Amid the current worldwide pandemic, millions of people switched to remote jobs. Although working from home has its advantages, it can be pretty challenging as there are numerous distractions to overcome.

I created a list of the most trustworthy apps for staying productive and getting tasks completed in a home office. Take a look.

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  • Evernote – For Writing Down Thoughts and Creating a To-Do List
  • Ambient Noise – For Maximum Focus
  • Doodle – Track Your Schedule
  • Expensify – Monitor Your Business Expenses
  • Remember the Milk – Keep a Record of All the Necessities
  • Dropbox – For Virtual File Storage and Sharing
  • Mailtrack – Organize Your Messages
  • LinkedIn – Stay in Touch
  • Skype – For Reliable Video Calls
  • Asana – For Remote Collaboration
These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: European Institute of Public Administration

Evernote – For Writing Down Thoughts and Creating a To-Do List

The first on my list is a tool that allows me to write down milestones, tasks for the day, and important memos all in the same place. The main reason why I am happy with Evernote is its user-friendly interface and the ability to sync the written/clipped notes on different devices.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Evernote

Alongside the fact that it allows me to keep my notes in one place, it is a fantastic app for tracking milestones or creating a daily journal. Additionally, the feature to clip relevant articles/web pages that I will use later during the day comes in pretty handy.

Contrary to several office apps, Evernote is available for macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices. The basic version is 100% free and can be installed through Google Play Store or Apple App Store. I went for the Premium plan getting 10GB of storage and unlimited devices. It is set between $4.99 and $69.99, depending on how long you want to subscribe.

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Ambient Noise – For Maximum Focus

Background noise can be distracting. This is why I started using the White Noise Pro. It is perfect for getting more sleep, staying focused, and treating migraines/tinnitus with the relaxing audio. There are more than 40 sounds in the basic (Lite version), including streaming water and ocean waves, but I recommend that you go with the pro plan set at $2.99/month, offering extra features.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: LifeWire

One of the coolest points is that it can run in the background and that it allows me to record my screen while the audio is playing. In addition, it is user-friendly and simple to navigate through an on-screen media player. I treat it as a nightstand audio companion because I can set the brightness and color of the screen to match my working atmosphere.

Available for both iPhone and Android devices, this app requires around 100 MB of free storage space. To install it, I opened the Google Play Store and had it downloaded on my phone within seconds. The process is the same for those who are using iOS, except you need to do it through the Apple App Store.

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Doodle – Track Your Schedule

It seems that since working from home, I have less free time than while I was at my business office. So, to help me schedule meetings and social gatherings without missing out on any of the important dates, I use Doodle. It is an interactive platform for booking the right day and time.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Zapier

It is free and doesn’t require sign-up. By creating an account, I got several benefits, such as getting reminded by push notifications and the ability to discuss the upcoming event with the Doodle chat feature.

Similar to the two tools mentioned above, it offers a web version and designated apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. However, there is a slight difference in the size, as if you are an iPhone user, you need around 100 MB of free memory space, which is set at 12 MB for anyone who uses Samsung and other Android devices.

Expensify – Monitor Your Business Expenses

For an app that is 100% free, Expensify works like a charm. Among the features that I use on an everyday basis is money management that allows me to track personal/business expenses and consolidate my budget. Additionally, I think that the ability to book accommodation or a flight through this tool is what I will enjoy as soon as the pandemic restrictions are lifted.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Expensify Community

The best point about Expensify is that I was able to say goodbye to paper receipts. After scanning a bill, the app automatically reads all of the details and connects the expense with the accounting software. Among the innovative features is the corporate card launched by this app, as well as mileage tracking.

The installation process is pretty simple. As an Android user, the first step was to open the Google Play Store, type in Expensify in the search toolbox, and find the app within seconds. The same goes for the Apple App Store version, which is set at 95 MB in size and requires that you are running iOS 11 or above.

