Top three productivity tools
Earlier this month at a business networking session hosted by a local co-working space The Tribe, we started talking about our favourite productivity tools. Here are my top three - I use these on a daily basis to manage Roots + Wings, improve my writing and keep track of time.
Trello
Trello is a project management tool. It allows you to visualise your workload at a glance, collaborate with a team and keep on top of everything that needs doing. Imagine a big bulletin board with lists of tasks which can be assigned to a team member. Each task can contain notes, links and uploaded documents, with a set due date that can trigger email notifications to keep you on track.
I love Trello because it’s simple to use (unlike some project management tools which seem to require a qualification to understand!). It's also super versatile and there is always a template available to customise.
I’ve used Trello to:
manage the workload of a busy Marketing and Communications Team;
run my business;
set up a blog and social media content calendar for clients;
and even to organise two weddings!
I recommend it so often that Shivonne thinks I must be on commission (#notsponsored!).
Hemingway App
Hemingway App is like having a great editor at your beck and call! You can quickly find out the readability score of your writing draft (how easy it is for someone to read) and get suggestions to improve it.
Why is this important? The average reading age is lower than you might expect. Did you know that GOV.UK accessibility guidelines aim for all webpages to have a reading age of 9 years old?
Even people capable of reading at a higher level will lose interest if they have to work hard to understand you.
The best way to improve your readability score is to keep sentences and paragraphs short and replace complex words with simpler ones. This isn’t ‘dumbing down’ – short clear sentences are easier to understand for everyone.
Hemingway App highlights hard to read sentences, passive constructions, adverbs and complex word choices. Edit your writing in the app and watch the readability score improve!
Screenshot of Hemingway App in use
Toggl
Toggl is a time-tracking software that helps you to understand how much time you’re spending on which activities. This is particularly helpful if you work across a number of projects or for multiple clients, and need an accurate time-keeping record. But it’s also really helpful if you want to manage your time better and get insights into what takes up your time.
I find it most useful for keeping track of billable hours for client projects. This also makes reporting and invoice creation super simple. When we start working with a new client, I create a Toggl project and add an estimate of how long each task will take. This allows us to see whether our estimations were accurate and adjust for future proposals.
Whether you like to time-block or find yourself at the whims of other people’s schedules, Toggl gives you a deeper understanding of how you use your time. And then you can use it to make changes if you’re not happy with what you find out!
What is your favourite productivity tool? Do you use any of these? We’d love to hear your top tips - email us on hello@rootsandwings.studio.
Productivity tools are a great help, but they can’t solve all your problems. Find out more about Roots + Wings and how we could help you overcome fundraising, communications, or other challenges you’re facing. Contact us on hello@rootsandwings.studio to book a free 30-minute chat.