"Work is engrossing. Enthralling. Buzzing." The workplace is the platform where you learn more about yourself. But, at times we find ourselves in a productive rut. Where we just look out of the window so much that we are writing the scripts of people walking over the road or spending most of the time talking about ‘The Crown’ or if you are still reading this instead of working on that presentation.   Best Productivity Apps  1.  Evernote 2.  Troop Messenger 3.  Google Keep 4.  Pocket 5.  Grammarly 6.  Team Viewer 7.  Pushbullet 8.  CloudConvert 9.  Zapier 10. Acollab 11.  MindMeister 12.  Google Drive 13.  HelloSign 14.  Screencastify 15.  Todoist 16. Salesmate 17. Rebrandly   Nevertheless, worry not! Technology has got your back. With the advancements in mobile applications, you could make the most of your time with these substantial productive apps that come for phones of all platforms, tablets, and computers:   Getting distracted at work is common for all of us. However, with the advancements in technology, you can stop getting distracted and stay productive.   We list below the best productivity apps that come for all operating systems and devices. 1. Troop Messenger   Troop Messenger has changed the way business operations happen in the workplace. This application serves both collaboration and communication in a single plate. Regardless of the size of your organization, you can initiate a conversation, build groups and talk about anything under the sun.   Using Troop Messenger, you can do everything from project management to creating to-do lists, video conferences to screen sharing and integration of third-party applications to user status setup. It can tremendously cut down the time you spend visiting a fellow mate’s desk or typing a long boring email. This is the perfect platform for the not-so-good with technology people as well; because the user interface is friendly. 2. Evernote    Hello mate! Meet your second brain. If your brain works like mine, where hundreds of things run from family - work - dates in the evening - friends; Evernote could be great for storing that ephemera. It is the notebook application for almost everything.   You can craft your ideas and to-do lists at work or personal things to follow up on, format them with rich text and reminders for more paramount notes you need to remember. As the phone is always handy, you will have a place for it.   Make use of the built-in camera to scan the documents. A user can even drag the files, and keep track of forms, tickets, and more. One of the productivity apps comes with a search tool that could even identify the text inside images and scans. With Evernote, you could scan, share, and save everything. 3. Google Keep   Capture your every thought in any format. I personally use it all the time since I am the kind of person who has to remind myself of the important things and to-do tasks. Google Keep is the quickest way to dump things the moment they hit your little brain. With this desktop and mobile application, you can create notes, lists, and set reminders.   A user can check off the completed tasks and can access their notes on any device. Keep ensures to be in sync automatically to your Chrome extension or app, phone, watch, tablet, and Google Keep website. Users can add photos, draw, or can even draw on the pictures. By coloring the notes with vibrant colors over there, it has been relatively easy for scanning.   By #lables, we can group notes together. On top of everything, if you want to use Google Keep in your work, Google Docs let you bring notes into your document to put all ideas together to make a final piece. 4. Pocket   Capture content from everywhere. Organize your space with everything you cannot wait anymore to learn. You can save an article or link a video or anything to watch later to Pocket. This is one of the best productivity apps for iPhone where you can read or watch anything later.   Pocket has entirely eradicated the way we bookmark pages till now as it is difficult to find the essential stuff in our bloated bookmarks. What are you waiting for? Just tap on me. 5. Grammarly   If I was asked what’s your favorite productivity application, I would name Grammarly without any second thought. Being a writer myself, sometimes I fall into a predicament whether my content is easy-to-read or error-free. But when I say, typos or errors, they are more than embarrassing, bruh!   I discovered Grammarly, a grammar checker that would fix broken tenses, and wrongly spelled words and also suggests better synonyms. What else would anyone ask for?   While at work, employees have to write some or other thing every day. An email to the client asking for resources, telling a coworker who is working from home to resolve the issue, or asking permission to leave early saying that you are sick but actually have a date in the evening. Yeah, yeah! I know you.   You see, Grammarly is the tool you need. It has a Chrome extension and can work inside Microsoft Word, Google Docs recently, and any web application with its browser add-ons. Also, it comes for mobile applications with its custom keyboard.   I am not saying that this grammar checker tool is perfect. It can only provide you with incorrect suggestions and also bug you to replace the monotonous words. Of course, there are many other Grammarly alternatives that toil more efficiently. Grammarly could tighten up your writing and ensures everything is correct from quick emails to a detailed statement of purpose that makes your English teacher smile ear-to-ear. 6. TeamViewer   One of the productivity apps that let you access your desktop remotely. It happens at times when you are working on something in-house and you have some about.php page code on an office desktop. How do you get that now? Well, TeamViewer has the simple and easiest way to do that.   This application work everywhere - even a Chrome extension to control PCs from a Macbook. Keep the TeamViewer running or active on the system you want to access, then when you need something from that computer, just open the application on your device, get logged in, and use that remote computer just like you were sitting in front of it.   The graphics would be of a bit lower quality, but you can get things done, right? 