Despite what you may have expected, not everyone uses the internet in one and the same way. Different browsers present one with different layouts but they also give one with a different set of possibilities. Productivity is the single greatest issue that these extensions can help you resolve; however, this works in several different ways. On your phone, you can use an adequate app to become more productive, while for a desktop user, these Chrome extensions will prove to be lifesaving. With that in mind and without further ado, here are top seven Chrome extensions for Productivity in 2018.
Hovercards
One of the things that the majority of present-day internet users (Chrome users in particular) struggle with is the number of tabs they’re using at one point. In fact, there’s a statistic that a half of all the people online create about 4 tabs for every 100 navigation interactions, which may not seem as much but is a staggering figure nonetheless. For the rest, this figure is even higher (even up to 3 times as much). This is where a tab coordination tool such as Hovercards can be of an immense help.
Grammarly
Another versatile tool you should be using is Grammarly. The appeal of this particular software lies in the fact that it has both browser and stand-alone versions. Needless to say, this app is resource-friendly and may ensure that you have a seamless browsing experience. Moreover, when installed, this extension proofreads your comments, emails and any text you type, in general. This means that the probability of making a spelling error in your online interactions falls to a minimum. Most importantly, this tool can also be used to proofread your Word texts, which is of immense help to all the creatives out there.
Loom
Online communication is no longer as streamlined as it used to be. Nonetheless, the emails and IM software are still relying on text. On the other hand, what if there was an easier way to communicate with your team and customers. Needless to say, in just a minute of a video (recorded with the help of Loom), you can convey more information than would fit an elaborate and daunting email. Keep in mind that a lot of people get instantly discouraged when faced with a wall of text, which is why Loom might be just what you’re looking for to enhance the efficiency of your conversation.
TimeStats
Now, we come to the issue of time management, which is something that can provide by far the greatest productivity boost, at least in this field. For starters, in order to battle your affliction, you first have to properly diagnose it, which is where the TimeStats extension can be of an immense help. First of all, it provides you with a detailed report of all the pages you’ve visited throughout the day, as well as the duration of your visit. This will make it much easier for you to recognize massive time-wasters.
TimeWarp
If you still have a hard time focusing, even though you know what an ideal course of action would look like (thanks to the TimeStats extension), you might need to employ another tool to get you onto the right track. What TimeWarp does is virtually police you by automatically redirecting you from all the sites that you’ve previously identified as time-wasters. With this incredible tool, you can use an outside influence to make up for your lack of discipline. While some may consider this as cheating or even a bad long-term method, the facts and stats speak strongly in favor of this method.
Marinara Pomodoro Assistant
For those who are looking for something in between TimeStats and TimeWarp, Marinara Pomodoro Assistant might be just the thing they need. Why? Well, because it gives you a way to self-govern yourself in a simple and efficient manner. Everyone has heard about The Pomodoro Technique, which basically relies on intervals of work (20 to 25 minutes) and rest (5 to 10 minutes). In this way, your work sessions are much more intense, which, in turn, makes it easier for you to keep focus for a prolonged period of time. As for the extension itself, it’s just there to give you a bit of a nudge.
AdBlock
At the end of the day, it’s important that we discuss a tool that’s currently used by about 30 percent of all internet users. Popups are not only annoying but often even malicious, which means that keeping away from them is a step in the right direction. Moreover, some may assume that ads and popups mostly appear on the above-classified time-wasting websites, which is as far from the truth as it gets. Lastly, it only takes a single click of the button and a couple of seconds to install this extension, which makes the choice of whether to go with it an even greater no-brainer.
Conclusion
By solving one specific problem, or a group of problems, these extensions help you boost your productivity as a whole. On the one hand, they help you be more efficient at what you do (less spelling errors, more accurate citations and better coordination of tasks), while on the other hand, they help you manage your time (which is a finite resource) much better. Needless to say, this is a productivity hack that you simply can’t afford not to exploit.