Apps that have made my life easier in 2024

I used to be an app junkie.

Not so much anymore as, I have had to go through the good, the bad, and the ugly to get to the ones with the best value!

In 2024 however, I must admit that a couple of tools actually make my life wayyy easier (especially as a PM who gets constantly pulled in different directions)

With the inclusion of AI in some of these tools, I sometimes think of them as my coworkers or… friends?

Here’s sharing tools I use literally every day and how they help me get by. I have also included links to where you can access them.

?? Grammarly

As a Product Manager, I write A LOT. I mean, it comes with the job description. But with much writing comes increased risks of errors (grammatical blunders haha) Grammarly has saved my life several times.?

Sometimes after reading a mail 20 times, you still won’t spot that stubborn mistake that wouldn’t show itself until you press that ‘Send’ button.

Help yourself and just install the Grammarly plug-in ??

?? Refocus

This is my most recent friend, and so far, I love it quite honestly. Refocus works with the screen time tool on your phone to block out certain apps at certain times, so that you can avoid distractions and focus on being present or kicking off your daily tasks.

One use case for me is that I block out my social media apps between 12 am and 9 am every day, the same thing during my focus hours. When I’m tempted to browse I see a blacked-out screen. I would rather get along with my day than deal with the steps required to unblock my phone.

?? Notion

Notion is such a simple yet powerful tool. It houses all my plans - present and future (including drafts of the books I’m writing).

It also has powerful collaboration features to help you co-work on projects, and even publish simple landing pages in a matter of seconds.

My favourite notion feature however is Notion AI, which is the smart guy I can run ideas over with.

?? Gemini

Speaking of smart AI, I am a big fan of Gemini (formerly Bard) by Google.? Gemini is a great alternative to ChatGPT, and I personally prefer it (sounds less AI-like with fewer buzz/fluffy words). Aside from collaborating intentionally to work on projects, I also entrust Gemini with conversations I might not be willing to ask a human.?

?? Otter.ai

Otter is another work buddy that I can recommend. It’s a notetaker for online meetings (a great alternative to Fireflies) and would attend all your meetings once you’ve synched in your calendar.

Otter documents key minutes of meetings and sends them directly to the emails of all the meeting participants on your behalf.?

This is great to keep you focused on contributing during a meeting other than writing, while also helping you keep track of action points.

?? Fitness

If your phone has a fitness app, I highly recommend that you track this daily (especially if you work remotely or spend long hours sitting) iPhones have an inbuilt Fitness app. Set your daily goals -Move Goal, Stand Goal, and Exercise Goal and be intentional about meeting them.

I like the personalized touch Apple has including regular reminders and celebrating victories (even better when paired with an Apple Watch)

?? Speechify

Speechify is a read-aloud tool that converts books, documents - any written file really into spoken texts.

Thanks to Speechify, I have doubled the number of books I read yearly and even joined a book club ??

This is interesting because I can be a slow reader and get tired so easily, but with this tool, I can plug in my earphones and be done with some books in a matter of hours. Highly recommend.?

?? Mixpanel

I tried my best not to include work tools in this thread (there’ll be a separate post for that) but Mixpanel makes my life so much easier that I have no choice but to include it here.

Mixpanel is a quantitative analytics tool that helps you review user insights across your site, including flows and funnels. If you work in tech, you need this tool, if you don’t kindly move to No.9

I have used tons of other analytics tools, but considering ease of setup + UI/UX simplicity, and quality of insights, Mixpanel is doing the lord’s work.

?? Capcut?

Capcut makes complex video editing feel like a fun game. There are so many resources to make a basic video feel more professional. I must confess though that I have been hoarding video content and hiding behind writing ??

?? Coachli

Coachli helps you schedule paid 1:1 calls with your clients, mentees, and any other party. It has a clean simple interface, and it is pretty easy to set up.

This tool is perfect for anyone who wants to monetize their coaching. I should also add that the site only charges you as clients pay (there are no upfront costs to getting started) You can check out my site here (my current paid services are up! Also check regularly for my free sessions)

As you know, gatekeeping isn’t my thing (gatekeepers stay outside) so I really hope you found a thing or two to make your life slightly easier.

Which ones will you be checking out? Which tools are currently making your life easier? Share your gems!

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Joke Shalom Akintara

Growth Product Manager | Curator of "Growth Notes"?