7. Pushbullet   Have you ever wondered if you could copy something on your MacBook and paste it on your Windows operating system? Pushbullet is the platform you need. With this, you can even get personalized notifications from Twitter, Reader Digest, online news portals, and to-do lists as well. It is one of the productivity tools that work everywhere.   It is highly integrated with Windows and Android. With a premium plan, a user can get global copy/paste and can also send or receive messages of your Android on PC. 8. CloudConvert   Convert anything to anything! CloudConverts supports the conversion between more than 200 different media formats. We all have movement when the file dumped us by displaying that you cannot open :( But, worry not!   CloudConvert could fix that. It can convert from famous document formats like .doc or .pdf to design files such as Adobe.psd and .ai. All you gotta do is add the files you want to be converted and then choose the format you want to be. That’s it. The application itself take care of the rest. It converts and you can either download them individually or also can store those groups of files as in ZIP.   Additionally, CloudConvert also has the ability to transform files in the background. Let it go in touch with Google Drive or Dropbox and convert files on a whole new level as a cakewalk. 9. Zapier   Zapier is widely known for its thing for automation. This application lets you focus more on your work. It deserves a position in top productivity apps since it has the capability to move information between your web application automatically. Rather than copying and pasting the information between the applications or forwarding the same or allotting the same task every month, Zapier can do all that for you instantly with a matter of clicks.   It connects web apps over anything else. It already has connected over 1300 applications for a better together. For instance, when some activity happens in your application such as getting a new order or a contact us form gets filled out, an appointment would be soon coming up. Zapier sends follow-up emails, and copies data into the CRM, spreadsheets, and much more.   Set up Zapier and automate all your strenuous tasks which give you more time on doing other important chores. 10. Acollab   Acollab is a collaborative tool that facilitates the work with his team and his customers.   It centralizes a project management tool, a document management tool, a time tracking tool, a shared calendar, collaborative writing, and communication tools. Acollab allows you to share all the useful information in a dedicated webspace. It's also available as a mobile application. You can request a free trial: https://www.acollab.com/en/free-trial/  11. MindMeister   Well, we all get ideas but at times we struggle to put them all together in one place. MindMeister is an online mind-mapping platform that lets you grab, nurture, and share ideas visually. This application is entirely web-based which signifies that there is no annoyance of downloading or upgrading.   In order to get started, double-click anywhere on the provided canvas to add a new idea, Just dump everything in your mind. Bring your team and add as many solutions as possible. Next, club them all together. Join related topics to one another and within no time, you would have a comprehensive map that traces everything back to a focal point. It is a team setting that has never been easier and more productive. 12. Google Drive   Aah! Yet again, another favorite of mine. It is one of the productivity apps that never let me down. Google Drive is the place where I store all of my files; from the Quotation document at work to Coorg trip photos with my mate. It is flawlessly integrated with most web applications enabling the users to open the drawings or prepare monthly expenses record through a spreadsheet.   It has everything to store that can handle all my office needs. As I said earlier, I use Grammarly and now it can check grammar and spelling in my Google Docs. Isn’t that great?   I can just drag and drop files in between folders, access recently viewed files with a click, and search for the document I worked on 6 months ago easily. It works perfectly with teams, and collaborative docs of files, and can recognize the scanned files with its inbuilt OCR tool. It syncs flawlessly with all my devices. 13. HelloSign     Hello!! While you are running a business or working in an organization, you have to sign the documents at one or the other time. It is okay if it is one or two, but at times, you gotta sign dozens of them. But, HelloSign helps you sign every page that expects your signature in a few clicks. Yep, you read it right. This is the only platform in the market that enables the end users for a seamless embed signing experience. To get started, draw your signature on HelloSign’s mobile application initially or it even has an option that generates your signature. Just enter your name and the software would fetch you unique signatures in seconds, select your favorite one and then click on each signature field to add it.   Do not waste your time anymore in signing something. It is well integrated with Google Drive so that you can send files as soon as you make them. Dump the old fax machine and say hello to HelloSign! 14. Screencastify   Screenshot tools are quite beneficial. It helps you capture what is on your screen. But what if you want a screenshot of large data? Screencastify is the simplest and easiest option to capture your entire desktop, webcam, or browser tab.   Enable its Chrome extension to record anything without any need of downloading the software. Once you are done with the recording, use the application editor to crop and trim precisely what you want.   It also has synchronization with Google Drive so that you can share the recorded items with anyone, anywhere. 15. Todoist   Work-life is overwhelming. But it does not have to be. To organize tasks and stay profitable, make use of these productivity tools so you can get it all done and enjoy peace all along the way.   Todoist is more like a fitness tracker for productivity. It can track all your tasks, verify them off and later shows you how productive you are at the end of the day. Let this application do everything for you. Get tasks out of your head and list them here.   