Multiple browsers with twenty tabs or more open on each one. A
word-processing app, numerous folders, image editing software and
desktop notifications crowd your monitor(
s). A mug of bitter coffee,
Post-it notes and illegible scribbles layer the desk. Sound familiar?
This is the life of a blogger – connected
24/7, streams of bits and
bytes dancing at your fingertips, and an overwhelming feeling that there
just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done. We're quickly
approaching information overload, but for those of us that earn a
living online we can't afford to tear ourselves away from the light
fantastic for too long. We need to minimize the noise and increase the
quality of our output. That's why I've put together this list of
productivity tools that will help you to focus, plan and succeed. Enjoy!
1. e.ggtimer - http://e.ggtimer.com/ - Eggtimer is a
super-simple yet really helpful online tool for blocking out time to
work on tasks. All it does is display a countdown timer in a browser
window, but by pledging to work for a specific amount of time you can
really make progress on any tasks you have to do, and when the time is
up a nice, loud alert sounds so you don't have to constantly monitor it.
Try the Pomodoro-Technique timer to work for extended periods of time
with incremental breaks.
2. 42 Goals - http://42goals.com – 42 Goals is an online
goal-setting app that can be as simple or as deep as you want it to be.
You can use it as a simple daily planner, or use it to track your
productivity over a longer period of time, giving you stats that allow
you to find regular patterns and improve your work flow – a necessity
for busy bloggers trying to break into the big time!
3. Rescue Time - http://www.rescuetime.com/ - Rescue Time is a
productivity tool that monitors your day-to-day activity on your
computer, providing you with detailed stats as to how you're using your
time and also giving you the ability to 'lock' certain software and
services for specific periods, allowing you to forcibly block out
distractions at times when you absolutely need to finish a project (yet
are tempted to check out Facebook for the twentieth time...).
4. Work Plus - http://www.workpl.us/ - Work Plus is a really
interesting tool that can particularly benefit bloggers and freelancers.
No matter how enjoyable it is to wear pyjamas all day long, we all know
that working from the comfort of our own home is not always the most
conducive environment for completing tasks. Enter Work Plus, an iOS app
that helps you to discover new work-spaces in your area, like cafes with
free wi-fi or shared work-spaces that allow you to bring the dog in!
Add in time-tracking and workspace ratings and you've got a real winner.