An overview of the best tools to help you stay focused, organized, and productive while working remotely.

More and more companies are now switching either partially or fully to remote work. Contrary to some common beliefs, you can remain focused and productive while working from home if you rely on the right apps. Below, we highlight our top 8 favorite apps that increase productivity, efficiency, and simplify overall WFH process. Also, take a look at how technology can improve remote learning.

Zoom

Hardly anyone haven’t heard of Zoom at this point. It’s an audio and video conferencing app that lets you conduct any kind of meeting, from employee training to webinars and everything in between. You can host up to 100 participants for free or have 1-on-1 meetings. Zoom includes multiple collaborative features, such as screen-sharing and a whiteboard. Users also have an opportunity to dial in via phone directly or by utilizing Zoom’s mobile apps for iPhone and Android. Fun bonus: you can choose different virtual backgrounds for your call.

Jira

If you happen to work at a software company, then Jira is for you. Regardless of the scope of your project, this app will help bring your entire team together. Developed by Atlassian, Jira allows users to manage software projects by planning, assigning tasks, tracking progress, and reporting.

Slack

This app will allow you to do many different things, but slacking off won’t be one of them. Slack is a powerful instant messaging tool that keeps teams and employees connected and engaged. The flow can be broken down into channels for team work, or be used for sending individual messages to specific co-workers. Streamlined communication is essential when working from home, and Slack helps to achieve that. You can also share files and conduct video calls with individuals and groups.

Evernote

This app is a great note-taking solution for remote colleagues. From plain texts to videos to photos or web pages, you can keep all your notes organized for future reference and sync them across all your devices. Built-in camera tool also allows to scan documents, so you can keep track of your forms, receipts, etc. Evernote also lets you share documents with your contacts.

Asana

It might sound like a wellness app, but it’s actually an efficient project management software. Asana allows multiple people to work on a single project. Your team can manage the assigned tasks and track the progress they are making. You can create sub-tasks, add attachments, and set due dates, as well as talk to a specific team member within a task to keep the communication organized. The app is available on every platform, so whether you use Apple MacBook Air or an Asus Chromebook, you’ll be able to take advantage of this useful software. 

Paymo

This is a work management software that combines project management, scheduling, timing control, and billing. Paymo is a great tool that will ensure that your projects get delivered on time. According to the developer, Paymo helped increase team productivity by 25%. You can communicate with your team and share feedback, upload files, monitor progress, prioritize tasks, and much more. 

Trello

This is a project management tool that organizes everything you’re working and collaborating on into boards. You can easily see what tasks are being worked on, who’s the task’s owner, and what is the current status. Trello is a simpler alternative to more complex collaboration platforms. You can color-code and attach files or images to the boards, as well as invite team members for an interactive collaboration. 

Mindmeister

This is an online mind mapping tool that makes brainstorming among team members easier than ever. You can generate ideas, visualize them, and explore creative solutions with your team members. Mindmeister will help you ensure that no team member is left behind when it comes to brainstorming new ideas.

Conclusion

Modern realities made remote work tools as important as ever. While working from home is not a new concept and offers its unique advantages, over time it can become daunting and negatively affect your collective productivity as a team. Having the right tools at your disposal will ensure you can stay on top of your tasks and improve communication flow with your colleagues.