10 tools that keep entrepreneurs organized and productive

We’ve all got our own favorite tips, tricks, and tools that help us organize our task lists, assign projects, and manage deliverables.

Today, there are more apps and software programs geared toward business owners than ever. I interviewed 10 entrepreneurs to find out what they use to stay on top of everything.

Here are 10 of the best organization and productivity tools that entrepreneurs recommend.

1. Monday: Streamline communication channels

Aalap Shah, founder of 1o8, an e-comm-focused digital agency in Chicago, loves Monday.com for project management software. 

“My business has clients, vendors, independent contractors, and full-time folks all trying to communicate, and it has streamlined our Slack, email, and file management tools into one centralized (and colorful) dashboard that allows us to glance at a project and know where it’s at.  I love the integrations it has—be it invoicing, other communications tools, Google Drive—along with the extensive training and documentation that it has for a novice to be able to take this tool and harness it to its fullest potential.”

Shah recommends diving into a few of the webinars or training videos on the site and reading a few case studies.  

“What’s cool about the tool is that it’s flexible for almost any business and then within your business, you can set up boards for all sorts of different activities and tactics. The best part (and tip I can offer) is getting into a daily habit of using it—I load up all the tasks right after a meeting, for example, so it stays fresh and gets assigned to the right team to execute against.”

2. Focus To-Do: Break down tasks into bite-sized chunks

For managing time and tasks, Brandon Ackroyd, owner of Tiger Mobiles, prefers Focus To-Do. 

“I primarily use it for the Pomodoro function. The night before work, I make a to-do list of things that need to be accomplished. Then on the day, the app has a timer to break down work into intervals. I set it to 25 minutes in length and tick off tasks when they are complete. After every 25 minutes passes, I take a five-minute break. After four of these cycles, I take a 15-minute break.”

3. Trello: Color-coded organization

Chloe Brittain, owner of Opal Transcription Services, an audio transcription company serving clients in the US and Canada, uses Trello, a Kanban-style app to organize new projects, from a long-term to-do list to editorial calendar to SEO campaign. 

“I also use it for simple things like keeping track of articles I want to read later. I prefer Trello to other organizational tools because it’s versatile but also simple: I can easily rearrange items on a board or card, color code things, add checklists and deadlines, etc., and even with all these layers of complexity, it’s easy to understand visually where I’m at and what still needs to get done.”

Brittain says if you need functionality beyond basic projects, you can use extensions (called Power-Ups) to help you customize the tool to your needs. “For instance, you could add custom fields to your cards or integrate your Trello boards with Dropbox,” she said.

4. Teamwork: Track milestones and due dates

Shane Griffiths, partner at Clarity Online, an SEO marketing agency in Seattle, loves productivity software Teamwork to stay organized. 

“It allows us to stay organized with recurring work, due dates, and important milestones. For large projects like website redesigns, we can add the client to our project so they can always see the status and get updates. We can even assign them tasks like reviewing design mockups or delivering copy,” Griffiths said. 

His favorite tip for Teamwork is to utilize recurring tasks.“That can save you a ton of time when managing a project or simply organizing your week. It’s a very useful platform that can be used both internally and externally to organize a company.” 

5. Google Tasks: Assign actions from your calendar

Taiisha Bradley, publicist and founder at Modernoire, a non-equity minority business alliance that operates as a social enterprise, uses Google Tasks. 

“Like many small business owners, I am constantly in my inbox. It’s so easy to list my tasks and to-dos right there in my email screen as I read through my emails. My Tasks even adds dates and times to my Gmail calendar so I don’t have to take another action to update my calendar or to create a deadline. The ability to add subtasks to main tasks is even more helpful when a task has many parts to completion.”  

Bradley suggests watching YouTube videos of how to use Tasks. “I always learn something new from watching the most recent shortcuts and hacks from ‘techies’ on YouTube.”

6. Meistertask: Simple task management

When your day is filled with tasks to manage, you need a tool that helps you stay on top of them all. Jose Gomez, CTO & cofounder of digital marketing agency Evinex, uses Meistertask to manage and organize his tasks, as well as see where other team members are on a project. 

“We mainly use it for daily task assignments, task and time tracking, deadlines and so on.”

He likes being able to assign each project its own Kanban board that enables project managers to track a project’s progress in real-time. “My personal recommendation for Meistertask is to have separate projects (Kanban boards) and set alerts for task changes (especially if you work within a team).”

7. Evernote: Great multitasker

Shuman Roy, who writes for USInsuranceAgents.com and also owns a franchise location for School of Rock in Orangeburg, New York, frequently finds himself jumping from one task to the next, operating on three different frequencies, as so many entrepreneurs do. 

He finds that Evernote helps him do so much more than take notes, as it was designed to do.

“Evernote can capture photo, video, and voice. Great features for documenting lesson plans, song ideas, or technical document notation. The app also lets you track internal and external links.”

