

The tools created by the web giant are free and easy to use. They allow you to share documents, work on them simultaneously without creating version conflicts, communicate, leave notes, organize documents, and much more! You can combine the use of several tools including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, Google Hangout, as well as several other very useful functions!

6) Trello

Trello is a project management tool highly appreciated by workers, among other things because of its collaborative aspect. This software takes the concept of to-do lists and takes it to another level. Each person will be able to adapt the functions offered by Trello according to their needs. However, basically, the tool is used to create lists and monitor the progress of each of the noted items, which are generally tasks to be carried out or ideas not to be forgotten.

Several people can be invited to participate in the same table and modify its content. This is how this tool can be used for managing tasks between several people.

Tools to simplify your work

Efficiency and organization go hand in hand. The more you follow strategies that allow you to be successful in your business, the better your performance will be. The following two tools help you organize your tasks and can also give you a helping hand to better manage your thoughts!

7) Evernote

The main goal of the Evernote tool is to help you take notes without them becoming chaotic. This way, you will no longer lose your good ideas, especially those you had while traveling, walking, dining at a restaurant or chatting with friends. No more jumbled notes in your phone!

This application allows you to save your notes in one place and easily share them on several devices. Your colleagues and loved ones can also participate, by adding their own notes to yours when it is a joint project. There is a free plan, as well as paid plans offering more options.

8) Todoist

Todoist is a task management tool that saves a lot of time. Its functions allow you to visualize the progress you have made for each task, set goals and delegate more easily. Like Evernote, Todoist offers a free version and premium plans that give you access to a more advanced version of their app.

Tools to help you focus

Sometimes productivity tools don't directly involve work. In fact, it is clear that one of the most widespread problems of our time is that of lack of concentration. People become overstimulated and have difficulty staying focused on one task for too long. To reduce this problem, some tools allow people to develop better concentration which will impact their abilities at work.

9) \Focus@will

Here is a tool that uses music to help you be more productive! The functions offered are based on scientific research which demonstrates that certain types of music can promote concentration. \Focus@will gives you access to playlists tailored to different personalities. You have access to the fifty lists that have been created and the tool suggests those that best meet your needs.

10) Forest

Forest is both a concentration game and a tool that takes you away from your phone! The approach is very simple: it involves building a forest where each tree represents a period of concentration of a certain duration. You plant the tree and then leave the application open so it can grow. If you leave the application before the tree is mature, it will die.

Expert advice to improve your productivity

If you don't already know it, know that helloDarwin presents a podcast on web marketing. The host, Olivier Lambert (Tactik media), meets inspiring entrepreneurs to discuss their journey and takes the opportunity to ask them for some advice, particularly regarding productivity. Here are some quotes from these episodes, as well as links to the podcasts:

"With a touch of humor, Robin Vézina suggests that his favorite tool is called G-O-O-G-L-E, an obscure and little-known platform. Indeed, he claims that an impressive number of people come to him with questions to which they could easily find answers by typing their query into this search engine."