Five Productivity Apps To Stay Organized This Fall

As many of us have realized with September, comes not just the school year, but autumn days full of productivity and kicking butt with new projects, goals, and more.

So in the back to school spirit – for those of who aren’t going back and haven’t been back in year – here are some productivity apps to keep you on track (in between those pumpkin lattes of course)…

1) Evernote

I know Evernote is one everyone’s list for smart tools to use to keep track of your notes and more…but it can’t be overlooked. I use this app every day at work to keep track of different meetings, different projects, and even random To-Do’s, as well as my own personal projects including blog post ideas and more. Why? One simple reason: once you type it on one computer, it is seamlessly saved on all your devices through the cloud. Can’t remember that note you took in the 9am meeting? No problem – check your smart phone and it’ll be their via the app. Simple, easy, and amazing.

2) Pulse

Do you read 20 million different magazines, newspapers, blog posts, and other online articles? So do most of us these days and it’s impossible to keep track of it all even with google alerts, RSS feeds, and emails. Pulse makes it simple to have them all in one place in an easy to read visual format – looks just like a glossy magazine but accessible on your computer and/or mobile device. In a time when pictures and visuals “win” Pulse takes advantage… and no harm in checking it out – it’s free.

 3) iDoneThis

Whether its your work team or significant other – this tool helps keep track of assignments people have done or not. Integrates with Gmail and lets you get a quick snapshot of what people did that day or week. Unfortunately it’s not free but it’s only $3/month per person. Not bad for a quick tool to keep track of your tasks.

4) Smartr for Gmail

Makes your inbox smarter so you don’t have to deal with the hassle. Takes less time for you to fish through your inbox looking for a contact and stay on top of the main contacts you email with on a regular basis. You can even view more fully complete profiles of contacts including their Facebook and Twitter (which can also be minimized when not needed).

5) Remember the Milk

Are you the type that goes to the store and then forgets half the items on the so-called “list”? With all that we have going on in a regular day from exercising, work, home projects, making plans, seeing friends and family, walking the dog…remembering the olive oil for dinner may be easily forgotten. That’s a handy dandy to do list app comes in handy, which also integrates with gmail (who doesn’t love gmail?) and can easily be accessed via mobile devices including Siri! Although there are tons of other to do list apps out there, this one couldn’t help but catch my attention with the name and the integrations and quick and simple to use interface.

What other apps do you live on each day to be more productive?

Note: I originally wrote this post for Social Media Club and my post can also be found here

5 ways to use social media apps to capture your summer vacation

Summer brings many enjoyable times each season including beach trips, family time, bbq’s, and much more. The tough part is remembering to capture all these great times so you can recall and reminisce later on. Luckily there are many creative ways to do so effectively, quickly, and easily with the touch of a smartphone app.

Make it Fun

1. Instagram 
Capturing photos and making it easy for your loved ones to access, comment, and share has been made simpler through social networks like Facebook. However, there are other networks and applications, which allow one to be more creative with images such as Instagram. Instagram offers cool filters to allow pictures to be more vivid and unique. Best part it integrates smoothly with Facebook and Twitter for easy sharing to your normal channels.

2. Tumblr
Want another place to share your adventures throughout the summer? Consider a simple to use Tumblr Blog. It’s easy to set up, maintain, and integrate with your other channels. My favorite part is that you can take a quick picture from Instagram, share it to your Tumblr blog, and then share directly to Facebook or Twitter. What could be easier for sharing all those images from your road trip to the beach?

Share it with your inner circle

3. Path
Sometimes Facebook and Twitter means sharing with too many people, even those we may have “friended” or allowed to ‘follow” us can seem a bit much at times. Why not keep it simpler and more private with Path? Path allows a maximum of 150 friends, cool photo filters, location sharing, and more. And when you want to share to your larger circles, you can with integrating with your Facebook and Twitter too.

4. GroupMe
Taking a trip with your friends or want to share instantaneously your thoughts on what’s going on? Images from your hike, the great sunset, or the food and drinks you’re indulging on? Share with your inner circle via groupme and have a conversation right then and there. Not sure what dress to wear to the summer wedding? Ask your friends all at once via this easy messaging app.

Stay Organized

5. Evernote
Being organized isnt’ just for the office. Evernote allows easy integration with saving notes, images, and more so you can stay organized with packing lists, things to do on your trip, itineraries, hotel and direction information, and more. Why worry about that address you need when you can access from Evernote from your laptop, tablet, and/or smartphone. Could it get simpler? I think not.

Although these five apps are well known and many people use them already, they are sometimes overlooked when it comes to trips, great times, and sharing adventures with friends and family. Next time you set off on your next summer trip, don’t forget to capture it so you can look back on it later. All from your smartphone…

Ready, Set, Click.

Note: This post was originally written for Social Media Club, and my original post can also be found here. 


Image Credits:
http://www.cc-chapman.com/2012/why-i-love-path/
http://evernote.com/evernote/
http://demopit.com/2011/01/21/groupme-lets-you-effortlessly-group-text-with-friends/
http://ralphvelasco.tumblr.com/post/24299130196/ill-be-in-this-city-tomorrow-can-you-guess-where
http://pamsahota.tumblr.com/page/2

Keep your 2012 New Year Resolutions with these Five Helpful Mobile Apps

Have a list of New Year’s Resolutions? Need some help staying organized? Well there’s an App for that, of course. It may be easy thinking of resolutions to start in the upcoming new year, especially after the indulgent holidays…but not always as easy staying committed. Check out these Apps to tackle your resolutions a little more smoothly…

1. New Year’s Resolution List and To Do’s: An app called Resolutions 2012 allows one to record each resolution, identify what needs to be done in order to complete those resolutions (change of behavior, etc), and in turn track success by recording actions taken in the course of the new year. Cool features include being able to set custom motivations and rewards (recall Billy Madison preparing for an exam with his teacher) in order to stay motivated for noted resolutions. Customization is key and this app allows you to use your own photos, and more. For only .99 it may be worth the “splurge.”

