“Work smarter, not harder” may be a worn cliché, but until the earth slows its orbit and we all get that 30-hour day, any tool that can improve productivity is worth looking into. There are plenty of apps that claim to increase efficiency but wading through the sea of useless products to find a few truly helpful ones is one more chore to add to your never-ending to-do list.
Lifehack.org recently posted an article on Bob Parsons' 16 rules for survival. As the founder and CEO of GoDaddy, the largest registrar of domain names in the world, businessman Parsons knows a thing or two about productivity. His rules centralize on the importance of advancement and management. What better way to help with that than some of the best personal assistant apps available?
Dragon Mobile Assistant
How much more could you accomplish in a day if you had an assistant? Especially one that worked for free and was available 24/7? Dragon Mobile Assistant, compatible with Android and iPhone, is the next best thing. It lets you schedule appointments, speak to text, make calls and update your social media accounts all with voice command. The app will also read aloud your incoming messages and calls. Dragon Mobile Assistant has been updated with several new features including Driver Mode Auto Detect which automatically switches to hands-free and eye-free mode when it detects you’re in a moving vehicle.
Expensify
Expense reports are one of the most dreaded, time consuming and necessary tasks an entrepreneur needs to stay on top of. Expensify makes it easy to capture and organize receipts, mileage and all your billable expenses without the hassle of paperwork. With Expensify you won’t waste one more minute tracking down misplaced receipts. The app is free and available for Windows Phone, BlackBerry, iPad and iPhone.
My Sticky Note
No pen? No paper? No problem if you’ve got My Sticky Note for BlackBerry. My Sticky Note is free and keeps track of all your million-dollar ideas, random reminders and last minute schedule changes. No more time wasted because you forgot an important detail. This app lets you place a note directly on your home screen so there’s no way you can miss it. You can also customize the font, color and size to make it most functional for you.
LastPass
Nothing slows down productivity like waiting for the email that will allow you to change a forgotten password, again. LastPass is a free app that securely and automatically stores passwords for all of your accounts, and as a busy entrepreneur, that can be a lot. It’s safe, easy to access, and according to the LastPass site, the app gets top ratings from companies like Lifehacker, PC Mag and CNET. LastPass works with Windows, Linux and Mac.
Coffee Break
Sometimes you get so busy you forget to have lunch, but that doesn't automatically equal productivity. U.S. News reports that taking short breaks approximately every two hours can actually make you more productive. After a quick walk, a healthy snack or a drink of water you can return to your work with a fresh mind and actually get more done during the day. For $3, Mac users can be reminded when it’s time for a short break or to take lunch with the Coffee Break app.
It’s up to you to make little decisions that ensure the success of your business. Using technology to improve productivity is one of the smartest decisions you can make. Apps that increase efficiency and improve production are like money in your pocket.