The COVID-19 pandemic has set a new trend of working from home even in Multinational Corporations. The home environment has limitations as compared to the office. Although it’s not practical to build the same setup at home as your office, you can still match the same efficacy level by having utility software at your disposal. The following list presents the must-have Windows software to efficiently work from home.
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1) Slack
Slack is one of the most preferred team communication software for creating channels to keep the discussions focused. It has voice & video call features and provides deep integration with several online services to simplify your work and save time. The instant messaging is managed into channels that team members can freely join and leave ensuring that nobody receives unnecessary messages or notifications. Slack also allows the team members to chat outside of main topics in separate threads so that your informal messages don’t interfere with the project-centric conversations.
2) Google Drive
Google Drive enables you and your teammates to work on the same document in real-time. All the participants can observe changes being made and comments can be dropped for specific parts of the document. The free version of Google Drive provides 15GB of storage. However, if you require more cloud storage, you can upgrade your plan without paying to Google Drive for businesses. In Google Drive, you can work on Word documents, spreadsheets, and presentations for free. The best thing about working on Drive is that there is hardly any noticeable lag in real-time collaboration.
3) Zapier
Zapier is easy-to-use automation software that will save you significant amounts of time on monotonous tasks. Instead of continually shifting between different software to perform basic functions such as manually uploading files to Google Drive, you can build Zaps to automate these functions. Zapier transfers data between applications like Gmail and Google Drive so that email attachments are automatically uploaded ensuring remote access. Zappier gives you the flexibility to create custom automation if you are not able to find them in Zapier’s library.
4) Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is one of the most versatile Windows applications that mimic real-world notebooks for your personal and work projects. Inside each notebook, you can manage your notes in colorful sections or group notes together in a stack. The Inking tool allows you to create handwritten and add tags, text, tables, and images. OneNote is the first choice for those who use Microsoft OneDrive for storage and Outlook for email. Moreover, you can record audio while taking notes.
5) Stayfocusd
StayFocusd is a website blocking application that cuts the time you spend on distracting websites to the number of minutes or hours you fix yourself. You just need to add the URLs of websites that you want to avoid during work hours and set the desired time you wish to spend on them. The Nuclear feature of this application helps you block access to all blacklisted websites for a specific period fixed by you. The application is simple to take your self-discipline toward a more productive life.
6) TeamViewer
TeamViewer is one of the most preferred remote access Windows software that helps you connect to another device such as a computer or smartphone and control it from anywhere. It allows you to share your desktop with your teammates to walk them through a presentation. You can also connect to your home PC from anywhere else. By using this software, you can run a program on another computer located somewhere else without leaving your desk. TeamViewer links remote access with online meeting and screen-sharing applications.
7) Microsoft To Do
While working from home, you often are required to jot down the tasks you need to do. Microsoft To Do helps you keep all your tasks organised. For a simplified list view, the software incorporates features like custom lists, subtasks, and sharing. The software also offers intelligent suggestions on how to organise the tasks you accomplish every day. The My Day feature helps you see only the tasks that you need to accomplish on a particular day that automatically gets refreshed.
8) Google Hangouts Meet
Google Hangouts Meet is a software that allows you to have free video conferencing and meetings. The application is quite robust and easy to use. You just need to share the link with the person with whom you want to connect. Google hangout is built on a secure infrastructure to safeguard your privacy. You can easily view all your scheduled meetings and join them with just a tap.
9) Time Zone Converter and Clock
Time Zone Converter and Clock is a useful tool for those with teams distributed across different time zones. The software allows you to set up different cities to track time from. It comes with a dial by which you can switch across different time zones. You just need to turn it left or right to go back and forth in time and know exactly what time it is at a particular place. Twisting the dial moves the time across all the cities, so it’s an easy way to convert time across multiple time zones.
10) Lucidchart
Lucidchart helps you create diagrams for business and educational use. It fully supports collaboration so that more than one person can work on a chart simultaneously. Lucidchart allows users to make an organizational chart from scratch, using templates, or upload employee data to auto-generate a diagram using the data import feature. You just need to select your data file type and verify the dataset to be imported. Lucidchart also offers employees view-only access to ensure they only get the information they need.
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