Time-Saving Apps to Increase Your Productivity

As the owner of a busy Virtual Assistant business, I am always looking for ways to save time, improve systems, processes and increase productivity both within my own business and those of our clients.
 
In previous blogs we've talked about some core apps for small business owners, such as Dropbox and Trello. This blog however, focuses on productivity apps designed to help you reclaim valuable time in your day and work with more ease and intention.

Doodle
This is a free, online meeting scheduling tool, which simplifies the process of arranging F2F meetings, team 1-to-1s, online calls, workshops and events.

Within minutes you can simply set-up an online meeting poll, populating event information, adding proposed dates and times before inviting delegates to mark their availability onto the poll.

Doodle removes the countless ''When are you free?'' emails, changes in availability, growing email chains, and the time-consuming, manual process of trying to keep on top of responses. It clearly highlights the date and time chosen by the majority, allowing you to confirm the meeting date with ease.

Anyone can be sent and respond to a Doodle Poll, no account or pre-registration required.

Turn on automatic reminders, or set a deadline date and Doodle will take care of all the chasing. You can connect Doodle to your calendar, Zoom, Google Meet or Webex and add video conference links to every event automatically.

As a PA I’ve used Doodle a lot over the years and recently a client of ours was using it, which just reminded me how good this tool is. I would highly recommend that you check it out and have a go at setting up a poll, then take a look at some of the other great ways in which it can support your business activities, including creating sign-up and booking sheets and taking payments etc. 

Todoist
Is a powerful task-management app designed to help busy professionals stay organised without feeling overwhelmed. Instead of juggling multiple to-do lists, users can capture tasks quickly, set priorities, create recurring reminders, and organise projects in one place.

Todoist has features like natural language input (e.g. typing “Send report tomorrow at 9am”), collaboration tools, and cross-device syncing. This fantastic online tool helps business owners and teams keep track of responsibilities and deadlines effortlessly.

By streamlining task management, it frees up mental space so professionals can focus on high-value work rather than remembering what needs to be done next.

Calendly
Eliminates the endless back-and-forth emails that come with scheduling meetings. Instead of manually coordinating availability, users simply share their personal booking link, allowing clients, colleagues, or prospects to choose a time that automatically fits into their calendar.

Calendly integrates with popular calendar systems and can even include buffer times, meeting limits, and automated reminders to reduce no-shows.

For busy entrepreneurs and managers who spend large portions of their day in meetings, this simple automation can reclaim hours each week whilst creating a smoother scheduling experience for everyone involved.

Buffer
Helps users manage their social media presence efficiently without constantly logging into different platforms. You can plan, schedule, and publish posts across multiple social channels from a single dashboard, batching content in advance saves time posting manually each day.

Buffer also provides analytics to track which posts perform best, helping businesses refine their social strategy without spending extra time analysing data.

For busy business owners trying to maintain a consistent online presence, Buffer turns social media into a streamlined, time-saving process rather than a daily distraction.


What online tools have you found that are game changers for your business?