This application keeps you focused on Users who can add tasks with the Quick Add option that grasps dates, and project names, and also tags with any kind of symbols. You can check what all have to be done today and what is ahead for tomorrow. Organize projects into a hierarchy, and get access to all the tasks at once. 16. Toggl     A hassle-free time-tracking software for your day-to-day activities. To make smarter choices or moves ahead, you have to know the correct time. Toggl is one such time-tracking tool that tracks reminders even if you forget. The thing about Toggl is that it tracks time only when you are working. No cheating, bro.   To not let you burn out, it has also incorporated the Pomodoro technique that lets you take a break when you have worked for some 30 minutes straight. All your entries could be well synced with the website, mobile application, desktop, and even Google Chrome extension. 17. Salesmate   Take control of your sales opportunities and increase your conversion rate with Salesmate. It is an intuitive sales CRM for growing small businesses that want to make their salespeople more efficient and productive. With this high-end sales tool, you can manage your sales deal, streamline your sales process, analyze your sales performance and automate various time-consuming tasks. Salesmate makes vital sales data easily available and helps in maintaining long-term relationships with your valuable customers.   Salesmate allows you to take the information related to your sales deals wherever you go as it is accessible through both iOS and Android apps. Quit ceasing sales communication when you are away from your desk. With the Salesmate mobile app, you can connect with your customers from anywhere and seamlessly sell on the move. 18. Rebrandly   Rebrandly is the industry-leading URL shortener and link management platform to brand, track, and share short URLs with a custom domain name.   Links are an important asset to any business. They connect your brand with the online world, so it’s essential that you’re in control of them. Between social media sharing, email marketing, customer support, admin, and internal communications- it’s difficult to estimate just how many links you create and share each year. That’s where a central link management tool comes in. From improved collaboration and tracking to safeguarding your brand against a PR crisis, Rebrandly helps you take back control of your links. With branded links, you can:   Increase social engagement and CTR by up to 39% Improve your conversion rate with advanced traffic routing Grow your audience by adding retargeting pixels to your link   Bottom line These are a few comprehensive and productive apps that let you run faster and more efficiently at work. Of course, there are still more in the line. However, I assure you that these aforementioned applications could bring you closer to realizing your business goals.

It does not matter if you are a tech-savvy young individual who cares about his privacy or a professional with a business that holds secrets of values, secure messaging has already become a no-brainer for everyone.   We are all using Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, Google Hangouts, and even Instagram.   But are they all SSL encrypted?   Businesses in today’s world are facing unprecedented risks.   From financial transactions to private messaging, all have become vulnerable to disruption, and human error. Also, it is not something new how certain people intentionally want to destroy the game of others.   Not so proud, but the communication mediums and the crisis are directly proportional to each other.   Secure texting not only nurtures a strong collaborative environment but also enables the users to communicate and coordinate with co-workers seamlessly.   It eliminates the need for multiple tedious communication platforms and several devices.   For instance, if you want to convey a message an email might work well to an extent.   But, if you have to describe things manually to a person who is on the opposite side of the globe, you would need a video calling application.   Likewise, you are in need of a separate channel for different functionality.   That was the moment when instant messengers raised the bar for businesses to team up like never before.   With just a single platform, any kind of information can be sent and received without having constant checking of the email inbox or constant login to a website.   But, security pops up with a “DON’T IGNORE ME!” look at who would want to risk an organization’s data when it is a cakewalk for the purpose of communicating.   Table of Contents 1. Encryption 2. Keep Personal Information Private: 3. Message Deletion 4. Metadata 5. Openness Bottom line   1. Encryption   The major component of any messaging application should be end-to-end encryption. The messages should not be accessed by any third parties except the sender and the receiver.   With the advancement of technology, it is hard to discover an application that would not encrypt your information.   To secure the data of your organization, make sure of the protocol you are choosing.   AES with 256 bits has more chances to keep you protected from almost all kinds of brute force attacks.   There are messengers like Skype and Google Hangouts that store encryption keys on their own servers, which significantly means that anyone who has the access to the servers can peep into your account and would be able to read your every single message.   Therefore, choose an encrypted messaging software that enables you to set up your own server. Make sure the ball is in your court, i.e., have the control that you have access to the database.   2. Keep personal information private:   Against a backdrop of only increasing digital risks, it is your responsibility to prioritize cybersecurity within the workplace.   There are just a few blurry lines between personal and business communication that are obscuring at an increasing rate, which means that unsecured applications come with huge risks and become rife within companies.   