Distraction can be a major issue, especially for busy real estate agents who are already struggling with a limited amount of “desk time”. To add to the struggle, most of us are dealing with short attention spans, aggravated by today’s fast-paced, technology-driven lifestyle. Thanks to constant pop-ups, dings and buzzes, combatting the urge to constantly multi-task is a daily battle. Today, we’re going introduce you to several tools you can use to make the most of your desk time, keep you on track and stay focused on your work.
Productivity tools fall into 3 main categories:
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Time Management Tools:
Dedicating a finite, uninterrupted amount of time to completing a specific task can dramatically increase your productivity. The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management method – where you break your day down into 15 minute sections and dedicate each block of time to a specific task. If you struggle with time management, consider using these tools to stay focused on the task at hand:
Tomato Timer
Cost: Free
Benefits: Super simple timer to keep you on track
Cost: Free to $5 per user per month
Toggl
Benefits: Super simple timer + task list to keep you on track and help you plan out your day
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Task Management Tools:
If you’re not crazy about the idea of getting so granular with your time management or if you feel like you’ve got a good handle on your schedule but could use some help with your organization, a solid project management platform is the tool for you. There are a bunch of options out there – here are two of my top picks:
Asana
Cost: Free
Benefits: Very clean, linear task management solution with multiple views (by project, by due date, by team member). Perfect for list lovers.
Cost: Free - $6.50 a month
DropTask
Benefits: Highly visual task management system that allows you to group tasks by project. Great for conceptual thinkers.
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Time & Task Management Tools:
If you are seeking more than a simple time management tool and want to track how much time you’re spending on various tasks throughout the day – try one of these time and task management tools.
Yast
Cost: Free to $14 per user per month
Benefits: Provides visual timeline representations of each project to help you easily identify where your time goes. Helps with long-term time planning.
Trello
Cost: Free
Benefits: Highly visual task manager that offers drag and drop tiles and a “pinterest-y” feel. Great for creative tasks.
