One of the hardest parts of running a small business is managing your time effectively. There are only so many hours in the day. How are you supposed to find the time to keep up with your daily management tasks while also pursuing the big-picture projects that will help your business grow? Thankfully, small business owners have access to all kinds of time-saving apps, many of which are free! In this article, Fredericksburg Guidebook explores some of the best apps to boost your productivity so you have more free time for meaningful work.

Mobile Scanning Apps

Do you rely on paper documents to run your business? According to Coordinated Business Systems, managing document-based information can take up 20% to 30% of your workweek. That’s a lot of wasted time! Digital document management can save you and your employees countless hours. Not to mention the fact that your business will likely make less expensive information errors when you can access, store, and manage your
documents digitally.

ZenBusiness recommends using a mobile scanning app like CamScanner to scan and upload business documents using your phone. An app like this will make it quick and effortless to digitize documents as they come in, so you can stay organized.

A Synced Calendar App

Calendar apps make it easy to automate repetitive scheduling tasks, coordinate team members, plan meetings, book clients, and more. Look for
a shared calendar app with features that will solve all of your scheduling issues. For example, automatic syncing ensures that any updates you make to your calendar will instantly sync with your account and the accounts of your team members. Cross-platform compatibility ensures team members can access your shared calendar from any device or browser.

Cloud-Based Storage

A cloud-based storage and sharing app is another important collaboration tool that will save you and your team a lot of time. Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud-based storage tools. Using Google Drive, you can store business documents online and control who has access to those documents. The benefit of cloud storage is that you and your employees can access and edit shared files from anywhere on any computer, tablet, or smartphone. This eliminates the need to download and send files whenever someone updates a document.

Instant Messaging Apps

What if you didn’t have to craft a professional email every time you needed to contact an employee? With instant messaging apps like Slack, you can shoot off a quick message to anyone on your team within seconds. Stop spending time correcting email errors and searching for replies in lengthy group email threads. Transitioning your internal communications to an instant messaging app will save you many hours of pointless email work every week.

Scheduling Software

Back and forth scheduling is the culprit behind many time-wasting email threads. Take advantage of appointment scheduling tools to cut down these back-and-forth emails. With an app like Calendly, you set your availability preferences and your guests pick a time and date that works for them.

Many scheduling tools are built to integrate seamlessly with popular shared calendar apps and other productivity tools, making life even easier. For example, Calendly integrates with Google Calendar, Zoom, Slack, HubSpot, PayPal, Stripe, and more.

These kinds of integrations add features to improve the functionality of your scheduling process, like preventing double bookings and enabling customers to schedule and pay for appointments right from your website.

Digital Note-Taking Tools

How much time do you spend looking for important ideas or information on loose post-it notes? Even paper notebooks can be difficult to organize and skim through when you need to find something. In comparison, digital note-taking apps are convenient and easy to use. Since there are so many great note-taking apps out there, you may need to try a few until you find one that works best for your personal workflow. Make sure the app you choose is just as convenient to use as a pen and scrap of paper!

Time Management Tools

If you just don’t know where all of your time is going, consider downloading a time management app like Toggle so you can keep track of your hours. Tracking your time can help you better manage your workload, improve your productivity, and understand your personal capacity. If you charge your clients for hourly work, tracking your time will also ensure you don’t accidentally omit any billable work from your invoice.

When you run a small business, every second counts. Few things are more frustrating than ending a long workday and having little to show for it. Take advantage of time-saving apps to boost your productivity, streamline business management, and eliminate time wasters from your daily workload.

Do you run a local business in Fredericksburg? Consider advertising in the Fredericksburg Guidebook to get your business in front of locals, newcomers, and visitors eager to explore the area. Call us to learn more! 540-226-0988