With the practice of allowing the employees of an organization to use their own systems, laptops, and mobiles (BYOD), it is impartial that one must be able to manage their personal information privately.   That’s why end-to-end encryption is crucial for enterprises and employees to protect their assets. With secure messaging, it is assumed that the data is protected to the maximum.   3. Message Deletion   I admit that there are certain situations where I have sent sensitive information to the wrong people or windows, or times we do not want anyone to see the messaging history.   Bro, It was no less than embarrassing. Even if it has an end-to-encryption, make sure whether you have the amount of control over deletion. Message deletion is a nifty component in an application to clean up your history or eradicate something unwanted behind. So be careful of what you say prior to saving yourself from either getting fired or becoming the reason for laughter.   4. Metadata   We have all studied that metadata is simply data about data. Well, the majority of secure instant messaging apps store metadata about your messages.   Surprised, eh? Ummm, me too.   i.e., the information other than the actual message, such as the sender, receiver, time, device information, etcetera.   It gives Kohinoor’s (am I exaggerating? Never mind) worth of information to hackers when they are not able to bypass the messaging encryption.   Hence, it is advisable to see what kind of information they are seeking from you before you hit “agree” or “accept.   5. Openness   Regardless of how secure an application is broadcasted to be, if you do not pay attention to it, you have to say that you are digging your own grave.   Mmm, yeah!   You can never be sure of what is lying behind the super-flashy, smooth user interface.   With the implementation of GDPR and several other government agencies and tech firms maintaining a track record of cooperation with third-party agencies, the only way to know about transparency is to talk with the developers.   In software terminology, openness or transparency refers to open source where the source of the applications is visible to everyone who is in use.   Bottom line   End of the day, security always matters, so it is important that you care about your privacy. You need to understand that security does not come at the cost of productivity.   Using a secure messaging communication tool need not mean sacrificing essential functionalities such as screen sharing, video calls, or securing files.   Thank the gods, we have now multiple solutions that come with security benefits as well as expected features that usually businesses rely on. Over to you, now. Analyze these guidelines and determine how secure you are and what application to choose for your further conversations and conversions.   FAQs     1. What is secure messaging?   Secure messaging refers to the exchange of messages through platforms that use encryption and security protocols to protect the content from unauthorized access, ensuring privacy and confidentiality.     2. Why is secure messaging important for businesses?   It helps protect sensitive business information, intellectual property, and customer data from breaches, cyberattacks, and unauthorized access—ensuring compliance with privacy regulations.     3. What are some key features of secure messaging platforms?   The Key features for secure messaging platform include: End-to-end encryption.Role-based access control.Data loss prevention (DLP) tools.Secure file sharing.Audit logs for compliance.     4.Why is secure messaging important in finance and banking?   Financial institutions use it to protect sensitive customer information, conduct secure transactions, and comply with strict data protection laws like GDPR and PCI-DSS.     5.How can unsecured messaging affect data privacy?   Unsecured platforms may lack encryption, making it easier for cybercriminals to intercept and exploit confidential business conversations and shared files.     6. What are the risks of not using secure messaging for business communication?   Without secure messaging, businesses face serious risks such as data breaches, unauthorized access, and loss of sensitive information, which can lead to financial loss, legal issues, and damage to reputation.     7. What are some popular free secure messaging platforms?   Here are a few widely used ones: Signal – Open-source, end-to-end encrypted, supports voice/video calls and file sharing. Great for individuals and small teams. Element (Matrix) – Decentralized and open-source; good for organizations needing control over hosting and data. Wire – Offers a free plan with secure collaboration features; known for strong encryption and European hosting. Session – Privacy-focused with no phone number requirement and decentralized architecture. Threema Work (free trial) – Focused on enterprise use with a trial available, though full features are paid.     8. What’s the difference between regular and secure messaging?   The key difference lies in security and privacy. Regular messaging (e.g., SMS, basic email, standard chat apps) often lacks encryption, leaving messages vulnerable. Secure messaging uses end-to-end encryption and other security features to protect message content and user identity.       9. What key features should we look for in a secure messaging platform?   Look for these essential features: * End-to-end encryption (E2EE)* Multi-factor authentication (MFA)* User access controls & permissions* Data loss prevention (DLP)* Compliance certifications (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2)* Audit logs & monitoring* Secure file sharing* Mobile and desktop support

