As a small business owner, working remotely offers me the flexibility I need in order to work more efficiently. The wide range of digital tools available are seeing more entrepreneurs and employees being able to work remotely from the comfort of their home, hot desks and international destinations. Some of the tools I rely on that make collaboration possible with the people I partner with include Google Drive, Trello, Slack and Skype.
Google Drive
Google Drive is the perfect tool when collaborating on documents, presentations and even reports. It is cloud based and can be accessed by any browser on any device, including mobile. When working with multiple people on a document, keeping track of who’s made changes and which version is the latest one is always such a nightmare when using Word. But introduce Google Doc and hello…. it’s like the perfect environment! Say goodbye to frustration, tempers and all those swear words and let your team start working on Google Drive.
Trello
Trello is perfect for project management, assigning work to others and managing deadlines. Because I work with so many freelancers, it’s essential to keep track of work that is due and where we are in terms of project completion. Think of it as an online to do list….on steroids.
Slack
Slack and Skype are the best tools to use for communication. I am not a fan of WhatsApp groups for work communication. I prefer having dedicated apps for work communication only. Skype and Slack is the best solution. Most people use Skype but not many people know about Slack, download it and play around with it.
Working remotely has never been easier than it is now. Having the freedom to work from anywhere in the world helps me grow on a personal level. I no longer have to spend hours in traffic or driving between meetings; it gives me the time to focus on the important aspects of my business. Being able to work on my own time means that I can choose to spend the morning with my daughter and then work harder during the rest of the day. My productivity levels have increased because I am no longer surrounded by people in an office who call upon you for unnecessary things. The power of technology and the cloud makes all of this possible.
