5 Tools to Make Work Delightful and Downright Fabulous
Work has definitely changed, but it isn’t going away anytime soon. Getting shit done every day is still on the menu and in some cases, things may have gotten harder for you. There may be more meetings, more deadlines, and more emails than ever before. I get it. Working online is an adjustment and requires some finesse. To help you bring some delight and joy back into your workday, I’ve rounded up a few tools to share.
You will find a mix of bona-fide online tools and other things that make my workday fabulous. Have a favorite tool that didn’t make the list? I’ll be putting another list together very soon so ping me and tell me all about it.
Five Tools to Get Started
1. Ditto
You know how you cut or copy something on your computer and then promptly forget to actually paste it somewhere and then copy over it? No? Just me? Ok cool.
I use something called Ditto to keep myself from losing it when I copy over that thing I needed. It’s been a magical addition to my life and workflow and a legit lifesaver in some cases.
Ditto is an extension to the standard windows clipboard. It saves each item placed on the clipboard allowing you access to any of those items at a later time. Ditto allows you to save any type of information that can be put on the clipboard. This includes text, images, html, custom formats, etc. And it’s free!
I’m not a Mac so I can’t recommend my favorite. I did find this list of 25 clipboard managers for Macs.
2. Screenpresso
This is another PC-only tool but I hear there are other epic options out there for the Apple people. Screenpresso is a magical screen capture tool that has made my life and workflow so much simpler. You can get your hands on the download here. There is a paid version, but the free works just as well.
3. Loom
I have more things to say about this platform than I can fit in this article (or that you would actually read). Loom is a magnificent tool that allows you to convey your thoughts via video with a screenshare element. This is ideal for situations where an email isn’t quite enough and a full-blown meeting is overkill.
I like to think of it as an in-between. I try to keep my Looms to under 5 min. Usually hitting the 2-3min mark or less. If you record a loom that is longer than 7min, you probably needed to have a meeting. This one is free too! There is a paid option but you can use the free version for most things.
4. The Cowork
Oh! Here’s my favorite part! The Cowork or your closest option for the community is one tool that needs to be in your tool belt. Especially now that you may be working remotely part or all of the time. Getting out of the house and into a safe, clean space to work without distractions is huge.
You will thank you, your clients (or boss) will thank you, and your sanity will thank you for investing in being in a coworking space or similar option. Additionally, the community and network that comes with a cowork is invaluable.
5. Fuel & Hydration
We can’t forget the all-important fuel and hydration. Staying focused without refueling never ends well or anyone. If you happen to be working in a co-working space, you will probably have access to coffee tea water and maybe even refreshments. If not, take advantage of the local restaurants around you to refuel and hydrate. Those of you local to Butler should check out this article for a list of everything within a block or two of Main Street.
You may not consider food and water to be tools, but they definitely make your work day so much better. In addition, incorporating movement into your work day is an epic way to thank your body for getting you around. I’ve been doing squats in between work sessions to keep things flowing. While it’s hard to stay active when you spend most of your time in front of a screen, it is definitely worth trying to get it done.
Bonus Tool – Jasper
There is nothing worse than staring at a blank page. That's why I'm excited to introduce you to Jasper, a tool that can help you write the first draft of just about anything. Do better with an outline? Jasper can help with that too. Jasper is an AI writing assistant that helps you write social media content, emails, blogs, love letters, and so much more.
Owning Your Work Day
No matter where or how you work, you own your workday. You get to decide if it’s awesome or crappy even if things go to shit. You decide how you respond. The tools I’ve shared here will help when things get hard, but you are the lynchpin. Remember you have a network around you to help you when you need it. You only have to ask. If you feel like you don’t have a support system or network, get one. Not sure how to do that? Message me! Now get going 😛