In any organization, employee engagement is one of the difficult things to define and harder to measure.   It is essentially equal to employee self-esteem which makes it stand always on the top of the priority list. The majority of the employees in today’s market do not feel inspired by their work. They get bored for a year or so and start hunting for something new.   But again, the same old story is going to repeat. But a quick turnover drains the companies from all corners. Analyzing exactly how much it costs businesses or organizations to replace every employee who leaves is a challenge out there. Table of Contents 1. Encourage them to speak up 2. Give people a chance to know each other 3. Give and Receive Feedback 4. Assign a buddy 5. Focus on the collaboration 6. Praise them 7. Draw attention to work-life balance 8. Work from home 9. Hold fun 10. Celebrate your team 11. Dress code 12. Step in the motivational speakers 13. Lunch out twice a week 14. Be operative on a first-name basis Bottom Line 1. Encourage them to speak up Give employees their voice. It is a paramount thing for employees to realize that they are being heard. Every organization should give employees their voice. It is quite common for modern-day workspaces to feel uncomfortable with the concept of speaking their minds. The tenderness could be for several reasons.   But the ball is always in your court. Try to break it down. When workers are constantly being shut down, soon they will commence using their voice somewhere else. Encourage your employees that you are all ears which certainly boosts their performance. An open-door communication or open-door policy is a valuable asset to any organization.   The more space you give for communication, the more likely they will bring fresh ideas to the board. 2. Give people a chance to know each other There are many employees who have no idea about their colleagues, not at all. Watching the complete series of “The Office” could bring you more employee engagement ideas than you would get from reading every employee engagement article on the internet.   It is important to focus on helping your employees to get to know each other well. Conduct some office games or a happy little hour at the end of the week. Not everyone is okay with partying, so ask them what they want to do and implement them right away. This helps them to communicate with each other more on a personal level.   Whenever a new employee steps in, welcome him/her officially to the team.   No one is under his eye Hehe. Just make sure to allow your team to interact with them instead of letting them feel they are being watched. Every human needs a break once in a while. Conversations always not to be related to work. Let them talk. 3. Give and Receive Feedback Every employee wants to know where they stand in the line. It seems hard to implement. But this makes them feel that they are a part of something in the organization. Also, it is essential to seek feedback from their end as well. Using a kudos platform can help in recognizing individual contributions, making it easier for employees to understand their impact within the team.   Conduct surveys and seek anonymous responses to find out how they are feeling in the organization. Keep it simple. You might even be able to act on some of their wishes. Let them understand that you know their opinion. 4. Assign a buddy Improving employee engagement also involves serving as a mentor despite how busy you are. There are many people out there hesitant to simply ask a manager for little things. But you have to build a trustworthy relationship with employees to make the work environment more welcoming.   Make them grow as a part of the team. Many managers do not opt for the personal approach but it is often necessary to talk and resolve who are facing issues. Just help and ensure no one is left behind 5. Focus on the collaboration It seems that cubicles give personal space. It is true, but only to an extent. You might have experienced yourself in cubicles or seen in any office space. These kinds of companies offer comfort, not collaboration. However, collaboration is one of the vital components for businesses to thrive in this competitive world.   In the long history of humankind, those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. - Charles Darwin One of the best ways to improve is to implement collaboration tools that cut down the time of moving from desk to desk or waiting for someone to write a formal email for a simple thing. 6. Praise them It is an open truth that one of the best ways to motivate people to work more is to reward them on a regular basis. But, rewarding for every tiny thing makes him/her comfortable. Hence, it should be done only from time to time. That will mean a lot to the person. Trust me!   Also, encourage co-workers to hear about someone’s achievement and congratulate them. This step brings employees together for sure. 7. Draw attention to work-life balance It seems like a typical phrase bragged by many employees or organizations. But a good work-life balance can reduce employee stress and increase staff retention. There should be an equity between the time spent working and personal life.   Work-life balance is subjective. It is going to mean different for each other. Talk with your team to acknowledge what you can do for better workplace engagement. A flexible schedule is the easiest way to keep them thriving. 8. Work from home There should be an ability to work from home whenever necessary. Come on, who likes to work side-by-side with someone who is blowing snot or who wants to commute in heavy traffic with running a fever? Whenever an employee is sick, let them know that they can work from home.   As a matter of fact, remote workers are more productive than the peeps working in-house. A couple of days in a year would not hurt. Isn’t it? 9. Hold fun One of the unfortunate aspects of the modern work culture is that many do not even associate the word “fun” with the work. You do not necessarily have to disrupt the normal week to integrate fun into the office. Just take a half day Friday and let all the departments do something together.   All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy Holding contests within the organization, playing outdoor sports, and going as volunteers can make the day much better and improve employee engagement levels than you have imagined. 10. Celebrate your team Make your staff members feel special on their work anniversaries, birthdays, or even a big project closure. When employees feel like they are getting an adequate amount of attention for his/her efforts, they typically have a more urge to be engaged. Make it unexpected. 