29 tools I use to get things done
I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to finding the perfect app for a particular task. I love being organised and working efficiently.
So, here are the tools I use day to day. I hope some of them help you! If you think there’s a handy tool I should know about, please leave a comment.
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Mac apps
Bear – for better note-taking
There are plenty of note-taking apps out there but Bear’s my favourite. It looks beautiful, syncs seamlessly, is easy to organise, and has a gorgeous choice of themes if you upgrade.
Brave – for safer web browsing
Chrome’s a great web browser but I don’t really like Google tracking everything I do. Enter Brave: a secure, fast, private browser that gives you back the control. I love it.
Dropbox – for backing up everything
I don’t really store anything locally on my computer. Everything goes in Dropbox so that I can access it on all of my devices, and so I never lose anything. I can’t say this enough: back up your stuff.
Flux – for screen colouring
If you spend most of your day on a computer, it can be pretty draining for your eyes. Flux adjusts the colour of your screen to match the natural light. It’s extra useful in the evening.
Google Drive – for backing up
If I need to collaborate on a document with someone, I always use Google Docs. All that stuff is stored in Drive along with a tonne of other things. Back up your stuff!
Magnet – for organising windows
I used to find it a real faff to organise all my windows if I needed to see a few things at the same time – like if I’m working on a Google doc and need to reference some notes in Slack at the same time. Magnet snaps them into place with a few taps.
Notion – for organising everything
To do lists, project management, travel planning, blog ideas. It might start off in Bear but it all ends up in Notion. It’s as simple or powerful as you need it to be. Notion contains my entire life.
Paste – for copying and pasting
Paste saves everything you copy so you can find it later. You can use it to find old links, store snippets, and sync them across all your devices. So useful.
Pocket – for reading things later
I save things all day long, like articles, videos and websites. Then I check them all out in Pocket when I have time. One of my most-used apps.
Reeder – for following blogs
There are a few blogs I follow closely, like Austin Kleon, Kottke and swissmiss. Reeder brings them all to one place so I can read them at my leisure.
RescueTime – for tracking your time
Not sure how much of last week you spent working and how much time you spent disappearing down Twitter rabbit holes? RescueTime’s got you covered.
Rocket – for finding emojis, fast
Finding the right emoji’s a breeze with Rocket.
Secrets – for managing passwords
If you don’t use a password manager yet, please do it. I switched from Dashlane to Secrets because it charges a one-time fee instead of a subscription. It’s not quite as slick but it does what I need it to do.
Signal – for secure messaging
I chat with most people on iMessage and WhatsApp but I prefer to use Signal when I can. It’s much more secure.
There – for knowing the time around the world
Nifty little app for checking the time in other countries. It’s useful if you arrange meetings with people overseas.
TunnelBear – for staying secure
VPNs keep your internet activity private, the way it should be. Most of them look pretty nerdy but TunnelBear’s super cute and easy to use.
Whereby – for better video calls
Zoom’s riddled with privacy problems. Hangouts isn’t the best quality. Enter Whereby – a beautiful, simple video conferencing alternative. You can get your own URL for free.
WorkFlowy – for making lists
If you love making lists, you’ll love WorkFlowy. It’s super simple but really powerful. I find it incredibly useful for organising everything in my brain.
Browser plugins
Awesome Screenshot
Screenshot entire web pages.
Grammarly
Check your spelling and grammar.
Simplify Gmail
Make Gmail simpler.
Websites
DuckDuckGo
A search alternative to Google. Also with a nice iOS app.
Hemingway
Make your writing simpler and easier to understand.
PriceRunner
Find the cheapest price of everything.
Raindrop.io
Organise your bookmarks and access them everywhere.
txt.fyi
Lightweight blogging.
Words to Time
Find out how long your presentation will take to speak.
Hardware
Second screen
If you spend a lot of time on your computer and don’t want to end up with neck and back problems, get a second screen. I bought one a couple of years ago and it was a game-changer. As well as being more comfortable for working, it gives you so much more screen space to work with.
Standing desk
Again, if you spend a lot of time working at home, it’s good to mix it up and stand for some of the day. Electric standing desks can be expensive but this wind-up one from IKEA is cheap and cheerful. I’ve had mine for a couple of years and I love it.
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