2. Stay Organized with Notes: Ever take notes on one device, say your computer at work, but get home and realize you don’t have them on your laptop? It happens to the best of us, but with the help of Evernote, you can worry less and always have all your notes on any of your devices whether it be your multiple computers, tablet or smartphone! Best features include that you can even import emails, pictures from the web, and more. Save it to one device and it automatically saves to your other devices via the cloud. How much easier can it get? Being organized never seemed so sexy, than with Evernote.

3. Blog Easily and Frequently: So you have been slacking on your blogging but wish you could do it more easily and under those pesky time constraints. My new favorite way to blog, simply, yet effectively is through Tumblr. It allows you to share valuable content and even while you’re on-the-go. Imagine this…you have a great idea, but don’t want to wait until you get home to write about it. Write a quick post via your smartphone, have Tumblr post via the mobile app, and have it automatically share to your Facebook Friends/Fans and Twitter followers. Why wait, when it’s that easy?

4. Document more memories: Speaking of easy and awesome, Instagram allows photo enthusiasts to be unique through their mobile phones. So you’re walking through the city and take that perfect picture, add a cool twinge to the background (ex. toasted), then share to your Tumblr blog (See above), which then shares to your Facebook and Twitter. Geeky? Yes. Awesome? Definitely.

5. Run those calories off: So now you’re organized, on top of your resolution list, got some blogging and memories soaring through the cloud…but what about those pesky few pounds you gained over the holidays? With Runkeeper you can run, walk, bike or whatever suits your fancy. With this nifty GPS app, you can track your distance, calories, burned, and more. And did I mention you can connect it with your social apps so it keeps you accountable?

Next step? Download away. And get started! Although there are plenty more apps out there for your resolutions, these may get the inner geek in you started on some pretty nifty, helpful, and inspiring ones. Please feel to share other apps you love in the comments below!

Note: this post was originally written for Socialnomics. 

10 Helpful Tools to Increase Productivity

Sometimes I feel that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to productivity. Spending a little too much time catching up with friends via email, Facebook andTwitter. Or too much time organizing myself instead of actually putting my ideas into action. I am sure many of you have your productivity vices as well. For all you social media pros out there who are so busy between Tweetups and networking and managing emails and Tweets for both your personal and professional brands, I have some tools to help you (and me) out! Keep reading for  a list of apps that can help you stop wasting that precious time, and make use of it more efficiently (because our time is valuable!)

1. Evernote: Ever think of a great idea for a blog post or business decision but don’t recall it the next day? I hate that! Well Evernote, is helpful in those situations because it helps you keep track of ideas whether you’re on the go or not. And luckily for us, it is available for Macs, Windows, iPhones, Androids, Blackberrys and more! My boss mentioned this tool to me and I had been meaning to check it out…she could not have been more right regarding taking notes and staying organized with Evernote. Two thumbs up!

 

 

2. Rapportive: Too many emails and social media connections to keep track of who they’re from? Rapportive allows you to see profiles and social network connections of anyone you are emailing with (in Gmail). Simple way to keep track of people and how they’re connected to you.

 

3. Yammer: Want a way for you and your coworkers to communicate regarding business objectives in a fun yet effective manner? Yammer allows for the simplicity of Facebook and Twitter, yet keeps things private for your work community only. Allows employees to share documents and files, as well as communicate directly with coworkers without the use of email. Nifty tool to keep up with coworkers and business ideas inside and outside of work.

4. Mystickies: Tired of bookmarks? “To put it simply, Mystickiesallows you to place little yellow squares of digital paper anywhere and everywhere you feel like in the whole wide web.” This is basically another way to keep track of what you want to go back to on the web later with fun “stickies.”

 

5. Tungle: Your schedule as hectic as mine? Worried about making meetings and double booking for lunch? Tungle integrates with your calendar and shows your availability to others so they can schedule meetings at your convenience. The work isn’t in your hands, and it eliminates the back-and-forth email communication involved with scheduling meetings.

6. Boomerang: In short a helpful add-on for Gmail which allows you to schedule emails for later. For example, you may want to send reminder emails to people regarding an event, product, service, or meeting — but not right away. Schedule them, and have Boomerang do it for you later.

7. Timely: Worried about wasting time tweeting out posts and not getting any engagement from your target market? Timely helps you figure out which times work best and when you can program auto-tweets for best response.

8. Mint: Don’t fret over money, Mint helps you stay organized and “fret less.” In short, Mint brings all your financial accounts together online, automatically categorizes your transactions, lets you set budgets & helps you achieve your savings.” Pretty awesome and way less time than an excel spreadsheet.

 

9. Manilla: Like Mint, this tools helps you manage money, BUT — it helps you manage all of your accounts and automatically pay online from ONE place. Therefore, rather than having a million accounts coming from email, mail, and different websites, Manilla provides a simple user-friendly platform to have a more efficient way to pay your bills, subscriptions, and keep track of points!

 

10. Join.me: A simple way to have a meeting away from your office. You can share your screen or view someone else’s and see what they want to demonstrate and show you without being present in the conference room! My advice – add Skype when doing this!

Have other tools you love for productivity? Please share!

Note: this post was originally written for oneforty, which was acquired by Hubspot.