9 tools to be more productive in your job
Why I have chosen them and why you should give them a chance
I’m going to tell you the truth: This is not a hacks guide. This are my best and favorite tools, but don’t be shameful. Read until you get bored ( and if this happens, tell me why ). What you’re going to see here is what I use daily. My 9 steps is what you need to have to be more productive. Give them a chance!
Important
I work with Mac only, but I will give you options for windows . What I recommend is what I tried in my old windows computer.
I. The browser
WOW, what amazing surprise yup?
Unless you develop AR, VR or 3D you may need a browser. Although I’m sure you use it often and know very well. Any browser will work fine, but many use Chrome as their favorite browser.
Why I switched to Opera
And I will not look back.
I don’t like how Google treats our information and that’s the main reason for this change. I remember that many years ago I used Opera and Firefox for years but I had not given him a second chance… until now. If you want a VPN, integrated apps, battery saver and more, give him an opportunity. Really, you will not be disappointed.
Why should I try it?
Choose the best tool for you, maybe it’s not Opera. Or maybe if. I’m amazed with the toolbar, I always have telegram there ( You should NOT do this ). I tested the speed with and without ad blocker, that stranger blocker that Opera has integrated. I was skeptical, but it works. Huh, it does a good job. And finally ( and most important for me), the battery saver! ‘Wat? This exists? This works?!’. It’s not like magic, it’s not going to make your mac have an infinite battery. But it works.
What I really really really ( did you see how many really are? ) adore about Opera is that doesn’t uses a lot of RAM. Do you remember that meme of Chrome?
II. Oh my GIT
I’m not going to tell you should. You MUST.
In this big big big world, surfing without any control is a chaos. Do you make backups about your photos? And your WhatsApp? Then think it twice, this is the same.
You must save your code or designs in a good place, in two different sites may be a good option. Save it in a good place.
Why I don’t use any GUI
And I’m not going to use it anymore.
Until a year I was using GitKraken for everything. After switching to visual studio code I felt that I had my terminal abandoned. He was lonely and missing me! I love to use my terminal (don’t worry, you have more info about below).
If you need any beautiful interface…
I recommend you GitKraken. Easy to use, powerful, full of colors ( I love this IU! ) and most important… Free!
III. What the code?!
This is a fundamental app when develop is your job. You must find you perfect ( or almost perfect ) app for you. It will not be the perfect for your mate, we’re different and we have different requirements.
Try until you love it
I started using sublime. Then I switched to atom. I tried brackets. I touched Eclipse and NetBeans, also Pycharm. And finally, I go for VScode. That’s why I know what I’m talking about, what I need and what I was searching for.
Atom was the best until I met code. Is an aceptable option, but is slow when you talk about first load and opening projects. And that was unacceptable for me.
Why I choose VS Code
And why I ❤️ this super powerful app.
I remember the first time my boss talked me about vs code. I had no time to test, but one day I was angry with atom so I gave them a chance. And it was the best decision. What I love about atom was Emmet plugins, the big treasure for frontend. As you may guess, I have it in my vs code. With a lot of plugins, like platform.io for develop Arduino, you can do what you want.
Why should I try it?
Faster than Atom, made with JS, multi platform and… you may guess? Open source. VS has a big community under the hood, maintained by Microsoft ( yes, in the past they did bad jobs but now it’s changing and they did a good job going to open source ). And for add more info, VS code has 45k vs 43k from Atom. Yey!
IV. Terminal addict
If you’re a crazy lover of terminal, this will be your favorite. Once in life, everybody touch this. Although we don’t like it we need for something.
I hate this — you may think. And it’s a normal thought. I need to confess that I had I too. And I understand what you feel. I felt it too! But I need to advise you about something.
If you enter this world, you will never look back. Promise.
Why I choose Hyper
And what’s my FUS-ROH-DAH combo!
Zsh is super. Ohmyzsh is awesome. I love this combo. And I love more when I use it with Hyper. It makes you work faster and better, you’ll save a lot of time. It’s amazing how much time passed until I started using it, although I already knew it. Now I can’t live without it… If you want to save time avoiding writing cd every time you want to change to another directory, you should use hypercwd. It’s incredible how many time you save avoiding it! If you use the term to open or read text, you will fall in love with hyperterm-alternatescroll. Amazin’!
I love Hyper because it’s made in JS, open source, hackable and customizable. The theme I use is hyper-space with hyperterm-transparent-bg ( because I love transparent term ).
Why should I try it?
I’m not going to tell you that using the terminal is most productive than not. Some people hate the term and I understand, one day I was there. Until I started to know well. Before using Hyper I was a big fan of iTerm, because it’s awesome. You can try it too. But sorry, I’m a JS lover. He caught my heart.
And whats the option for windows
You can choose cmder or conemu. They are not-so-nice and beautiful as hyper, but it will save you. Windows term is bullshit.
