Listed below are some fabulous apps and tools which help me run my efficient VA business. I’ve tried to find free alternatives to the more expensive packages on the market, without losing quality and overall effectiveness. These are great for VA’s but can also be applied to many different businesses, the overall goal will remain the same – save time and hassle.
Time tracking software – Toggl. Most VA’s offer hourly packages to their clients and need to track their time, mainly for their own benefit so they can see how much time is being spent on each piece of work but it’s also very useful for pulling detailed reports which you can email to your clients. Toggl is simple to use and works across all devices meaning that no matter where you are, you can quickly turn the timer on and log work as soon as it’s started.
Sharing files – Dropbox. This is an excellent free app which is useful when working with clients who need to share documents with you, it prevents inboxes being clogged up and avoids issues with version control.
Scheduling meetings – Doodle. If you are trying to arrange a meeting which involves several people with busy diaries and want a quick way to save time and get a date agreed, Doodle is the best way to collate responses.
Time difference calculator – World Time Buddy. This is a quick and easy way to compare multiple time zones, plan conference calls, webinars etc. It’s very simple to use with the added benefit of being able to link to your Outlook or Gmail calendar so you can issue the diary invite straight from the website.
Photo Editing – GIMP. A great freebie if you do any type of photo editing and can’t justify the expensive Photoshop licence. It’s not as intuitive as Photoshop but does the basics. There are some great tutorials on how to get the best out of this software on YouTube.
What time saving tools do you recommend using? Get in touch or share below 🙂