Roy says being able to connect to Google drives, audio files, video files, and even sketch handwritten notes is helpful when working in multimedia formats where he and his team are recording meeting notes, taking pictures of whiteboards, and following slides. 

8. Zapier: Easier task automation

Samantha Odo is COO of Precondo.ca, a company that helps people research and purchase new condominiums in Toronto. She loves Zapier because it creates a web of all the apps that she uses for storing information and connects them through automated processes.

“Zapier is one of the most impactful organizational tools for process automation and integrating multiple apps to one platform. For example, if you intend to save a file in Google Drive, you can create a zap and upload it on Zapier, then the document will be automatically saved to Drive.”

9. Calendly: Meeting scheduling simplified

Alexis Haselberger, productivity, time management, and leadership coach at Alexis Haselberger Coaching, hated the time-wasting back-and-forth of trying to find a meeting time and date, especially with external parties. Then she discovered Calendly, meeting scheduling software.

“Calendly is inexpensive and allows for multiple different meeting types so that you can have the right amount of buffer time built in for travel related to in-person meetings versus calls or in-house meetings.”  

10. Expensify: Keep track of receipts

Gone are the days of stuffing receipts in your laptop bag until you can get back to the office to scan them and email them to Accounting. Expensify is a mobile app that makes it easy to scan and track receipts. As a small business owner, this is a lifesaver for Connie Heintz, founder of DIYoffer, which provides a complete ‘for sale by owner’ kit in Toronto. 

“I used to carry my receipts around in my pocket and file them at the end of the night, but I found myself losing them and putting them through the wash. With this app, all you have to do is photograph the receipt with your phone and it’s uploaded directly to a spreadsheet.”

She loves being able to share her spreadsheet at the end of each quarter directly with her accountant. 

In addition to these 10 productivity tools, here are a few additional productivity apps and project management tools to help keep you on top of your business.

How to boost efficiency and productivity

Improving your business's efficiency and productivity helps you do more with less.

1. Analyze your time

Understanding where time is spent is the first step to improving efficiency.

For solopreneurs or small teams: Use time-tracking apps like Toggl Track (free version available), Harvest ($12/month), or Clockify (free with paid upgrades) to log your activities. Track for at least two weeks to get accurate data.

Review your results to identify tasks that take up most of your time. Look for patterns and inefficiencies in your work processes.

What to do with the data:

• Identify your three most time-consuming activities
• Calculate the dollar value of your time
• Determine which activities generate revenue vs. which are administrative
• Look for tasks that could be automated, delegated, or eliminated

A consultant might discover they spend 5 hours a month on invoicing and follow-ups. At a $100/hour billing rate, that's $500 of time spent on admin work that could potentially be automated for $30/month with accounting software.

2. Streamline your processes

Once you know where time is being spent, find ways to work smarter. Here are some ideas to consider: 

Automation opportunities:

• Scheduling: Calendly or Acuity for appointment booking eliminates email back-and-forth
• Social media: Buffer or Later to schedule posts in batches
• Email marketing: Set up automated welcome sequences, abandoned cart reminders, and follow-up campaigns
• Invoicing: QuickBooks or FreshBooks to send invoices and payment reminders automatically
• Data entry: Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat) to connect apps and move data automatically

Create templates for common documents or emails to save time on repeated tasks. Examples:

• Email responses to frequent questions
• Proposals and contracts
• Social media post formats
• Blog post outlines
• Project kickoff documents

Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for routine activities to ensure consistency and efficiency. Document your processes in simple checklists or step-by-step guides so anyone can follow them.

AI tools can be very helpful here. 

3. Prioritize your tasks

Not all tasks are equally important. Focus on what truly matters. The Eisenhower Matrix is a popular way to categorize tasks:

Urgent and important (do first)

• Client deadlines
• Cash flow crises
• Critical customer issues

Important but not urgent (schedule)

• Strategic planning
• Relationship building
• Skill development
• Marketing campaigns

Urgent but not important (delegate or automate)

• Many emails and calls
• Some meetings
• Routine tasks

Not urgent or important (eliminate)

• Busy work
• Time wasters
• Low-value activities

Tackle high-impact tasks during your most productive hours. If you're sharpest in the morning, do strategic work then and save admin tasks for afternoon energy dips.

Learn to say no to activities that don't align with your business goals. Every yes to something low-value is a no to something that could grow your business.

4. Leverage technology

The right tools can significantly boost your productivity.

Project management software by business size:

• Trello: Visual boards for simple task tracking
• Asana: More robust project tracking with timelines
• Monday.com: Highly customizable for complex workflows
• ClickUp: All-in-one with docs, tasks, and goals

Cloud-based collaboration tools:

• Google Workspace: Email, documents, spreadsheets, storage
• Microsoft 365: Office apps plus cloud storage
• Dropbox Business: File sharing and storage
• Notion: Wiki, docs, and project management combined

AI tools for business operations:

• ChatGPT: Content drafts, brainstorming, research summaries
• Jasper: Marketing copy and content creation
• Otter.ai: Meeting transcription and notes
• Grammarly: Writing improvement and error checking
• Zapier: Connect apps and automate workflows

Choose tools that solve actual problems. Don't add technology just because it exists. The best tool is the one you'll actually use.