V. Take a note
I take a note every day. Or almost. I forget all the important things I need to remember, like my projects, ideas or something else. I have a bad memory. If you’re like me, this is for you.
Why I choose Google keep
And why I switched from Evernote.
I loved Evernote until they limited the use of devices. I know, I can pay it. But be realistic, you will pay for an app you’ll use one or two times a week if it’s for personal use? I didn’t.
I love the option to pin notes because I can have the most important in the dashboard. And I love organizing the notes using tags. Oh, did you see if you attach anything it adds a thumbnail at bottom? I love it. And my fav: colors. Organize using colors. Seems simple but effective when we talk about memorizing things.
VI. Make me sound
Sometimes you may need a rest or inspiration. If you are like me and love music when search for inspiration or productivity, this is your place.
If you need some nature sounds
I choose Noisli. For a simple reason: I don’t need to install anything. It’s a simple web, I can configure in my own way.
Or maybe you need inspiration
Spotify is the winner. Be my inspiration, enter in my mind with your amazing and unlimited music catalog. I recommend you to create different playlists for every different mood: happy, sad, design creativity, productivity…
I’m not going to tell you why should you try it
Because everyone knows Spotify. Maybe you haven’t heard about Noisli, but it’s for a specific audience.
VII. Touch my mouse
You can skip it if you have a windows.
If you use a Mac like me and you have the luck to use a mouse with before/after buttons… Did you make it work? Because I cannot find the solution, before I find this.
Note: my mouse is an awesome blue LED powered with DPI, buttons and… vertical design! If you don’t know about it, I recommend you to search the reasons to buy it. ( Or if you wait, I’ll tell you in another post my basic’s work tools ).
When you need help, call button help
I searched a lot… I wanted my before/after buttons working and nothing worked for me. My Mac doesn’t like it, yeah. She hurt me a lot ( yes, she. It’s a freak doll ).
When everything was missed, I found the solution. Maybe you will think: oh my gosh, this is a stupid app… you’re sure, but it works.
Why I hate my Mac
And I love my mouse.
Sensible side buttons was my savior. It saved me a lot of time, avoiding to use keyboard for that simple task of navigating in websites. If you’re like me, you know how painful is.
VIII. Tomatoes goes down
Did you know the pomodoro technique? I discovered when my boss told me about it. I saw and I think ‘this works? Really?’. Yes. It does. I swear.
I don’t understand how I could live without him. I tried myself for months and now it’s on my work planning. I can affirm that this works, it’s like magic.
There’s a lot of apps but I recommend you Be focused, it’s what best fits for me.
Why should I try it?
You can google about Pomodoro technique and maybe ( just maybe ), you will feel cheated. Surprised? Annoying because you have lost your time? Man, try yourself. Before using it sometimes I felt that I had lost my inspiration. When you start trying, you will feel the same. Give it some time. One day I was stuck with the code and after the rest I found the solution.
And what about windows?
You can try Pomodoro Desktop, it’s easy to use and have keyboard commands.
IX. Move my screen
Divide the water
You don’t need any app in Windows.
I can divide the window if I want in Windows, why I can’t do the same in Mac? Natively? Impossible… When someone recommended me spectacle, I didn’t know what to expect. But I must admit that I can’t live without it
I recommend you spectacle if you love keyboard shortcuts. And if you don’t love shortcuts, you should! It will make you work faster and this means that you will be more productive. And my fav part, OPEN SOURCE! I love this people.
Let me a comment, please
I know, I know. Mac has native screen capture but it’s… well, it’s good but not the best for a productive job. It wasn’t the best match if you need to make screen captures and edit ( I don’t like the photo editor that Mac has ).
Teampaper snap is the chosen for this. Did you know that you can add comments? You will be thinking ‘Is this useful? For what?’ For feedback! Give fast feedback making and editing the capture in the same app.
Update: With Mojave I can now do the same as I did with Teampaper snap. Cool native feature.
For windows I choose greenshot. It’s free and open source.
Make me a gif
Maybe you have found yourself in the same situation as me: someone ask you for a tutorial about how to use something. And what do you do? Write. Let’s be honest, this is shit. What we can do then? Make a gif. Is there anybody that doesn’t understand a gif? I don’t think so. I recommend you Kap because it’s awesome. Do you know what? It’s open source.
What about windows? Sorry, I didn’t tried any. If you have your favorite, tell me in the comments below.
Final thoughts
If you have read everything you will have noticed that I’m a terminal lover, shortcuts addict and open source promoter.
Hope this helps you somehow. Everything you have seen above is based in my personal use, maybe some doesn’t fit for you. Sorry in that case! I tried to give you my objective opinion. And if you liked it give me a clap.
Do you know any app that I haven’t mentioned? Tell me in the comments 😄
