By skyforbes 
• this article contains a small number of affiliate links •
The number of apps and services which claim to magically boost our work can be overwhelming. So I’ve gathered here more than 50 productivity tools that I particularly like for my writing life and online business. Almost all are free, or have a good free option for getting started.
It’s important, of course, not to collect productivity tools for the sake of it. You need to be sure a project is worth doing and fits the bigger picture of how you want to spend your time, before getting seduced by a shiny tool. I was surprised that my list extended beyond 50 tools I claim to “use”, and this exercise itself made me think hard about why I “need” so many for my work.
Nonetheless, I’m sharing them here in the hope you discover something that might help your daily life and productivity. As usual, a handful of these suggestions are affiliate links.
Key:
# These are the few productivity tools I pay for, as I believe they offer great value
* These tools have a limited free level, but you’ll likely find you need to upgrade to use them satisfactorily.
For the other productivity tools listed, I believe you can get great functionality at the free level.
Update 2020: a small number of these tools contain affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase them, it doesn’t cost you any more, but I make a small commission. I am genuinely happy to mention everything on this list.
Basic Productivity Tools
1) Google! No surprises here. Like many people, I use G-everything: from email, calendar, drive and maps, to domains and hangouts. Special mention to the snooze and send later features in Gmail.
2) My local library: I wanted to give my library prime position in this list. The learning and entertainment I get from borrowed books is colossal.
3) Bitwarden: For some reason, I didn’t quite click with better-known password manager LastPass. But I’m loving Bitwarden, and warmly recommend it.
4) Catalog Choice: Allows you to (mostly) opt out of pesky free catalogs sent to your home. Great for reducing clutter and helping the environment.
5) Dubsado: # I’m gradually getting to grips with Dubsado to manage client proposals, contracts, invoices, and more. So far, I’m loving the difference this is making in my business processes.
Design & Images
6) iStockphoto: # Typically where I start looking for book cover images.
7) Shutterstock: # Ditto.
8) SC Stockshop: * Beautifully styled stock images, but not cheap to purchase.
9) Gimp: The name is terrible, but this is an excellent open-source (= free) fully-featured graphic design package. Not for the faint-hearted though; do expect a learning curve.
10) Etsy: # I’ve found some lovely art for commercial use through Etsy at reasonable prices.
11) Unsplash: Excellent source for beautiful, free pictures. And I’m increasingly turning to Pixabay.
Keeping my thoughts in order
12) Trello: I’m a massive fan of Trello for its ability to drag-and-drop tasks, color code, make separate lists, and more. Even better when used with the List Layouts for Trello Chrome extension.
13) A single (paper) notebook: For paper planning and random notes, I scribble in just one place, then transfer to digital as soon as possible.
14) Agendio: # In the past, I’ve splurged on a custom-designed planner to optimise my daily schedule. It’s pricey, but a lovely way to treat yourself. See my review here.
15) Evernote: I have mixed feelings about Evernote, and trying to format notes often drives me crackers. Nonetheless, I have loads of random snippets stored here.
16) Pinterest: Also important for sharing my work.
17) Goodreads: Unlike many writers, I only really use Goodreads to track my own reading piles. (I’d particularly caution other authors about paying to run giveaways on Goodreads.)
18) Castbox: My current favorite app for listening to podcasts.
19) FutureMe: Write a letter to your future self! Incredibly illuminating, when it arrives.
20) FollowUpThen: Somewhat eclipsed now by Gmail’s snooze feature, but a good option to schedule email reminders.
21) Calendarpedia: Excellent source for printable calendars, to help you sketch out your month or year.
22) Calm: # Wonderful meditation app. Includes stories to help you sleep, and masterclasses too.
Communications and Community (real-life & online)
23) Meetup: Not free if you want to host gatherings, but many wonderful options to browse as an attendee.
24) Eventbrite: A rich spectrum of new ideas for events local to you.
25) Skype: Not my favorite collaboration tool, but my parents can manage it, which has made a huge difference in trans-Atlantic phone calls!
26) Zoom: I was using Zoom before the COVID-19 pandemic and clearly it’s gone from strength to strength since then. I pay a subscription so I can host multi-person meetings, but in most cases you’d be fine with the free plan.
27) Membervault: # I moved to Membervault when I wanted a professional place to host my template tutorial videos. My goodness, I absolutely love MV. The folks there are responsive, friendly, and extremely savvy about engaging your audience. This is my favorite of my paid tools.