Online Time Management Tools
Need a little help getting things done? Learn about these online time management tools that can help boost your productivity and help you get things done!
Time management for busy moms is a real issue for moms that work and homeschool their kids-you need all the help you can get to get things done!
All of us are busy these days. Managing a household, keeping your career on track, and educating your kids is a lot to juggle.
Thankfully, in this modern age, we have great online time management tools and apps to help us get things done and survive the day!
Why You Need Online Time Management Tools
While you can’t do everything, using the right time management tips for working moms and tools can help you organize your time and make your life easier.
Time management tools are designed to help you stay on task with whatever you’re doing.
Using online time management tools means you can access the information you need on the go!
This is why I like to use a printable planner like the Homeschool Planner For Working Moms with an online time management tool. When I use both of these together, my productivity skyrockets!
Having a schedule is crucial, but we all know life with kids means your schedule needs to be able to change at the drop of a hat. I highly recommend starting with a simple schedule to get a great foundation in place.
What To Look For In Online Time Management Tools
There are so many online time management tools and productivity apps that you can easily get overwhelmed trying to figure out which is best for you.
Here are a few guidelines to help you narrow down the choices. The best time management tools will help:
- Manage your tasks
- schedule your time
- to remind you of important dates
- remind you of appointments
- Access your information where you need it
- you get things done faster
5 Features You Want In An Online Time Management Tool
When looking for the right tools and programs to help you manage your time, consider including these five features:
1. Interactive Calendars
With an interactive calendar, you can manage your schedule easily and customize what’s included and how it displays.
A good example is Homeschool Planet, which includes space for your homeschool, work, and life.
Disclosure: I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
2. Multiple Project
If you often work on several projects, ensure your online time management tool can handle them.
When juggling several short- or long-term projects, you’ll want to see where you are in each one at a glance.
3. Variety of Methods
Look for tools and programs with to-do lists, time management lists, and other methods to help you plan.
4. Built-In Tools
These apps or programs will have tools to help you with tasks that might be your weak points, like planning a budget.
5. Shareability
Since these are online time management tools, you’ll want to easily share them with your team or family members and have access anywhere you have the internet.
Make sure the online time management tool you choose has a sharing feature that is simple and easy to use.
10 Online Time Management Tools
Of course, let’s be honest, time management tools only work if you use them.
There is no one perfect tool for everyone. Take a peek through the list and see what will work for you to help you get more done daily.
Many of the tools listed below are my absolute favorites however, I also asked other working moms in our online community to share their all-time favorite online time management tools.
Free Time Management Tools With A Paid Upgrade Option
The following online time management tools are free, but you can upgrade to a premium paid package. Usually, this will unlock bonus features, integrations, and more!
1. Todoist
Todoist helps you organize your tasks, remember deadlines, build habits and (this is key!) review at the end of the day.
This online tool is great for capturing thoughts and scheduling them to look at in a week or month’s time. It also means things like bills don’t get forgotten!
Todoist works on multiple devices, such as your phone, computer, and tablet. It also syncs so that others are updated when you check it off on one device.
Plus, it also integrates with some of your favorite online tools, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Calendar, and more! See the full list here.
2. Tick Tick
Tick Tick is a very simple task management tool that is flexible and easy to use.
You can add tasks through voice input, turn emails into tasks, add location notifications, and include recurring tasks.
Tick Tick also has a Pomo Timer to help you practice the Pomodoro Technique.
You can also collaborate with family and co-workers to assign tasks, activities, and more!
The only complaint I have heard is that there are several pop-ups in the free version.
3. Evernote
I was introduced to Evernote about a year ago. It is a great note-taking app, but it does even more than that!
With Evernote you can:
- make to-do lists
- create idea lists
- keep a running grocery list
- design chore lists
- use it to create a brain dump
- create action plans to go with your lists
- manage your personal, homeschool, and work projects
- manage your deadlines
- set reminders
- record memos to yourself
I liked that I could create a list or note on my computer and access it on my phone. The basic version is free, and that’s the one I use. The Premium plan is the most popular option; that one currently costs $7.99/month.
4. Dropbox
Dropbox is one of my all-time favorite storage apps for PDFs, images, graphics, and documents I need to share with those I work with.
You can organize it by using file folders.
I like “dropping” videos I’ve recorded on my phone into the app and then retrieving them on my computer so I can edit them.
This saves me so much time. I drop them in and pick them up later.
