6 Programs You Should Download Right Now if You Work Remotely
You work remotely and you need your software to support that. You've already got Slack and Zoom for communication, Asana and Trello for project management, Toggl and Monday for time management, Google Docs and Dropbox for file sharing...
An article about tools and programs for remote work that only included those core applications wouldn't tell you anything you don't already know. But what else is out there?
Sourced from me (hi, I'm a remote worker) + dozens of people in my (our!) remote-work community, here are 6 programs to download if you work remotely:
For Concentration:
OmmWriter. Whether you're a writer (hi, me again) or not, you probably have to use words at some point in your day — you know, crafting social media posts, drafting a project plan, coming up with an email response that says "you suck" without actually saying "you suck" to the client / coworker / human who is driving you up a wall on any given day. This program provides a beautiful, distraction-free screen for you to write in, with clicky-clacky keyboard sounds and soothing background music included. Price: They have a pay-what-you-think-it's-worth system, with a minimum price of $6.92.
For Collaborating Across Countries:
Timeanddate.com. Their website is basic but their value-add is huge, and if you have teammates or clients scattered all over the globe, their World Clock Meeting Planner, which lets you plug in multiple locations and time zones and shows you color-coded time slots, can't be beat. You're in Las Vegas trying to plan a sync with collaborators in Lagos and Luxembourg? Turns out your Monday 8 a.m., their Monday 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively, is your best bet. Price: Free!
For Self-Control:
The obviously-named SelfControl, or if you don't use a Mac and/or don't like the idea of downloading an application that can take control of your computer, the Chrome extension Productivity Owl. These programs come in handy when you have work to do, but the siren song of your internet drug of choice — Twitter, PostSecret, Gilt, Reddit, things that aren't appropriate to write about here — is calling. You can set them up to block you from whatever websites you find most distracting or give you only a certain amount of time on selected sites. True story: one night, when I had SelfControl enabled to help me focus on a project, Beyoncé dropped a new album. I'd blocked myself from Twitter, YouTube, and most of my favorite celebrity news sites, so I was left in the dark until my timer ran out (and I finished my project). It was good for my productivity, but terrible for my ability to immediately follow music news. Keep that in mind. Price: Free!
For Working While You Travel:
TripMode. If you're a digital nomad type who works from wherever you are at any given moment, you're probably an expert in navigating the minefields of public wifi, mobile hotspots, and shoddy internet connections. TripMode lets you give individual apps or programs access to the internet, allowing you to use your single bar of connection to upload and send your final project, not to backup your latest scuba photos or download unnecessary updates. Price: $8.90.
For Managing Passwords:
Dashlane. You have all of these programs to make your life easier, and they usually do, except for when you forget your password to one of them and find yourself locked out of your account, fuming at your keyboard. Dashlane helps you avoid that by managing up to 50 passwords (or unlimited passwords, in their paid version) for you. Their free version even offers their Password Changer, which can update all of your passwords in one click (something you've been meaning to do for years, since your go-to of "steven123" was probably never very secure and certainly isn't in this day and age). Price: free for a basic account, or $4.99/month for a premium account that comes with a VPN.
For Basically Everything Else:
IFTTT. I don't know why more people don't use this service. Probably because they just don't know about it, I suppose, which is why I'm happy to be writing about it here. Its name is short for If This, Then That. I've had an account with them for years, and it's like having a free, very efficient virtual assistant. Basically, its service lets you program automatic actions for any of your smart devices, triggered by certain events or schedules. A very simple one is for IFTTT to text you "Bring an umbrella!" if it's scheduled to rain that day. You can also have any Google Calendar invites show up on your iCalendar—if you find yourself stuck between the two operating systems, or track your hours at work based on your location. (This works better if you go to an office/co-working space versus work from home.) My favorite fun one (more here): get a notification when the International Space Station passes over your house. Price: Free!
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I hope these programs make your life better and your work easier.
I also hope you don't miss Beyoncé's next surprise drop because you're using SelfControl, because I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Have I missed any must-have programs that get you through the day? Let me know in the comments!
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Diversity Reboot 2021: The One Hundred Day Kickoff
<p><strong>When</strong>: February 1-5, 2021</p><p><strong>Where</strong>: Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Free!</p><p><strong>Where to register: </strong><a href="https://summit.powertofly.com/" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>We had to include our own Diversity Reboot on our list of the best diversity and inclusion events to attend in 2021 because we know firsthand how the quality of 100+ expert speakers, the enthusiasm of 10,000 participants, and the cutting-edge tech that enables meaningful virtual networking and job fairs combine to create a truly epic five-day experience. This year, the theme 100 Day Kickoff harnesses the energy of the new government's first 100 days in office to help jump-start personal and professional plans to build more diverse and inclusive workplaces. </p><p>Following the February summit, we'll have a monthly series of smaller virtual summits on topics spanning everything from returnships to LGBTQ+ advocacy, so be sure to stay tuned for updates!<br></p>The Future of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 2021
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<p><strong>When:</strong> August 18, 2021</p><p><strong>Where: </strong>Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register: </strong>$195</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://www.hci.org/conferences/2021-virtual-conference-hire-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-august-18-2021" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>This conference put on by the Human Capital Institute is one of 12 virtual conferences that HCI has planned for 2021. This one focuses on fair and inclusive talent acquisition, including how to attract diverse talent, implement inclusive hiring practices, and addressing bias in employee selection. Other conferences will focus on optimizing talent strategy, engaging employees, and developing your workforce.</p>Virtual Grace Hopper Celebration 2021
<p><strong>When:</strong> September 26-29, 2021</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Virtual, broadcast from Chicago, Illinois</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Was $799 for regular access to the virtual conference in 2020; 2021 pricing hasn't yet been announced</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://ghc.anitab.org/attend/registration/" target="_blank">Here</a>, though 2021 registration wasn't live at the time of writing</p><p>Grace Hopper might be the best-known conference for women in tech. Through keynote presentations, networking sessions, job fairs, and community-building activities, vGHC reached over 30,000 women for their 2020 conference and are expecting even more in 2021! While not a conference focused exclusively on diversity and inclusion, many speakers plan to focus their talks on creating environments for women to thrive in the male-dominated tech field.</p>Inclusion 2021
<p><strong>When:</strong> October 25-27, 2021</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Virtual and in person in Austin, Texas as of now</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Hasn't yet been announced</p><p><strong>Where to register: </strong><a href="https://conferences.shrm.org/inclusion" target="_blank">Here</a>, though 2021 registration wasn't live at the time of writing</p><p>The Society for Human Resource Management's biggest conference of the year saw 1,200 DEI leaders participate last year; SHRM hopes to see even more come to learn, be inspired, and to walk away with a playbook of implementable strategies to create truly inclusive workplace cultures.</p>AfroTech 2021
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