10 Apps for 10x Productivity

10x Productivity
10 Apps for 10x productivity
10 Apps for 10x Productivity

Like it or not, Accept it, we are a mobile society driven by mobiles in our hands and our pockets. Is your mobile device a ‘sink hole’ for your time and productivity? Can we actually use them to increase 10x productivity, on the go!?

Are you ‘wasting’ lot of time on your mobile with Facebook likes and updates, with What’s app and Instagram? Turn the tables! Convert your mobile devices into a productivity magnet, using some of the best productivity apps that I regularly use and highly recommend.

Mobile devices are major part of the strategy for industry leaders like Google, Microsoft and Facebook. We do more and more work on the go using our mobile devices. As you walk to your car, as you walk in the mall, and so on. How many of you have bumped into a person who is so engrossed in his/her phone that doesn’t even care to look at where s/he is headed.

No Texting while Walking!

Use of phone while driving is already illegal in most of the states, if not all of the states. But, now, there are some states which are considering banning the phone use while walking. In New Jersey for example, in a town called Fort Lee police have written hundreds of citations for texting while walking. So make no mistake we are a mobile society. Driven by the mobile, getting more and more work done on the go using mobile devices.

I’m guilty of this as well 🙂 I use mobile to get more and more work done from my daily routine. I have used several apps and constantly experiment with new ones.

10 for 10x Productivity

Let’s talk about the 10 apps that can get you to 10x productivity: apps that help you get more done with minimal effort involved, and of course on the go!

1.Evernote and OneNote

10 Apps for 10x productivity-Evernote10 Apps for 10x productivity-OneNote

Start with moving your world to Electronic world, and what better way to do that is getting this electronic note taking apps.

I use Evernote for managing my professional life while the OneNote keeps my personal life organized. And in the digital world once in there my notes are available from any device, anywhere. It also helps you reduce the use of paper, in return you are helping to save some trees!

Your back will also thank you as these two note taking apps will help you reduce the size of your backpack! I introduced OneNote to my son also to help him reduce the weight he carries in his backpack. In fact, he extended the functionality and use of it even further. He uses OneNote on his Microsoft Surface, and he can capture hand written notes with the electronic pen!

Very easy to search, and highly collaborative, these note taking apps will take your productivity to next level, almost immediately!

2.Scannable

As you can see, I do a lot of doodling on post-it. I like to draw and doodling allows me to bring two of my passions together: the art and the agile.

10 Apps for 10x productivity-scannableI use Post It extensively while explaining concepts or brainstorming on new product offering.  I use doodling and sketch when I’m having one on one conversations or explaining new concepts on paper. I can take a picture of these Post It notes, with doodles or my handwritten notes. To do this, put your drawing on a contrasting background, load up your Scannable app, aim and snap!

This app gives you crisp and clear image by automatically eliminating glare and flattening the image. Check some of my doodles here which have been brought to the electronic world using Scannable app.

3.Office Lens

From Microsoft, this app does similar job as Scannable but I use it for specific purpose other than those scanning of documents.

10 Apps for 10x productivity-Office LensBeing an Agilist I’m highly collaborative and often I am at whiteboard explaining various concepts to a team or group of people. I’m using drawings while using different color sharpie pens! Office Lens does a great job of taking white board pictures.

Again, all you do is aim and snap. This app is smart to figure out what is the actual whiteboard area, and automatically pans to get the area appropriately while eliminating glare. The end result is crisp and clear image!

[callout]Collaboration + White boarding + Office Lens = Just in Time, Just Enough documentation[/callout]

[bctt tweet=”Collaboration + White boarding + Office Lens = Just in Time, Just Enough documentation” username=”beyondCSM”]

3 down, and more to come!

I explained the Top 3 of my 10x productivity apps. I will explain the remaining apps in the next installment of this blog post. Until then, experiments with these apps and #getHyper!

[bctt tweet=”Increase Productivity on the Go with these Apps http://www.nimeshsoni.com/10-apps-10x-productivity/” username=”beyondCSM”]

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Doodling and Visual note taking on ever extending canvas

We talked about Post It notes as my Swiss Knife tool, and I introduced you to the first and THE most important use; that being the Note taking tool.

Today, I want to talk about using it as a Canvas. I have two passions in my life: the Agile Transformation and the Art. The artist within me likes to doodle, and I often come up with some quick illustrations to provide visuals on a topic that I am going to be discussing or presenting. As they say, Picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some of my Agile Doodles.

And, if you are into visual note taking, PostIt notes can also morph into an ever extending canvas. Here is an example.

 

Visual Note taking with (ever extending) Post It canvas

 

This was done by a student in one of a workshop on ‘Jump start your Agile teams’, capturing notes about what is Agile and Scrum, all using Post It notes and Visual note taking.

All right, let’s summarize: We discussed three uses of the Post-It notes so far:

  • Taking notes during discussion and conversations; while still actively participating in them
  • Canvas for doodling
  • Ever extending canvas for Visual Notetaking

Go ahead, start doodling! And, share your many ways you use Post Its in the comments section below.

5 unique uses of PostIt notes

Many uses of Post Its

What is so special about this simple, non-assuming tool? Do you know these unique uses of PostIt notes that can help you improve your effectiveness and Productivity?

PostIt note pad is my Swiss Knife as I help enterprises transform to Agile. They can help you in delivering an impactful message that increases creativity and collaboration, leading to higher productivity.

Swiss Knife

As Simon Sinek, author of the book “Start with Why“, let’s explore the reasons why this is a very compelling tool and why I am so passionate about it 🙂

the WHYs of PostIt

In the world of smartphones and smartwatches, you might have overlooked this simple, not so sexy tool. I would, in fact, argue that you don’t want smart tools, instead, you just want to use a tool smartly. Here are some of the reasons why I am so passionate about it.

 

Many uses of PostIts

[bctt tweet=”Many uses of PostIt.. pic.twitter.com/Rvrf6km9eM #transformation #Agile #scrum”]Are you using this ‘secret’ tool effectively?

Over the next few days, through a series of posts, I want to re-introduce you this tool. I promise you that you will learn many sides of it that you have not even thought of using it for.

Disclaimer:
Post It is a registered trademark of 3M. And, no, I do not own stocks of 3M. 🙁

Next Article in this series:

Visual note taking

PostIt as Yellow card

Note taking with PostIt pad