11. Dress code There should be no Barney who hunts you every day to “suit up.” Every workspace has its own sense of culture. The clothes people put on, absolutely have a dramatic impact on the environment. While you are working with a team of professionals there must not be much concern over what one has to wear at work.   As long as the attire looks decent, the rest of the things goes well. Allow them to come up with a reasonable and comfortable dress code that makes everyone happy. 12. Step in the motivational speakers To shake up the workday, commence it with something inspirational. Ever seen how a motivational speaker spills out the magic in life? They just shake it off. Chances are you know how effective they can be at improving team engagement or motivation or whatever.   Do your homework. But also ask your members for references. If many are into music, bring a professional musician; just like how sports fans respond to athletes. Your employees would be grateful, focused, and energized by the opportunity to learn from the experts. 13. Lunch out twice a week Once or twice a week, host a lunch for the whole team. Throughout the busy week, it is common for employees to feel branched out.   Common lunches are lots of fun; people talk about from crushes to cryptocurrencies, not to forget the benefits of employee engagement. Make sure that everyone is well aware of the venue and time. 14. Be operative on a first-name basis Many people are bad at remembering names. Okay, I am one among them. I can tell how and what they talked about, the dress they were wearing, whether they were interested in the conversation or not, and justeverything under the sun; but when it comes to their name.   Man, it sucks. It is quite challenging for me as I manage a lot of people. However, no one wants to be treated as a cog in the wheel. Isn’t it? But when you call someone by their name, they feel superior for not being just a member or some tester anymore. True that it takes time to remember everyone’s name, but it is worth trying. Bottom Line When you focus on engaging the employees, the results would be productive with high retention rates and success across the industry.   It is high time. It is your turn now. Take these 15 simple employee engagement ideas and tell us, how it goes. Put the things into practice at your office and understand the gaps. Also, do not forget to tell us what kind of engagement ideas you have or strategies that have worked for you in order to increase employee engagement. 

Incorporate these productivity apps and tips into your workday to increase efficiency and become a productivity ninja!   Without toilsome work nothing grows, except weeds   You commence each day with a perfect plan to get things done but soon become distracted. Even card-carrying employees may feel agitated while concentrating or meeting deadlines from time to time.   On the other side of the coin, some feel that they do not have ample time to do everything. No one is born at acing time management. One-size-doesn’t-fits-all in any environment. However, productivity apps are the best innovation since sliced bread.   We are outlining the production techniques that can be adapted to your working style and personality. Table of Contents 1. Break it down 2. Eliminate diversion 3. Prioritizing Things 4. Business Messaging App 5. Right at the crack of dawn 6. Pat on the back 7. Master Keyboard Shortcuts 8. Grab the headphones 9. Eat Healthily Bottom Line 1. Break it down You cannot always be working at optimum productivity. On second thoughts you should change the way you work.    Work in 90-minute increments Use the 2-minute rule to bang out small tasks and ace procrastination Set up meetings in the afternoon Answer voicemails for a chunk of time in the afternoon   When you constantly play and pause the process you are frittering away time in order to get back to your rhythm. Catch up on these methods and boost your productivity in day-to-day life.  2. Eliminate diversion The tendency to become distracted is primal. As humans, every sensory input seems deeply interesting to us. The more you give work to the prefrontal cortex - the most evolved part of the brain; the more you can fetch from each business day.   Turn off the sound on your computer and phone so that you do not get alerts Give a break to yourself for 5-10 minutes every hour Walk around to reduce physical stress from a constant position   Tens of things get in the way of a productive workday. Looming concerns about the things you need to accomplish after work, talkative co-workers, email notifications, multiple web browsers, and social media messages. End of the day, the ball would be in your court. Remove distractions to stay in a proper workflow. 3. Prioritizing Things Whichsoever activity seems dreadful is probably the one you have to complete first in the morning. The logic is simple here. You do not want to do it because it’s probably hard.   As Mark Twain said, “When you have two frogs to eat, eat the ugliest one first.” Checking the ugliest task out as early as possible could breeze the rest of the day.   Do not check emails early in the morning Embrace apps like Google Keep, Todoist, Tick Tick Use the ABCDE method for precise prioritization   It is not about having time, it is all about making time. Time is the only thing that is uniform in quantity for each and every one in the globe. The ability to master time sets apart the winners. You would have more energy in the morning to tackle the strong heads. In order to increase productivity, there are many strategies and task prioritization tools. 4. Business Messaging App We are so tethered to our mobiles and computers. It is no surprise that instant messaging apps have become one of the easier and sought-after ways to communicate with millennials.   Upgrading the internal communication methods from old emailing to instant messaging has turned into a no-brainer. Gone are the days when inbox would not stop buzzing with the team email chain. Accessing the hivemind of your organization with the best of business has its own benefits:    Responsiveness would scale up as the questions get answered immediately. Everyday communication for today’s world. Work status, shift changes, fresh updates, announcements, everything is possible here. Recommended business chat apps are Slack, Fleep, and Troop Messenger.   