By There was a time when I didn’t have a single app on my phone or iPad. *Gasp*
Chalk it up to being very attached to my laptop and wanting to reserve all the precious memory on my phone for images and videos. As time rolled on and I got busier, I began to see the wisdom in downloading certain apps. They really do come in handy when you’re in a pinch and deadlines are around the corner. Here I’ll be sharing five apps that I use every single day, which make my life as a creative complete.
P L A N O L Y
WHAT IS PLANOLY?
Planoly is a visual planning tool designed for the social media platform Instagram that allows users to create, plan, and schedule their content, while also curating the content of others. The other wonderful thing about this platform is that users can see their analytics and engagement over time. If you have a full social media team, this would also be an ideal app to use. Anyone who currently uses social media to marketing their blog or business can relate to the frustration of managing multiple pages and staying on top of their posting schedule, commenting, IG stories and more. Planoly recently rolled out their ‘autopost’ feature which has been amazing because once you schedule the post, you don’t have to participate in real time unless you want to. Planoly helps users to be more consistent with their social posting and the interface is also mobile friendly.
COST: FREE up to 30 images uploaded (One User $9/Month, Duo $18/Month)
I personally use the monthly paid plan because I like to upload and delete images without limitations to the number of images I can upload. It is so convenient and saves so much time. I can schedule posts on-the-go and check all my stats as well. Planoly is my favorite app by far.
HOW TO USE IT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS?
>> With the monthly plan, you can upload as many images as you’d like and Planoly gives you the opportunity to see how your feed looks before scheduling and posting your content.
>> You can use this app across all devices. It syncs very well and the notifications will always let you know if anything is not working well.
>> You can see all of your Instagram analytics at a glance, which helps so that you know what has been working and what needs more of your attention.
A S A N A
WHAT IS ASANA?
Asana is a project management tool that is designed to help organize personal or team work and a full hub for communication and collaboration. The ultimate goal of using this tool is to perfect your workflow. Projects can get chaotic and require processes to be put in place. This is the best way to really structure your tasks for more effective results.
Asana has been pegged as ‘project management royalty’ and for good reason. This application is a favorite for entrepreneurs on the rise, as it allows a person to manage multiple projects smoothly, as well as ensure that team members are united in their mission. Whether you are embarking on a product development project, writing a book, designing a course, planning an event, or running a blog, Asana is the perfect way to track your project.
COST: FREE (Premium $9.99/Month, Enterprise)
HOW TO USE IT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS?
>> As a leader, you can use Asana for team management. For instance, if you are running an agency, or hosting an online summit, and you need everyone to operate from your project plan, this is the ideal tool to use.
>> Create project launch calendars to mark important dates and deadlines. You or your team can be reminded of what tasks need to be completed and how much time is allotted for each task. This is so important in the launch process because the whole point is to LAUNCH.
>> You can create templates to avoid having to recreate the wheel in your process.
>> You can have internal discussions on the web, even if you are in a remote area.
D R O P B O X
WHAT IS DROPBOX?
Dropbox is a personal cloud storage service and free web-based application that enables you to save and store files, documents, or pictures across the internet.
I remember being very skeptical about using Dropbox back when my graduate professor would rave about it. Once I signed up and began using it, I was hooked! Now, I couldn’t imagine not using Dropbox. It is like your own personal jumpdrive or external hard drive. Save your computer or ipad device lots of memory by using this tool. Access it anywhere, even offline.
COST: FREE (up to 2GB) OR $9.99/month
HOW TO USE IT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS?
>> Download any books, articles, or journals you need in your research phase and save them to Dropbox. This way, when you are on a break, on the road, or at an appointment, you can access the reading materials easily while you wait.
>> Give team members access to files. This is such a more organized way to share files without the endless emails or jeopardizing the memory on your devices.
>> Organize all of your files into photos. Such a great way to keep up with what projects have priority.
E V E R N O T E
WHAT IS EVERNOTE?
Evernote is a cloud-based, note-taking application that syncs automatically across all your devices and operating systems. If you are constantly taking notes, using post-its, and scribbling on random sheets of paper, you’ll love this app. This is the perfect way to streamline all those thoughts going on in your head and house them in one digital space. If you need to set reminders for yourself (as busy career professionals tend to do), then Evernote will keep you aware of the goals, projects, and tasks you have on your schedule. You can take and attach pictures to notes, scan texts, attach files like spreadsheets, keep confidential information handy, save articles and more!
COST? FREE
HOW TO USE IT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS?
>> Evernote is effective as a productivity system – it helps you track your time so that you can see where you spend your time, how long, and you’ll come to understand what it means for your progress.
>> Notes, checklists, and reminders will need to be organized and Evernote is the ideal tool to accomplish these tasks.
>> Evernote can really help you piece your busy life together – from keeping receipts on file, to bill tracking, to setting reminders for extracurricular activities to saving those memorable photos and event flyers. Remember that the whole point is to manage your life WHILE keeping your passion project a top priority.
>> If you have team members, Evernote is a great tool to share notes, photos, reminders, etc. with the team
C A N V A
WHAT IS CANVA?
Canva is an application that allows you to create beautiful graphic image, infographics, and other visual content on a simple, easy-to use scale. This program provides users with dozens of templates suited to their needs from presentation options to banner ads to flyer or social media templates. If Adobe InDesign is too complex for you, Canva will be a breeze to use. Plus, it’s fun and allows you to be creative even if that’s not your gift.
COST: FREE (Canva for Work $12.95/Month)
HOW TO USE IT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS?
>> Depending on the project, visuals will indeed be used and Canva is the perfect platform to create visuals at a moment’s notice. This is a fantastic way to support social media marketing.
>> Canva has beautiful templates that serve as great starting points for your creative process.
>> You can instantly download or share these visuals across devices.
I’m curious to know what you’re favorite apps are, as I am always looking for more creative ways to stay organized. Let me know in the comments.
What do you think?