Your phone is loaded with apps, and you have more than a couple Chrome extensions installed that come in handy when you need them. But when’s the last time you checked out some new or lesser-known ones? It’s probably been a while, right?
That’s silly because there are literally thousands of digital tools out there to help you. And, since I know the sheer amount of them can be overwhelming, I’ve hand-picked a few that you might not have heard of yet to lighten your load at work.
1. Clear Up Chaos: Breezee
Let’s start by getting you organized and on task. When you’re hard at work on a project, do you find yourself with way too many links open, a desk covered in sticky notes, and an incomprehensible text doc with half-finished thoughts? Yes This app will clear up that chaos.
Breezee is a new tab extension that lets you save links, take notes, create to-do lists, and keep it all organized by project. It’s simple to use, but a real sanity saver when you’re doing research or trying to juggle several tasks without losing critical info. Breezee works in any browser, as a Chrome extension, and offline if you’re really trying to focus.
Free, available for web and Chrome
2. Skip a Step: Convert Google Docs to Gmail drafts
The name of this tool says it all. Sometimes you want an email to look just so: certain fonts, exact spacing, the styling that conveys your message perfectly. Now you can have it all with just a click.
This extension, by cloud syncing and integration company cloudHQ, is limited to turning a Google doc into a Gmail email. But, with millions of us using both those services for a good chunk of our work, it might be exactly what you need to create great-looking emails.
Free, available for Chrome
3. Get a Better Inbox: Zoho Mail
Looking for yet another way to cope with your inbox? Well, here’s a brand new app that just could do the trick. Zoho Mail gives you all the features you’ve come to expect from a modern email app and so much more. It includes your calendar, tasks, notes, contacts, and social media feed. Plus, you can use it for instant chats, working offline, and finding all attachments in one place.
Free and paid versions, available for desktop, web, iOS, and Android
4. Organize Your Cloud: ZeroPC
Thank goodness for the cloud, right? It keeps you from filling up your phone or laptop with files and makes them accessible from anywhere. But, how many times have you forgotten which service that file you need is stored on and spent way too much time searching for it?
Zero PC aims to stop that panic by connecting all your cloud accounts. It connects to all the major services, from Box to OneDrive to Dropbox to Good Drive, plus social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram. You can search, navigate, and share from any of them, all from this one app. Long story short: It’s simple and sweet.
Free and paid versions, available for web, Chrome, iOS, and Android
5. Have Better Workcations: Hotel WiFi Test
Nothing puts the kibosh on getting that important presentation ready more than a slow internet connection. With Hotel WiFi Test, you can be sure you’ll have lightning fast service before you even book your room.
This tool lets you search for accommodation with fast Wi-Fi and filter the results according to the speed and price plus the hotel rating and room price. And you can share the online love by leaving a review of your hotel Wi-Fi for future travelers to benefit from. Hundreds of hotels have been rated, and you can even install an extension that’ll automatically show you the internet connection details for any hotel you visit on Hotels.com, Expedia, or TripAdvisor.
Free, available for Chrome and iOS
6. Type Less: TextGrabber + Translator
If you’re like me, you find yourself taking pictures of all kinds of docs as a quick way of recording important information. I’ve found this to be a super useful hack, but sometimes I need to get the text from a photo into a useable form. But I definitely don’t want to have to type it all out manually.
TextGrabber + Translator to the rescue! It gets text from photos so you can use it in other apps, and it can also translate text from dozens and dozens of languages. This can truly rescue you when you need to fill out your travel expense forms, capture handwritten meeting notes, or get quick translations of critical documents when you’re traveling abroad.
Free, available for iOS and Android
7. Get Better Notifications: Hooks
Maybe you’ve already tried IFTTT, the handy way to link services together to automate actions like posting on social media or getting alerts when it’s going to rain. This app is similar but focuses on just notifications.
Hooks will give you a heads-up on local industry meet-ups, social media mentions, shipment status, website crashes, stock prices, breaking news, and so on. Get it on your phone and keep up with what’s critical to your job, or at least always be the first to know when something’s up.
Free, available for Chrome and iOS
8. Make Traveling Better: FLIO
Traveling for work is never as glamorous as you hope it’ll be. Instead of sipping a refreshing drink while casually skimming through a glossy magazine, you find yourself in a dingy corner of an airport terminal battling for the last free outlet or scarfing down yet another stale $10 sandwich while desperately searching for a bathroom near your gate.
You can stop all this scrambling by installing the FLIO app before your next trip. It’ll instantly connect to free Wi-Fi, give you discounts on food and drinks, get you into airport lounges, and let you know where to find everything from charging stations to restrooms. Plus you can also see the times for security clearance or the trip from the airport to downtown. And, as a bonus, your departure time and gate number will pop up so you can be sure you’ll be getting on the plane calm, collected, and maybe even glamorously (maybe!).
Free, available for iOS and Android
9. Save Money: GoA2B
Don’t spend precious work time trying to figure out the best way to get to your next client meeting or to the airport after the all-team get-together. Use this money-saving app, perfect for business travelers and commuters, too.
GoA2B compares prices and arrival times for all major ride-sharing services (Uber, Lyft, Flywheel, and even local taxis) so you can choose the best one. You’ll see the cars near you, ETA and travel times, and price surges. Save the cities you travel to most in the app, and you’ll always have the best transport right at your fingertips.
Free, available for iOS and Android
Whether you’re on the road or in the office, these not (yet) famous apps and tools will help you be at your best. So, take a break from the norm and give them a try for a much-needed and well-deserved easier day at work.