Remember the Milk – Keep a Record of All the Necessities

Working from home can be pretty stressful, which leads to forgetting essential errands. Fortunately, apps such as Remember the Milk help me write and keep a record of all your upcoming tasks. The most remarkable point about this app is that it allows numerous notification options, including via an SMS, email, or Twitter.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Softonic

I can search through the tasks with the Smart Lists feature and connect the app to the Google Calendar and Evernote for more accuracy. Most importantly, once I created the account, the tasks were synced on devices saving me a lot of time.

It is pretty great that the developers launched a designated web version and solo apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Even though I didn’t have a lot of experience with similar apps, Remember the Milk is easy to navigate. Keep in mind that to gain access to all of the features, I had to subscribe to the premium plan set at $39.99 (annually).

Dropbox – For Virtual File Storage and Sharing

There are many file-sharing apps, but my favorite is Dropbox that allows more than 3 TB of storage space with the Dropbox Professional ($9.99-$119.99). I love the fact that there is a free trial during which I was able to test the trustworthiness and the functionality of this app. It is safe to say that uploading different files, including photos, videos, receipts, invoices, audio, has never been easier.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Kompjuteras

The app allows sending of large files and can be synced with an unlimited number of devices. The fact that it stores files for up to 180 days after deletion gave me more confidence to manipulate important documents.

The installation process is as easy as it gets. The first step is to download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store (depending on the device you are using), and the second is to install the tool for free.

Mailtrack – Organize Your Messages

I found that Mailtrack is a spectacular app for keeping a record of unopened important messages and potential meeting schedules. It can be integrated with Gmail, Outlook, and any other emailing software.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Mailtrack

I also found that it is pretty accurate when it comes to detecting whether my business partners or friends read the emails that I sent. Not only that, but by upgrading to the Mailtrack Pro, I can enjoy link tracking, monitor replies, and daily email reports, all essential for a job done from home.

While this tool doesn't come with an app that is downloaded from the Google Play or Apple App Store, it is available from the Google Chrome Web Store for Gmail as an add-on and from Google Workspace Marketplace for iOS and Android devices.

Linkedin – Stay in Touch

As someone serious about their business, I am all about staying in touch with like-minded people. For that purpose, Linkedin is the best platform as it allows me to create group chats, recommend job opportunities to others, and learn more about people who are in the same branch as I am.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Centar E8

Apart from business networking, I found Linkedin to be the perfect tool for staying up to date with the latest business news. It comes at both a free plan and a premium subscription set at $29.99 (monthly) and gave me access to a wide array of features, including Linkedin learning.

As one of the most popular networking platforms on the market, it is exceptionally simple to get started. The first step is to find the Linkedin app on Google Play Store or Apple App Store and download it. The second one is to create or link an existing social media account which is something that I did.

Skype – For Reliable Video Calls

Similar to Linkedin, Skype is a widely-recognized app that allows me to stay connected with business partners and other people invested in my sphere of interest. In my opinion, it is a better option than Zoom, given its user-friendly interface and the ability to make voice calls, video calls, and exchange messages with no limitations.

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: PC Press

Most importantly, it also allows for phone calling inside the United States, and it is something that comes for $3.49 per month. The second incredible option is to call the people who are anywhere in the world, which is something that I need, and it is set at $13.99 per month (pretty cheap for what I got).

We all know Skype, and it is the main reason why it is so simple to download this app. It will take you less than few minutes to find it at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, install and get started.

Asana – For Remote Collaboration

As I am someone who runs a team of 5+ employees, organizing the work between can be pretty challenging. I find Asana to be a fantastic tool for this purpose as it allows me to post due dates, coordinate tasks, and monitor the progress of each project. 

These Are the Essential Apps to Stay Organized in a Home Office
Image Source: Unsplash

One of the fantastic features is that I can integrate it between my computer and mobile phone to ensure that I stay informed on high-priority tasks, even when I am outside of my home. In my personal opinion, it is the perfect app for sharing urgent notices and ensuring that my team stays on the right track.

With more than a million downloads, Asana is an app that is not only simple to use but also extremely easy to find. It is available for desktop computers and iOS and Android devices, and it can be found through the Apple Store or Google Play Store.

Summary

Working from home doesn’t have to be that stressful if you have the right tools on you.

I did my best to share my experience and the apps that I found to be great for staying on schedule and maintaining productivity. Good luck!