New tools and technology for Assistants
I will share new tools and technology for Assistants, including apps, chrome extensions and websites that will help you automate your work and ultimately free up your time. I hope you check out a few of the different examples. There is a world of technology out there that you can use, and I hope you find some of these examples helpful!
Chrome Extensions
This productivity extension helps you focus on your weekly and daily goals. You can also track habits you would like to introduce into your daily routines (like drinking more water or taking breaks). Finally, the extension blocks websites that you might find distracting – like social media, for example. The extension works because if you write your goals down, and it is in front of you throughout the day, you are more likely to accomplish them!
If you are anything like me, you will have 50 tabs open on your web browser right now! Yes? This is an extension for you. Whenever you find yourself with too many tabs, click the OneTab icon to convert all of your tabs into a list. You can restore the tabs individually or simultaneously when you need to reaccess them.
We couldn’t give you 50+ different extensions to try out without also suggesting Extensions Manager. Try this tool to organize all your extensions, so they don’t take up half of your browser’s screen. It shows you what attachments you have operating on Google Chrome and allows you to hide some of the icons to keep your browser better organized.
Start.me
With Start.me, you turn each new tab you open in Chrome into a personal dashboard. You can populate this dashboard with webpage bookmarks, productivity widgets, news feeds from specific websites, and various photos and videos. You might find this a helpful extension if you prefer to keep your daily schedule online rather than in print or on your desktop.
Readme is a text-to-speech reader that works within your Chrome browser to increase accessibility as you write or read articles. It can also help you listen to your drafts aloud for proofreading purposes. Listening to your writing can be an excellent way to catch errors.
Websites and online tools
I’m guessing that many of you will have heard of Grammarly, but if not, it is the market leader in spell-checking and grammatical errors. It works as a download that you can have on Windows and integrates into all of the Microsoft packages. You can also add it to your browser to correct mistakes while typing online.
It is my favourite product because it is the most accurate and the least annoying. Plus, it is super quick, so you can make changes quickly without having to proofread repeatedly. Grammarly is free for the basic version, but if you prefer the robust version, it starts at $29.95 per month.
You can create, seal, stamp, and mail handwritten cards—all through your phone. Felt can be the perfect way to send a congratulatory message to a professional contact or a thank you note to a company you just interviewed with.
Snapdrop
If you don’t own an iPhone —meaning that you don’t have AirDrop — you should check Snapdrop out. Open the webpage on your laptop and phone (the website will automatically connect the devices), drop the files you want to transfer, and they’ll appear on the other device, ready to be downloaded. Easy!
Many of you will be putting videos together now and editing your Executive’s online presentations. There are many brilliant video editing software available, some of which take a while to learn and make the most of. I like Wondershare Fimora for beginners as it is intuitive, easy to use and reasonably priced. Again, there are many features that are easy to use and get to grips with.
TimeZone Ninja
I was talking to an Assistant the other day who told me she often had to schedule meetings between Dubai, London, Sydney and San Francisco, which was a total nightmare and to work out the next time, she would use Google to search for the different time zones and then work out who was less likely to be annoyed with a crazy time for the meeting.
This is a total time suck for most Assistants, and Time Zone Ninja is my favourite platform that helps work out the right time for a meeting. You add your location, the date and the time and then add the additional attendee’s locations. Then a fancy algorithm works out the best time to arrange the call.
Time Zone Ninja is an easy platform to use and will save you a lot of time. I recommend it.
BombBomb lets you share videos directly with anyone from your computer or smartphone. It opens up your camera, and you can record your face, record your screen, or both. Quickly share the videos wherever you already send text and email. The service also lets you know when someone plays your video, opens your message, and clicks your link.
An all-in-one solution for all your PDF-related needs.
Convert, compress, edit, and add everything you need to do on a pdf file. You can do it here.
Quick, easy, and fast to use when you don’t have enough resources or don’t want to mess around with different stuff.
You can also try – I love pdf.
It is, without a doubt, the most accessible and advanced platform in this space. It has many features, including recording conversations from your phone or computer. You can import or sync recordings from other services, and it integrates with Zoom.
The technology transcribes the audio. If you have a video with the audio, it adds real-time captions, and once you have ended the recording, you receive a searchable transcript synced with the audio. It shows different speakers and key phrases that have come up throughout the conversation.
The transcription is accurate and still needs to be proofed, don’t get me wrong, but it is excellent. So how to use it. If you have to sit in a meeting, you can record from your phone or laptop, review the transcript, and pull out valuable information for the minutes.
If your Executive has the app on their phone, they can record every meeting; the transcript goes to you to again pull out tasks and any follow-up actions they need to make.
Suppose you haven’t considered using audio before to help with task management or speed up your minute-taking. Now might be the time. The free package gives you 600 minutes of transcription.
Krisp noise cancelling app is a communication tool recently emerging on the market. It’s an AI-powered app that removes all kinds of background noises during a call in real time and allows people to communicate with each other professionally. You can use Krisp with over 800 communication, conferencing, messaging, podcasting and recording apps, and you can pair it with any headphones, speakers and microphones you prefer. Krisp can be used as Mac and Windows noise cancellation software at any time.
Smartphone Apps
Apple Shortcuts is among the best productivity apps for anyone with an iPhone or iPad. This app lets you create automation, that is, a series of events that happens automatically when you trigger it. For example, you can make one that says, “When I arrive at work (based on GPS), automatically put my phone on silent.” Another one could be, “When I stop my phone’s Wake-Up alarm, then play a morning news podcast.” Even if you know nothing about programming, you can create some time-saving shortcuts with this app.
Throughout the day, you likely switch back and forth between devices. From computer to iPad to smartphone; from desktop to smartphone to tablet. If you’re constantly bouncing around, you’re setting yourself up for a day of distracting transitions that make it harder to get back into the project you’re working on. Wouldn’t things be so much easier and less distracting if all your devices were connected as one? That’s precisely why you need Pushbullet.
RemotePC is a remote control service that allows you to access files on your computer from another computer. Since this app can be easily downloaded on iPads, iPhones or even android devices, it is widely used.
So even if you do not wish to carry your heavy laptop to work, all you have to do is make use of this user-friendly app to help you access any presentation, videos, documents, or files you might need in the course of your day.
While it may not be as valuable in the current situation, Workfrom helps you to find places where you can work, including public spaces, like libraries, and paid spaces, like coffee shops and cafes.
I’ve been a big fan of travelperk for a few years now. They have a dedicated website for Assistants who manage travel. The app is beneficial, quickly check and book flights and get help from their 24/7 customer service team.
Another handy app that will store your Executive’s electronic signature. If you are on the go, you can quickly upload any document, add your Exec’s signature and send the document back with your Executive’s authorisation. Getting sign off can always cause bottlenecks, so this is handy to use on the go.