5. Right at the crack of dawn I know it is a bit hard as we do not tend to sleep until we complete the season of our favorite TV series. But, nothing beats a quiet environment. This enhances work productivity in a way you might not imagine.   How do I know? It has increased mine. I wake up before 6, I go running or brisk walking and I start my regular day of work at 9.30 AM. Once I started doing this, the way I looked at my day changed drastically. When I go to work without any activity, I feel bored and dull.   Tried and tested. Go ahead! You will thank me later.  6. Pat on the back Reward yourself every now and then. It should not be donkey praise. One of the easiest ways to gain confidence is to praise yourself. For a stronger, you, learn how to become aware of your internal dialogue. It is entirely reliant on what you believe about yourself.    You are your biggest influencer. The human brain is extremely malleable. Every thought of ours would create a robust neural connection and it strengthens each time you think about it. So, praising yourself often would make you hustle more.  You become totally content and fulfilled. It is easy to settle with what we have but it does not give you the satisfaction you attain from your efforts.   7. Master Keyboard Shortcuts I am not an admirer of my desktop’s mice. It costs me a few seconds every time I have to take my hands off of the keyboard. The combination of simultaneous key presses could boost your productivity more than you expected.  It is known that an average person can gain a freaking sixty-four hours every year.    It saves a lot of time. Instead of moving the mouse from here to there, just one keyboard shortcut would suffice. Efficiency. You can accomplish more tasks by using the keyboard rather than a mouse. You can do more with less.   8. Grab the headphones Music has its own way of permeating through empty corners and filling up environments with substance. It has the power to make you relax, dwell in tears or feel on cloud nine.    It need not be a hit the dance floor music. Go for instrumentals not get stuck with lyrics. Listening to the music you are familiar with is beneficial as it gives you intense focus.   9. Eat Healthily While we break down the factors that contribute to productivity at work, we do not give a shot to food. Go back and think about that productive workday in the past week. Ask yourself what did you have for lunch.   Food is never been considered as fuel whilst battling to meet deadlines. But, food affects us more than we realize.   Small and frequent meals maintain your glucose at a more consistent level rather than a strong midday feast. Snacking is vital. Keep a few protein bars or a container of almonds as a healthy snack. Also, if you are eating healthy, you can read this guide for additional tips on choosing an alternative to regular snacks.   Bottom Line Not every day is productive. Please do not beat yourself up to it. We all create certain tasks to accomplish each day and if they do not move to a checklist, our friend a.k.a anxiety knocks at the door. Instead, implement these tips and integrate productivity tools to find that sweet spot that works for you. You will be amazed at how much you can get done in and out of the office. 

Amidst the several collaboration tools, instant messaging has placed a remarkable venture in the business. The momentum of instant messaging for business has transformed from social networks to enterprise applications. From startups to Fortune 500, every business can be benefited.   Communication is the driving force behind productivity. Businesses need to communicate with customers and employees need to communicate with peers. With smartphones within arms’ reach and plenty of ubiquitous forms of electronic communication, collaboration has never been easier.    In this post, you will understand why an effective communication platform is a crucial component of getting things done. Table of Contents What is Instant Messaging? How is it different from Email? 1. Real-Time Collaboration 2. Convenience 3. Strengthens the bond 4. File Sharing 5. Build a Team Bottom Line What is Instant Messaging? Instant messaging has become a buzzword in the 20th century. There are many wrangles for and against both email and instant messaging for business as a form of internal communication at the workplace.  How is it different from Email? Email is a time guzzler and a lackluster tool. It is meant for written communication in the business world. Email messages can be delivered to the other side of the globe in a matter of seconds. But the inbox is always filled with spam. The struggles of reducing the deluge of spam and spreading malware are nothing new under the sun.   On the other side of the coin, instant messaging apps are saviors. It is in the name. It is instant!   Emails are often frustrating when sending a short informal message or an emergency pressing matter. Whilst instant messaging is brief. It tends to be confined to a single sentence rather than a lengthy essay with a subject. One can expect a conversation from the intended target as soon as you hit enter. It has an immediate back-and-forth exchange that allows you to have a team collaboration in real time.   The importance of instant messaging for business collaboration is listed below: 1. Real-Time Collaboration It allows you to communicate with people anywhere in the world with simple hello. Unlike the response of email where you have to wait until the message is downloaded from the server by the intended receiver, you can have an end-to-end conversation here. To get a faster response from the clients or customers regardless of location, IM is the one-shot for your business establishment.   No SPAM: Your inbox can be free of spam messages. Being an intra-entity application with access being restricted only to fellow co-workers of your organization, there is no chance of getting promotional messages which keep your inbox clean. 2. Convenience Instant messaging for team chat initiates flawless communication as the user can access it through either a smartphone or desktop. This is easy to set up and manage. You have the accessibility to alter your preferences according to your workload. For instance, if you are involved in some work and you do not wish for any interruptions, you can set your status as DND which implies your co-workers not expect a reply instantly. 