5. Optimize your workspace

Your work environment impacts your efficiency.

Productivity research shows:

• Cluttered workspaces increase stress and reduce focus
• Natural light improves mood and energy by 15-20%
• Comfortable seating reduces fatigue and increases work quality
• Noise-canceling headphones block distractions in 85% of cases

Physical workspace:

• Use organizers and filing systems to minimize visual clutter
• Invest in ergonomic furniture to reduce fatigue (desk, chair, monitor stand)
• Position your desk near natural light if possible
• Keep frequently used items within arm's reach

Digital workspace:

• Organize computer files with clear folder structures
• Use browser bookmarks and folders to quickly access sites
• Close unnecessary tabs and applications while working
• Set up multiple monitors if your work requires reference materials

If working from home, create a dedicated workspace to separate work from personal life. Even a room divider or specific corner can help your brain switch into work mode.

6. Invest in your skills

Improving your skills or those of your team can lead to greater efficiency. Identify areas where additional training could speed up work processes. If your team struggles with a software program, a 2-hour training course might eliminate hours of weekly frustration.

Online learning resources by category:

Business skills

• LinkedIn Learning: Business, technology, and creative skills
• Coursera: Courses from universities and companies
• Skillshare: Creative and business classes

Technical skills

• Udemy: Software, programming, marketing
• YouTube: Tutorials on almost anything
• Platform-specific training: Google, Facebook, and software companies offer free training

Industry-specific

• Trade associations often provide member training
• Local community colleges offer affordable certificate programs
• SCORE and SBDC offer free workshops

ROI considerations

• A $200 course that saves 3 hours weekly is worth $7,800 annually at a $50/hour value
• Training that helps you raise prices 10% pays for itself immediately
• Skills that let you bring work in-house instead of outsourcing save continuously

Encourage knowledge sharing within your team. After someone takes training, have them teach key points to others.

7. Outsource strategically

It's easy for entrepreneurs to get in the trap of thinking they're the only ones who can accomplish certain tasks. As a result, they lock themselves into a job rather than a business. Here’s how to challenge yourself to consider outsourcing: 

Outsource if the task:

• Takes significant time but isn't your core expertise
• Can be done by someone else at a lower cost than your time is worth
• Requires specialized skills you don't have and won't use regularly
• Distracts you from revenue-generating activities

Keep in-house if the task:

• Is core to your business differentiation
• Requires deep company knowledge
• Involves sensitive information
• Builds critical relationships

Here’s how to think about it in terms of your income targets: 

Your effective hourly rate = Annual target income ÷ 2000 hours

If you want to make $100,000 annually, your time is worth $50/hour. Any task you can outsource for less than $50/hour frees you to focus on more valuable work.

Here are some common tasks you may consider outsourcing comparing cost to time: 

• Bookkeeping: $200-$500/month with a contractor vs. 6-10 hours monthly doing it yourself
• Content writing: $100-$500 per blog post vs. 4-6 hours of your time
• Social media management: $500-$2,000/month vs. 10-20 hours monthly
• Virtual assistance: $20-$40/hour for admin tasks
• Graphic design: $50-$150/hour for professional design work

Start small. You can always try outsourcing one non-core task and evaluate the results before expanding.

Watch the video on how Christine uses systems in her business

Entrepreneur productivity 101: Roles in a Scrum team

We’ve talked briefly about Agile methodology here, but it’s probably best to introduce it outright: Agile is a project management methodology where you use very short cycles to complete projects, allowing for quick turnaround and constant revision. The Waterfall methodology, by contrast, basically forces you to complete a project before you can revise it, which, according to Agile fans, can make projects take even longer.

Scrum is one Agile methodology that is very popular, particularly among software developers. Scrum gets its name from rugby, and is a framework that encourages teams to figure out the project by working on it, organize organically, and make time for constant reflection to ensure improvement. A scrum is broken down into sprints, which are the task assignments that must be finished in a set period of time or segment of the project. 

In a scrum, there are three roles that team members take:

• Scrum Master — the person in charge of the scrum, responsible for making sure the team stays on track. The Scrum Master will schedule meetings, usually daily, as well as reviews, and manage the overall progress of the team, removing roadblocks and communicating with the team.
• Product owner — the person in charge of the product, making sure that the team’s work aligns with the goals of the product, like customer expectations and market trends. The product owner will prioritize the work by keeping track of what external stakeholders expect and communicating that to the team. 
• Development team — these are the people who get the day-to-day work done in the sprint and basically make up the rest of the team. These could be copywriters, data analysts, software engineers, UX designers, and marketing managers. 

Different members of the team can take on different roles depending on the project, but you may find that certain team members excel at product ownership or being the Scrum Master, while others are better at working on their granular tasks. 

These are just a few of the many tools that can make a business owner’s life a lot easier! What would you add to the list?