# Tools of the trade and productivity hacks By [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com) · 2016-08-26 action, asana, business, calendar, life, life-hacks, pocket, productivity, scheduling, slack, to-do, to-do-list, uncategorized --- Like a lot of people, I am always on the lookout for productivity tools and hacks. This is [an old post](https://bothsidesofthetable.com/productivity-hacks-voicemail-folders-to-do-s-57143af765a3#.xnut6rx0i), but I love the idea of getting rid of voicemail (I hate checking it) and of 3x5 cards where you focus yourself on 3-5 important tasks each day. So today I thought I would share some of the tools, apps, and hacks that I use on a regular basis. Then if you feel like it, you can share your tools and approaches in the comments so we come up with a good running list. I’ll start with software and then move to actions. **Google Drive**: I have my [Google Drive](https://www.google.com/drive/) mapped to my computer and I store everything on it. That way I can access any file I need from my phone while I’m away from my desk. There’s also Dropbox and Box for moving around large files. **Evernote**: I am trying to go paperless. Right now I photo scan almost all of my documents into [Evernote](http://evernote.com) (including business cards). I really should invest in an actual scanner. If you know of a good one for this purpose, let me know. Again, the advantage of this approach is that all of my documents are accessible on mobile. **Asana**: I have used [Asana](http://asana.com) off and on over the years for managing team projects. (We used it for [Dirt](http://thedirt.co/).) Everyone needs to be committed to it though. And we all know how sticky email is for communication/assigning tasks. But if you can get in the habit of listing and assigning action items during or right after meetings, I think it can be a great way to keep projects moving.  **Slack**: I have a tendency to always want to keep everyone on a team informed about what is going on. That way nobody is left out and people can speak up if they see something concerning. I got in the habit of this when I was at Morguard. That was the way we did things in development and I think it’s a sound approach. Today, we have [Slack](http://slack.com) to help do that. **Buffer**: I use [Buffer](http://bufferapp.com) to schedule and share all of my social posts. Some people swear by Hootsuite, but I love the simplicity of Buffer. It couldn’t be easier to add posts to your queues across multiple platforms. **Pocket**: This is my save-it-and-read-it-later tool. I use [Pocket](http://getpocket.com) to keep a running list of articles and links I find interesting so that when I sit down every morning to write this blog, I have material to refer to. Now let’s switch gears to actions… **Notifications Off**: I have all notifications off on my phone during the day (except for phone calls). The temptation to check my phone when it goes off is too great, so I keep it completely silent. It doesn’t even vibrate. Going even further, I also have notifications off for most non-essential apps. **Directing Messages**: I am trying to keep messages directed to Twitter, text, and email. That means I am generally terrible at responding to messages on Facebook, LinkedIn, and so on. But I’m okay with that. There are simply too many channels to stay on top of. **Routines**: When I first started writing this daily blog, people would ask me why I don’t take the weekends off. But I actually think it would be harder to stay disciplined if I did that. By doing it every day it has become a non-negotiable routine. I try to think of productivity in terms of regular actions. **Today’s Tasks**: I am starting to do this more and more. It’s easy to end up with an overwhelmingly long list of things to do. So it can be incredibly valuable to ask yourself: What are the most important things for me to complete today? Then go and do those things. **Gym**: For me, lifting weights is one of the best ways to stay productive. It’s a natural energy booster and I find that it gives me a mental clarity that I just don’t get from anything else. I am not the same person when I fall behind in my workouts. What do you use and do to get shit done? --- *Originally published on [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com/tools-of-the-trade-and-productivity-hacks)*