8 Chrome extensions that could make your life easier and more productive
Chris Broome – Chartered Financial Planner
Are you looking for ways to make your day easier? If you’ve just been using Chrome to browse online without using any extensions, you could be missing out.
Whether you’re working or trying to tackle personal admin, Chrome extensions could help you be more productive.
Here are eight excellent extensions that could make your work easier to tackle.
1. Friday
Friday is a digital planner that makes it easier than ever to access all the information you need.
Not only will it show you appointments, but it also makes it simple to join a video conference, review your to-do list, and a whole lot more.
Having everything you need to organise your day just a few clicks away and visible on the screen can make it much easier to stay on top of everything.
If you already use Google calendar or Outlook to track your meetings, Friday can integrate seamlessly with them. So, you won’t need to duplicate tasks when updating your plans.
2. StayFocused
The internet has made it easier than ever to find information and collaborate. But it’s also created plenty of opportunities to procrastinate.
If you find your attention wandering from crucial tasks during the day or that you spend too much time reading the news, StayFocused could be for you. It lets you input the websites you know are likely to cause distractions and set time limits for each one, helping you to be more productive.
3. Loom
Explaining processes via email can lead to confusion and miscommunication. Loom provides a useful alternative.
Rather than sending written instructions that could be unclear, Loom allows you to easily create a video of your screen.
It means you can demonstrate to your team or clients what they need to do. You can even add a voiceover to provide further details. Loom can make your explanations easier to understand and the recipient can refer back to the videos if they need to.
4. Scribe
Like Loom, Scribe is a valuable tool if you regularly need to pass on instructions to team members.
Scribe captures your mouse clicks and keystrokes while you complete a process. It then instantly turns this information into a how-to guide, complete with screenshots.
If you train new employees or there are repetitive processes within your company, you can use Scribe to create manuals and save time.
5. Noisli
What do you listen to when you’re working? Having your favourite band on can be distracting, but a completely silent room can mean every noise is jarring. If you’ve been struggling to strike the right balance, try adding Noisli to Chrome.
It will play background music that’s designed to help you focus. There are different playlists to choose from, so you can match the noise to your mood and the type of work you’re doing.
6. Adblock Plus
When you’re browsing the internet, it’s easy to become distracted by ads. Whether it’s because something has caught your eye or suddenly there is noise blaring out of your speakers, ads can be a nuisance when you’re trying to get something done.
Adblock Plus means you can block adverts from the websites you visit. Not only can it help you be more productive, but it can improve your browsing experience too.
7. Win the Day
If you’re goal-oriented and always like to be working towards something, Win the Day is perfect.
It’s a goal-setting tool that can really help you focus. The simple interface means you can quickly add goals, milestones, and deadlines to maintain your focus while working.
Win the Day can also help you create positive habits. You can enter up to three habits you want to form to benefit from useful reminders and a way to keep track of your progress.
8. Save to Pocket
You’ve just come across an article that sounds fascinating. You want to read it, but don’t have time right now. Using Save to Pocket means it’s in a handy place when you have five minutes to spare.
It’s a great extension to add if you’re always coming across something interesting and then forgetting exactly what it was or where to find it.
It also includes a feature to share a link with friends or through a social network.
