More and more companies are becoming flexible by allowing the employees to operate from outside the office premises. To keep up, apps that facilitate remote workers are also becoming increasingly popular.
Employees also find it convenient to work from home or a coffee shop, whatever they may please. I prefer remote working too. As long as I have my ‘ready to conquer the world from home’ kit, I am good to go. The kit consists of my Cox Gigablast package, laptop, and the app that keeps me connected to my workplace.
Having used several of them myself, here are some of the apps you should consider using if you are a remote worker:
Serene
Owner of a MacBook? This free app is for you then. The best thing about Serene is that it aids you in achieving the maximum amount of productivity each day. And that is because the app has two key features backed by scientific proofs to improve productivity as well. These include asking the users to set a single goal each day and focusing on achieving that throughout the day. Apart from that, Serene will block your access to all websites that can be a source of distraction for you.
Both these features reduce the number of distractions throughout your day. Hence, making you more productive and allowing you to feel better about yourself by the day end. Therefore, if you struggle to stay focused, you should download this app. If you own a MacBook as well.
Some of the key features in the app include:
- Website blocker
- Distraction-free sessions
- Focus music
- To-do lists
- Phone silencer
- Session timer
Slack
One of the apps making rounds among the world of remote working is Slack. The app is available on Windows, web, Android, Mac, and iOS. Talking about the fee, the app is free but it has a paid version as well that gives users access to more features. It is more of a messaging tool that allows workers to hold virtual conversations in one place. Hence, making it easy for them to coordinate with ease. One of the noticeable features in Slack is the organization of instant messages into channels. This means that no one will receive the notification for a conversation that doesn’t relate to him.
However, team members don’t need to have joint conversations only. Instead, you can always choose to have one-on-one messaging with a colleague to discuss matters.
Slack’s key features include:
- Instant messaging
- File sharing
- Statuses
- Screen sharing
- Voice and video calls
Zoom
Another app that gained all the fame especially during this pandemic is Zoom. Just like Slack, this app offers both free and paid versions as well. So, it is upon you to decide which one suits your needs better. The reason why individuals or organizations prefer Zoom over Slack is that it has better communication and video conferencing tools. Zoom’s video calling feature is exceptionally good. And one of the most used features in the app is Zoom Meetings and Chat.
Although many other apps offer video conferencing feature but conducting virtual group meetings is easy with Zoom than with any other platform. Note that unlike Slack (where every user has to pay for the paid version), Zoom only asks of the host to pay for it.
Following are some of the key features of Zoom:
- Video meetings
- Webinars
- File sharing
- Voice calls
- Messaging
Google Drive
Google Drive is available for users of Android, Mac, iOS, and Windows. It is free for all and does not have any paid versions. File sharing and collaborating with your colleagues is easy with this app. Other than that, it will not crash on any of the operating systems. However, one of the best features of the platform is that it allows you and your team members to make changes to the same document in real-time. And you can even leave comments on a document for your mates to refer to later.
Although it is free for all, in case you face storage issues, you will have to upgrade to a paid version that allows more storage. By default, your Google drive allows you to store 15 GB of data.
Other than that, you will like Google Drive for the following key features:
- Collaboration
- Documents
- Cloud Storage
Other than the above-mentioned platforms, there are many more. However, these will not cause any problems while you are using them. Moreover, many of these platforms assist you as well. Al you have to do is contact a rep. And just like the reps at Cox customer care center are quick to respond (speaking from experience), their reps are too.
Happy connecting with your team!
