If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re probably juggling multiple tasks at any time. You’re a busy person, and don’t always like sweating the small stuff.
Fortunately, a group of excellent apps are available which make it easier to quickly do the kinds of tasks that used to be repetitive and dull. Want to set up a meeting? Manage your expenses? Use these apps not only to do things faster, but to eliminate much of the boring, repetitive actions that plague the workday.
Since I’ve equipped my office with T-Mobile Samsung cell phones, I’m partial to Android and will be suggesting apps available on the Google Play Store.
Inputting Text
For most people, I can strongly recommend SwiftKey X Keyboard ($2.99). Though it looks like any other keyboard, you’ll find over time it offers increasingly accurate word suggestions.
If you’re a bit more adventurous, 8Pen ($0.99) offers a radically new method of text input. For this, you move your fingers in circles to input letters. Sounds odd, but it works extremely well if you’re willing to learn it.
Finally, I love Inserty (Free), which collects snippets of text you can reuse over and over again. Just keep a collection of your favorite phrases, such as replies to e-mails or lengthy addresses, and insert them into any app. It’s not as fast as a desktop text expander, but it can still save you a lot of time.
Making Appointments
Pocket Informant ($12.99) offers an elegant solution to the tedious task of entering calendar events loaded with information and parameters. Using its event template feature, you can for instance have a template that contains all the information you need to set up a staff meeting.
Quick Event (Free), however, works just like the web-based Google calendar Quick Add feature to enable you to type or even speak the details of an upcoming event in plain language. (e.g. “Meeting 5 to 6 pm”)
Finances
Expensify (Free) not only offers speed, it takes much of the pain out of expense reports. This app does the work for you of tracking your spending. It connects to your bank and credit card accounts, so it’s dynamically updated. Plus, it offers a handy and surprisingly accurate tool to scan receipts of cash purchases.
MobileBiz Trial (free) is a good way to test the Mobile Biz Pro app ($22.00). This app offers tons of tools for creating invoices, sending them, and tracking them over time. Use it to save frequently used parameters such as tax rates and let it track your customers and expenses for you.
Social Media
Though it’s still in beta, Fast for Facebook (Free) offers a lightweight client for the popular social network. It’s easier to both scan through others’ posts and to add your own.
About the Author: Ashlee McCullen is a staff writer for ApronAddicts.com, a website about kitchen fashion and home style. She also writes about mobile technology and self-improvement.