As a professional in the training industry, staying organized is crucial to staying healthy and productive. With numerous tasks to manage and constant communication with our team, contractors, and partners, I rely on technology to keep me on track.
There are a few resources I’ve found particularly helpful to stay on top of everything that I will share here in case they are useful for you. (Note: No affiliate links here!).
1. Asana
One app that has completely changed my to-do list for the better is Asana. This project management app allows me to create and organize my entire task list for any training event. Whenever I think of something that needs to be done, I can quickly add it to the list and assign a date to it. This helps me stay focused and ensure that no important task falls through the cracks.
One way I use this is to help me keep track of conversations with partners. For example, if I promise to follow up with someone in a month, I simply schedule an associated task and set the due date for that month. This way, I never lose track of important conversations and commitments.
2. Boomerang
Another app that has been a game-changer for me is Boomerang. This app is built into Gmail and allows me to schedule emails to return to my inbox if there is no reply. This feature has been immensely helpful in conducting consistent outreach during trainings.
Not only does Boomerang help me schedule emails, but it also provides recommendations on how to improve the likelihood of a response. It analyzes my email content and suggests changes that can make my message more effective. This objective second opinion saves me time and ensures that my outreach efforts are optimized.
3. Grammarly
When it comes to creating training materials, clear and concise writing is essential. This is where Grammarly comes in. This app serves as my spellcheck and offers additional tools to improve my wording. I use it in Google Docs and Gmail to enhance the quality of my content.
Grammarly not only catches grammar and spelling mistakes but also provides suggestions for better sentence structure and word choice. This tool saves me valuable time by eliminating the need to repeatedly proofread my work. With Grammarly, I can confidently create training materials without worrying about embarrassing typos or unclear messages.
4. ChatGPT
I don’t believe that AI will ever replace the human touch, but ChatGPT can be surprisingly effective for brainstorming and generating ideas. While it’s no secret that this AI-powered chatbot is being used by people in power to suppress wages and benefits, I think it can also be a useful tool for those working for social change.
When I’m stuck on a training activity or need to create content for a slide or handout, ChatGPT helps get things moving. Although its suggestions are not always perfect, it helps speed up the research process and overcome writer’s block.
These four apps have become handy tools for staying organized with trainings. They help me manage tasks, streamline communication, improve writing quality, and boost creativity.
By leveraging technology, I am able to accomplish a lot more, have a greater impact, and spend more time with the trainers I aim to support in my work.
What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments.