3. Strengthens the bond Efficient collaboration is the cornerstone of productivity. A truly collaborative environment is built on the base of close bonding between employees. As per the modern workflow, employees have to stay put in front of a computer for the most part of the day. Email is effective but does not change or enhance this situation. With IM, co-workers can easily build relationships with different chat options and enabled emoticons. Formal to informal conversations and everything in between can be possible through this. 4. File Sharing One of the crucial parts of business chat apps as file sharing is a vital part of any organization. Some customers or clients would like to have a strict limitation on the file size. Through Troop Messenger, anyone can exchange an unlimited number of messages, and files of all formats irrespective of size. Isn’t that effective?  5. Build a Team Unlike cricket team which has a restriction on players or members, you can build teams with as many members as you wish. Even though some are offshore, the instant messaging app can bring all of you together and work collectively. This enhances productivity by cutting down the time of sending emails or phone calls just to know the work status. Bottom Line Businesses are always in a thirst to increase their revenues and productivity. Many still rely on email as a platform for internal communication without realizing that it is intrusive to the current world. Not all instant messaging apps for business are beneficial which makes Troop Messenger a choice to look after your business while scaling up your bottom line. 

The number of instant business messaging apps for Linux is increasing with each passing day. This post will help you in identifying the proper apps for Linux that let your team communicate seamlessly and get things done quickly.   Ever since the onset of smartphones and a remarkable slash down of internet tariffs, communication among workers has become a breeze.   People are no longer restricted to sticking to staid and time-guzzling emails. Thank the geeks, the internet is now brimming with hundreds of business messaging apps with vivid features.   As the developers are not possessive about certain an audience, they made them available for all kinds of platforms and devices. A desktop companion along with the mobile counterpart comes in handy when you are in no mood to work with small mobile screens.   Supported platformsAs the desktop Linux usage is amplifying with each passing day, messaging on Linux is no longer limited to Internet Relay Chats(IRC).   As not all instant messaging apps are created equal, we bring you the top five :   1. Slack   A name that does not need any introduction. It has been acting as a substitute for instant messaging. It is suitable for all scales of businesses.   Local to national. It reduces the internal email usage for discussions within the team. It allows users easily to create to-do lists, customized themes, emoji reactions, private channels, and many more.   With Slack, you can be connected with your co-workers anywhere at any time. All types of media are welcome at Slack.   Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web Pricing: Price Starts from 6.67$/month/user ( Free Plan + )   2. Troop Messenger   Troop Messenger is a new-age instant business messaging app that fits accurately in all spaces.   Startups to Multinational Companies. It comes with a rich design and smooth navigation. All the features work pretty well and integrate properly in most Linux desktop environments.   This application primarily focuses on privacy as business-related data needs to be protected in a most secure environment   Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web Pricing: Price Starts from 1$/month/user ( Free Plan + )   3. Skype    Skype is popular for its high-quality video conferencing. Like Windows, the Linux-supported Skype also comes with a dark theme which is easier on the eyes.   Earlier, Linux Skype users could communicate only with other Linux users. Now that is a thing of the past.   With Linux Skype, you can now interact with the whole Skype family. This application is beneficial for offshore workers.   Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web Pricing: Price Starts from $5.00/month/user ( Free Plan + )   4. Mattermost   Mattermost is yet another business app for Linux with high-security features.   That is, when the application is deployed on your server, you have the accessibility to add the encryption of your communication channel.   Though the interior chat experience resembles much like Slack, they took a unique step in message replies. It shows all of the replies together in-line with the rest of the conversations. The design of all pages, navigation, and channel creation, and all run smoothly in a Linux environment.   Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web Pricing: Price Starts from $3.25/month/user ( Free Plan + )   5. Ryver    Ryver has generated a quick buzz in the industry because of its follow-up feature for a message. A user can set a reminder on each chat so that he will be notified about it with the setup time.   This feature coordinates with the notifications which do not let the user miss or forget any important conversations. You can invite other members irrespective of their operating system.   Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web Pricing: Starter $49/team/month up to 12 users ( FREE 14-Day Trial)   Bottom Line The wider adoption of Linux desktop machines has opened doors for many business messaging app services to make the workflow seamless. Porting of applications is not as quick as it seems, but many applications have already headway. As many strong players are on the board, it is not possible to list a single favorite app.   If I was asked to name some, it would be above five. Let us know in the comment section below which is your favorite messaging application and why.   And I am excited about which applications are on the line next! Aren’t you??