With myriad apps, gadgets and tools out there, all geared towards making us hyper-efficient, what really makes a difference?
Loom: Make face time easier
Picture the scene: in a hurry on your way to a meeting, you write an email to a colleague, hit send, and suddenly realise your words may not come across in the animated and friendly way you’d imagined. Well, Loom is the perfect solution when you can’t manage a face-to-face. With this free app, you can record an instant video, allowing you to present your ideas to camera or narrate what’s on your screen in a quick presentation, then share it in a link. It’s perfect for meetings and pitches too, especially when you can’t be in two places, or countries, at once.
Pocket: Neat idea
A whole 15 minutes here and there in between meetings is time to savour. Whether you’ve managed to grab a coffee or you’re in a taxi on the way to your next appointment, it’s the perfect moment to catch up on all those web pages you’ve saved for later reading. But instead of wading through hundreds of tabs, there is a better, more productive solution out there: meet Pocket.
This app and web extension beautifully curates your unread webpages into your own newsroom-style pin board. You can save articles, videos and stories from any publication, page or app into your Pocket and it will sync across all devices where it’s installed, ready for reading anywhere – even offline. It’s like having a bespoke newspaper at your fingertips, only you’re the Editor in Chief (and you’re doing a superb job, by the way).
Lastpass: Unlock your passwords
It’s easy to get disillusioned with your online purchase or email provider when you’ve had to enter a password a hundred times and get through their 3-step verification process, only to be told they’ll need to call you to confirm your identity. The rational side of your brain knows this is correct, while the irrational side wants to abort the task at hand. So, get ready to fall totally in love with Lastpass – the tool that rids you of the need for multiple passwords in favour of just one. Not only is it a real time (and sanity) saver, but it also means you can share one password with people you trust if you need them to access your online accounts.
Blinkist: Become an expert in 15 minutes
Oh, to read a book from start to finish. It seems like a bit of a rarity to have the time to lose yourself in anything more than a webpage these days – but this app is the next best thing to ploughing through a whole tome. Blinkist gathers the key takeaways from the world’s bestselling non-fiction books and distills them into bitesize text and audio.
They may be only 15 minutes long, but they’re packed with all the insights you need from thought leaders around the world. There are more than 3,000 titles already available via subscription, covering everything from management and leadership to communication skills and personal growth. Making it easier to commit to reading at least one or two books a week with ease, Blinkist is one of our absolute favourite time-saving, knowledge-gathering life hacks.
Dark Sky: Ahead of the weather
Whether it’s a polite topic of conversation or a personal obsession (and to some people it really is), weather is a topic that unites us in a shared interest – especially if you’re British! Knowing whether to carry a brolly or some SPF can be a bit of a game-changer, so if you’re keen to be totally in the know, the Dark Sky app is your perfect companion. What sets it apart from all the others is its down-to-the-second data from around the world, which makes nipping out for a coffee less of a gamble and knowing when to hop in a taxi before the heavens open a cinch. And, of course, when you’re looking for some light chat before a meeting, what could be a better opener?
Gett Business Solutions: Door-to-door, drama free
Gett Business Solutions offers quick, simple and efficient end-to-end ground transportation for businesses in the UK and beyond. Pre-book or book on-demand transport in 3 simple steps. Efficient, cutting edge tech and a dedicated account management team and 24/7 customer care (should you need to chat to a human) ensures the highest standard of service.
There’s a variety of booking options and vehicles available to guarantee upmost comfort and satisfaction. The app allows you to track journeys and manage invoices, all within the one platform. There’s full visibility of travel spend, no hidden costs and no pesky surge charges. The smart management tools will help you track flights, set up recurring journeys while usage behaviour analysis will allow our experienced team to determine the most efficient data-driven travel suggestions for you, based on your business needs.
To find out more about Business Solutions and book a demo, head here.
