If you've recently faced a major shift in where you work — as in, from an actual office to your home — you're probably in need of a little assistance to help you navigate that transition more smoothly. Or, maybe you’ve always worked from home, and now the rest of the world is catching up to how you normally live.
No matter which camp you’re in, we’re all in this together. You’re home now — so better make the best of it. The business world may have slowed down, but it never stops entirely, which means you’ve got to stay on top of your work obligations.
You’re a pro. You’ll get it done. But to help, we pulled together 15 apps and other digital helpers that can keep you focused even when you aren’t in front of your office keyboard. And to further incentivize, you can take an extra 15 percent off your already discounted total by adding SPRINGSAVE15 at checkout. Hunker down and dig in.
Computer aids
Everything starts with a clean, tidy desktop, so with WorkspacePro Multiple App Launcher for Mac ($6.79 after discount; originally $9.99), you’ll have every needed app and file just a click away. Workspace Pro lets you regroup app, customize their position, and even launch or close a whole collection of macOS apps all with a single button press for a streamlined, efficient desktop.
If your problem is your browser, with bookmarks saved in different places on different devices, a Qlearly Premium lifetime subscription ($16.99 after discount; originally $180) can straighten that out. Qlearly is a browser extension that organize your favorite tabs and syncs them across all your devices, putting all your favorite sites and resources in an easy-to-reach spot for access or even sharing.
The clutter in your browser is often beyond your control, but the Reader Mode Pro Chrome Reading Extension ($8.49 after discount; originally $25) can start cutting down on all that pointless, attention-grabbing web noise. Reader Mode removes ads, blocks distracting pages, annotates and highlights text and even offers dyslexia support and text-to-speech features to improve how you take in information.
Since a Chrome browser extension doesn’t help Mac owners much, we’d suggest the Focus Website and Application Blocker for macOS ($25.49 [unlimited plan] after discount; originally $129). Focus keeps your productivity up by blocking sites that suck up your time like Facebook or Twitter, schedules, timers, password protection, and also presents productivity stats to keep you on task.
Meanwhile, since no document format is more popular worldwide — or more frustrating — than a PDF, the PDF Expert ($25.49 after discount; originally $79.99) can do all that basic PDF editing that most programs can’t do. From changing text and images to adding links or rearranging structure, PDF Expert makes doing anything with a PDF document as simple as using a Word doc.
Speaking of documents, we might dump physical documents all together if we didn’t require actual signatures so often as verification. But with a KeepSolid Sign Small Team Plan ($16.99 for a 1-year subscription after discount; originally $99.99), you can create your own electronic signature, sign and collect signatures, create document templates, and monitor the status of your agreements through a simple KeepSolid app.
Digital aids
Improving how your trusty Mac or desktop operates is one thing, but it probably couldn’t hurt to do a little personal improvement at the same time too.
Rocket Typist for Mac ($3.39 after discount; originally $9.99) gathers up all those snippets and phrases you find yourself typing over and over, saves them and lets you include those often-recycled lines right into your new copy with one click. Those added seconds it takes to keep retyping the same things over and over again DO start to pile up.
And if you want to save some serious time, the timeEdition Time Tracking App ($4.24 after discount; originally $19.99) breaks down every minute of your working hours so you’ll always know if you’ve spent your time wisely. The app lets you start and stop recording work time on various projects, so you can bill accordingly and never just give your time away for nothing.
Much like time, your vision is another resource you can’t get back once its gone, so you can reduce eyestrain and fatigue and stave off headaches and other ill effects of staring at computer screens too long with Breaks For Eyes for Mac ($8.49 after discount; originally $9.99). The Breaks reminder pops up every 20 minutes, affording you a 20-second break to readjust your eyes on something 20 feet away. With the 20-20-20 rule, Breaks might just make sure you’ve still got eyesight to spare tomorrow.
Of course, one thing you don’t want to see is badly-produced videos. With an XSplit VCam subscription ($16.99 after discount; originally $49.95), you can instantly replace the backgrounds in your webcam videos, creating a professional-level effect without expensive green screens or complicated lighting arrays. And good news for all those video conferences in your near future — XSplit works with all the big live streaming services so none of your workmates will ever see all that junk behind you in your home office/dining room.
Life aids
As for meetings, trying to coordinate everybody is probably about to become even more vital, so a Pinstriped Meeting Tool Premium Plan ($25.49 for a lifetime subscription after discount; originally $800.40) can make sure everyone is on the same page. Set your meeting, distribute an agenda, then stick to your pre-set schedule as Pinstriped records your meeting action items, then makes it all shareable once the meeting is done.
Meetings will likely put at least a few more tasks on your plate…which a Toodledo Plus Online Task Manager subscription ($59.49 after discount; originally $299.40) will help track. Toodledo syncs across all devices to help you set project tasks, follow up with emails, set alarms for key moments and basically customize every aspect of your task from ideation through completion.
If you need help with staying on top of a more wide-ranging project remotely, a Goals by KeepSolid Business Plan ($42.49 for a lifetime subscription after discount; originally $2,999) has you covered. Business owners and project managers can use Goals to monitor progress, coordinate resources, notify stakeholders and stay on top of any potential project problems before they become problems.
In addition to managing tasks and projects, Pagico 9 is management software ($21.25 after discount; originally $50) that basically helps you manage your life. The app turns to-do lists into manageable timelines, turns your project status from a bunch of messy bullet points into a gorgeous visualization, and help you work smarter and more efficiently on every section of your day to day schedule.
Improving your productivity is also the goal with the Focuster Productivity App ($50.15 for a lifetime subscription after discount; originally $480). With Focuster, you can prioritize tasks, auto-schedule your calendar, use smart reminders and make sure your time spent working from home are just as efficient as your time in the office…or maybe even more so.
