Behind the curtain of expert personal assistants' arsenal of tools.
Remember in The Wizard of Oz when the curtain is pulled back and we see the real Wizard? For many busy, overworked people in America and around the globe, personal assistants provide high quality, thoughtful and proactive support systems. As experts on personal assistants, we’re sharing 7 apps that GYST assistants use to maximize their time.
Trello. First up on the list and a team favorite here at GYST, Trello. Trello is a free, simple to use and interactive platform that allows assistants and clients to collaborate easily on projects. Add tasks from clients’ to do lists to a Trello board, and create categories in order of priority. Trello allows for color coding, due dates, inviting multiple people to a board ( a bonus if collaborating on a project with a colleague!), and customizable privacy settings.
1Password. We take security very seriously at GYST, and our favorite password protector and overall lifesaver is 1Password. Need quick access to a site but can’t remember your password? This tool remembers all of your passwords, and logs you into sites all over the web with just a click. Bonus? It syncs with your phone too so you don’t have to go into an external app to remember pesky passwords.
iAWriter. Struggling to focus on your writing? Whether it be a lengthy email, a blog post, or a manuscript, iAWriter cuts out all visual distractions so you can focus on just writing. Some of our favorite features are real time syncing for your documents, and focus mode which dims everything except your current sentence. iA Writer includes an inverted “light on dark” mode, perfect for writing at night, and the app is available for iOS, MacOS, and Android.
BeFocused. Speaking of staying focused, GYST Assistants love BeFocused. Staying on task is tough for our digital-obsessed generation, and Be Focused lets you get things done by breaking up individual tasks with short intervals, separated by short breaks. Research has shown tasks broken up by short breaks is a highly effective way to retain motivation and focus. Create tasks, configure breaks and track your progress throughout the day, week or custom period.
Tiny Scanner. Need to scan in paperwork on the go, but your iPhone camera doesn’t get it exactly right? Tiny Scanner turns your iPhone into a mini scanner for documents, photos, receipts and other texts on the go. The app allows you to store or email files as PDFs, and has 3 different modes for color, grayscale, and black & white scans.
Calendly. GYST Assistants are schedule masters, and a favorite secret weapon for scheduling is Calendly. This web app helps you schedule meetings without back-and-forth emails. Simply tell Calendly your availability preferences and add in your meeting attendee emails, and it does the hard stuff for you. Calendly even adds the event details to your calendar and invites the attendees for you!
Wunderlist. Gone are the days of writing to do lists with paper and pen. Our assistants swear by Wunderlist, an app for organizing and sharing your to-do, work, grocery, movies and household lists. The app can be used for everything from planning an elaborate vacation to sharing a shopping lists with your clients to managing a household renovation. Wunderlist lets you set due dates and reminders, and assign to-dos to each person collaborating on a project.