Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/technology/5-free-tools-that-simplify-work-and-save-time/436282

5 Free Tools That Simplify Work And Save Time

There are several new tools that make everyday tasks super easy to do. Here are five tools that make your corporate day simpler.

By Kavya Pillai

September 29, 2022

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

No matter how much you love your job or how passionate you are about your work, the pressure does get to you at times. We all want days where we clock out at a reasonable hour, have the energy for a personal life or just a simple and easy day at the office.

What we often overlook is learning about ways to make that ideal workday possible. There are several new tools that make everyday tasks super easy to do. Tools that not only help you complete your tasks quicker (which let's admit it, is the purest form of serotonin) but also, help reduce your stress. Here are five tools that make your corporate day simpler.

1. Trello
At work, multiple tasks, emails and notifications create chaos. It is imperative to be able to get your tasks organised according to their level of importance. Offices thrive when they keep every employee on the same page, touch base and allocate new tasks efficiently. Trello, simply put, helps gain this clarity for businesses. It is a free tool that tracks the progress of individuals and teams. It also integrates other prominently used tools like Google Drive, Slack and more to keep a clear track of work.

Why do we recommend this tool?
Trello has an easy user interface which means, it won't take you long to learn how to use it. Teams like Sales, Marketing, HR and Operations, can design and customize Trello to fit their own needs and working styles. The tool's integrations help you manage cross-team collaborations efficiently without losing your time on repeating communications.

2. Session Lab
A successful workshop manages time with well-planned and impactful sessions. Organising such a workshop takes a lot of research material which is hard to procure in short periods. Session Lab is a free tool that helps design workshops by offering multiple categories and a vast library. The tool also has collaborative features that help you co-create sessions with other trainers.

Why do we recommend this tool?
When it comes to workshop planning and delivery, Session Lab has an easy user interface with drag and drop tools. This helps you arrange your data well and provides features that show you how to present one topic in multiple ways. The tool also helps you collaborate with other trainers for various parts of the workshop using the co-create feature. Keeping in mind that an important part of making a workshop is taking feedback, this tool helps you make such changes on the go before your next training session.

3. Help Scout
Every business thrives with solid client relations. However, it is nearly impossible to be available every time and everywhere for your clients. Help Scout, is a tool that easily helps you set up live chats and an email schedule. This tool increases your reverts on emails by saved replies and automated workflows. It also assigns email threads automatically and manages them.

Why do we recommend this tool?
Help Scout makes sure you do not forget to respond to any client. The tool ensures your team is more accessible without being overworked. Furthermore, unlike help desks at many enterprises, this tool does not need any training to set up. Help Scout also helps you ensure that any issue that comes your way is fully addressed in a reasonable time frame.

Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

4. Last Pass
A major first-world problem is remembering passwords. Although the option of 'forgot password' exists, the process includes creating a new password after verifications are completed. Little does the site know that we have already used each and every permutation and combination of things we will never forget. The tool Last Pass, helps record your passwords safely with bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption and a zero-knowledge policy. The tool also has additional layers of security with multi-factor authentication.

Why do we recommend this tool?
Last Pass not only helps you save your passwords but also, drivers license numbers, passports and more. The tool also helps you fill web forms faster by storing multiple Addresses, Payment Cards, and Bank Accounts. Lastly, when you sign up for a new account anywhere, Last Pass offers you generate a secure password for you.

5. Keepa
There is no greater joy than cashing your paycheck as you value every cent you made and want to spend that hard-earned money wisely. Throughout the month you have also eyed items and products that you would want to purchase once that salary is credited. When you do eventually purchase those items which have marinated in the cart for a month, you wonder if the price was right? A free tool called Keepa, tracks products and notifies its users when the price has reached a threshold. With features like Daily Drops, Keepa helps users make quick purchase decisions.

Why do we recommend this tool?
Once you have decided to purchase a product, instead of waiting for a sale and constantly checking the site to see a price drop, Keepa notifies you when the price of the product you want drops. It also helps you make purchase decisions faster without having to spend hours going bank and forth see if the price could have been better.