5 apps to help you get more done in less time

Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day? If you’re looking to get more out of your work day, here are five apps — recommended by Chris Battles, vice president and general manager, communications cloud division at Citrix, that he uses to improve his own productivity.

Plan your days ahead of time

According to best-selling time management author Brian Tracy, “The more time you take to make a list of everything you have to do, in advance, the more effective and efficient you will be.” Battles suggests trying Wunderlist to help you stay organized during the week. You can create, organize and share your lists before you start your day — from your daily to-do list to managing multiple, ongoing projects and goals — ultimately helping you to stay on track and focused.

Avoid unnecessary in-person meetings

Not all meetings are necessary but if you must, save time by meeting with colleagues in person or, if you can’t physically do that, meet virtually.

“With an app like GoToMeeting, there’s no need to spend time in the car commuting to and from the office for meetings. Instead, collaborate via web conference to maintain face-time with coworkers, clients or partners located in various geographies worldwide without having to leave your office chair,” Battles says.

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Beat the clock

Self-imposed deadlines can help keep you on-track and give you an extra burst of motivation. “When you challenge yourself to complete tasks within a given time period — even shorter than you think it might take – you are competing against yourself to be as efficient as possible,” he says. Try an app like Timing, which tracks the time you spend on each project; you’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done when you put a little pressure on yourself, Battles says.

Ask for help

How much time have you lost staring at the spinning rainbow wheel on your computer, wondering when and if it’s going to crash? Don’t be afraid to ask for help to resolve technical issues like that. Aside from your internal IT department, an app solution like GoToAssist provides live IT resolution by accessing problematic computers, identifying and solving problems fast, from any location. It’s a great option for those times you can’t afford to lose another minute to IT issues, Battles says.

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Delegate tasks

Knowing when it’s appropriate to delegate tasks can serve as a huge time-saver, Battles says.

And it’s especially true when you’re trying to pack, ship and send items, whether they’re work-related or personal. “With the Shyp app, a courier picks up your items, packs and sends them anywhere in the world using the lowest cost and most reliable option. You’ll never have to wait in line at the post office or stock boxes and bubble wrap again. Now, you can finally deal with those packages collecting dust under your desk without disrupting your workflow or ever having to actually leave your desk,” Battles says.

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