Are you working from home for the first time? A common problem you have to overcome is the struggle to stay productive while maintaining the right balance between your work and personal or even family time. Thankfully, you can use your android phone to your advantage by turning it from a time-consuming device into a productivity tool.
The best way to do this is through the assistance of work-from-home android apps that will make your experience fulfilling. Some of the most popular and practical apps you need to prioritize using are:
1. Slack
Slack is a messaging platform that helps make communication and collaboration with other team members easier. This is essentially a “WhatsApp” for remote workers that gives you the convenience of instant messaging and chats that you can organize into groups and threads for quicker follow-up. You can also use this app for voice & video calls, file sharing, and screen sharing for real-time collaboration on group projects.
2. Asana
Asana is a project management platform that enables you and your co-workers to work together and keep track of your projects seamlessly. If you are a project manager or team leader, this app will enable you to assign tasks complete with their due dates and other details to every team member. On the other hand, you can also use Asana to manage your workflow by breaking up tasks into smaller subtasks and keeping track of when they should be done.
Zoom meetings are the new normal, and having this video conferencing and communication app will enable you to get in touch with your co-workers effortlessly. This platform works great for small and large teams as it can be used for one-on-one calls or hosting group meetings for up to 100 participants. It also allows for better collaboration Users can also share files during and outside video/voice calls.
4. Spark
Constant email interruptions are a major hindrance to productivity. Unfortunately, you cannot go about your daily duties by completely ignoring all those emails that you receive. This is where Spark comes to the rescue as an intelligent email client that automates the collection and categorization of all your emails.
You will love the ease of adding multiple email accounts to this app and the confidence that you will only receive notifications about important emails. All the remaining emails will be snoozed until later when you are free.
5. Boosted
Boosted is a time and productivity tracker that enables you to stay organized while working from home. This app is useful for breaking down your tasks and tracking how much time you spend on each. You will also be able to track how much time you spend on other activities and your daily habits to better schedule your tasks for maximum productivity.
6. Google Drive
If you use a Google account for work-related purposes, the Google Drive app is a must-have android app for your file storage and sharing. This cloud storage app will enable you to securely store all your files and have access to them even when offline.
7. Toggl
Since losing track of time is a common issue for many first-time remote workers, you need an app that enables you to track everything you do. Toggle comes in handy for this as it is a time-tracking app designed to enable freelancers and remote workers to manage their workflows better. You will further appreciate the application’s analytical time management reports, timely notifications, and cross-platform integration that will enable you to stay organized.
8. Stay Focused
As the name suggests, Stay Focused is an android application meant to help you avoid distractions. This app enables you to block unnecessary and time-consuming apps and websites during your work hours. Using Stay Focused is an excellent idea if you constantly find yourself going through your social media accounts or paying more attention to non-work-related activities.
The icing on the cake is that this app also offers insights on how much time you spend distracted on your phone by analyzing your screen unlocks, the number of apps launched, and time spent on each.
9. Android VPN
Working from home comes with lots of IT security risks that you must be ready to mitigate. These risks include; unsecured home network connection, weak passwords, unencrypted file sharing, and a greater risk of being victim to phishing or ransomware attacks. To avoid being vulnerable to these risks, you need to adhere to cybersecurity best practices, and one of the most efficient ways is by using an Android VPN.
A virtual private network (VPN) will keep you secure by protecting your connections and reducing the chances of data breaches. Some popular android VPNs to consider are ExpessVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, and IPVanish.
10. Voice Notebook
Taking notes, setting up reminders, and keeping in touch with work colleagues can be quite challenging when you have busy workdays. However, all these activities will be much easier with the Voice Notebook, as you have a voice recognition app that accurately converts your spoken words into text. You can then use these notes to set up reminders or download it as a text and send it your colleagues as an email.
11. 5217
Work from home fatigue is a reality that you will have to deal with at one point. This feeling of tiredness is largely caused by the lack of activities associated with a regular office setting, such as one-on-one meetings with colleagues and taking breaks for coffee or lunch, among other activities. One way to ensure you remain in the best mental state for productivity is by trying out the 5217, which is meant to help you take regular breaks during your work hours.
This app uses the 52/17 rules, which state that the best way to replenish your attention and motivation is by working for 52 minutes and then taking a 17 minutes break. The 5217 app helps you stick to this routine by reminding you when you need to take a break.
Working from home does not have to be too much of a challenge when you can comfortably adjust to this new setup with proper preparation. With your android phone at hand and these apps available on the Android App Store, you can stay productive and organized for all those periods you will be working from the comforts of your home.