You can also create shared folders, which are a great way to share documents, images, etc., with team members. And because it is all online, you don’t need to worry about USBs or trying to email large files.
Dropbox comes free with the option to buy more storage.
5. Google Drive
I use Google Drive every single day.
I love using Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms, for all my online work and to create homeschool reports, projects, and other correspondence.
Google Drive is linked to your Google Account. All of your “stuff” is stored in the cloud, so you can access them on the go as long as you are signed in.
I love that I can upload pretty much anything, even if it was created on a different program. You can also create shared files and folders, which is great for collaborating on projects.
One thing I love about Google Drive is that it is stored in the cloud. If I get a new phone or my laptop breaks, I know everything is backed up and safe!
Many homeschool moms use it for sharing reports and projects with their kids. You can edit, comment, and offer suggestions, and it automatically sends it to your children.
It’s a huge time-saver because I can edit and share files on the go!
It starts off free with the option to upgrade for more space.
6. Cozi Family Organizer
Cozi is a free family organizer that comes highly recommended by working moms who homeschool.
- Keep events and activities all in one place
- Keep and share the grocery list in real-time
- Store recipes, plan meals, and shop for ingredients
- Use from any mobile device or computer
One thing that’s really great about Cozi is that if everyone in the family downloads the app, they can see what’s on the calendar in real time.
This way, you can easily split tasks since everyone can see what needs to be done.
Pro tip: A mom shared she has it on her kid’s tablets – and they can add items to the grocery list when things run out.
7. Google Calendar
I love Google Calendar! I use it to keep all my appointments, reminders, and deadlines.
My favorite feature is the reminders. I’ve learned to set it for the day before AND an hour before something is due.
It syncs with all my devices, and I can use it on my computer at home or my phone on the go!
Plus, you can set up calendars for different activities or people in your life.
It’s one of the first apps I add to a new device! The Google Calendar app helps you spend less time managing your schedule and more time enjoying it.
If you are just starting out with Google Calendar, I highly recommend reading this Google Calendar Guide. She shares 18 features of the Calendar, and while you won’t use them, all the instructions are golden!
8. Trello
Many moms love using Trello to help them stay organized.
I was introduced to Trello while working on a project with someone else. I noticed right away how easy it is to see everything!
At a glance, you can see what’s in progress, when deadlines are coming up and which tasks are completed.
Recently inside the Coffee Club, a mom shared how she uses Trello to help her easily distracted child stay on task.
While I think this is a great app for helping with time management, it does take time to learn and set up. Trello provides this Trello 101 guide to help you out.
It is free with the option to upgrade.
9. Toggl: Free Time Tracking Tool
Have you ever noticed that tasks always take longer than you think they will?
It’s a problem when you are planning your schedule. I signed up for Toggl to track how long it really takes me to do tasks. Not the amount I *think* it will take.
Toggl is designed to help you get control of your time. It’s easy to use on both your computer and phone. Just sign in, pick your task and click a button.
As a working mom, it is important to see where you are spending your time. This tool is perfect to use when you are figuring out your time suckers.
UPDATE: On Sept 7, 2020, Toggl became Toggl Track! You can learn more about the changes to this tool here.
10. Grammarly
Confession: I tend to think faster than I can type. This means I make a ton of grammar errors, spelling errors, and just plain silly errors.
Grammarly is a free tool that catches a ton of my mistakes. (Not all, but more than you know!)
Grammarly is a free online tool that scans your text to properly use more than 250 advanced grammar rules. Grammarly not only checks for grammar mistakes but also checks for correctly spelled words used in the wrong context.
With the Chrome extension, I can use it to proofread my typing anywhere online. This includes comments I type, blog posts I write, social media shares, emails, and more!
Sign up for your free Grammarly Account here.
Bonus: Online Time Management Tool
I include this paid time management tool because it is designed specifically for the busy homeschool mom.
Homeschool Planet
You might not think “time management tool” when it comes to Homeschool Planet, but this online planner can handle anything you throw at it.
It’s an easy, flexible, full-featured online planner that doesn’t require hours to learn.
Homeschool Planet also syncs with your phone, tablet, and computer. Chances are you have one of those on you or always near you.
Plus, you can reshuffle your entire YEAR with a few clicks, which you can’t do on a paper planner.
If you want to find a way to get your life in order (all in one place for EVERYONE!), then you will want to sign up for this free trial which I highly recommend playing around with first.
Do you have more questions about Homeschool Planet? Read Homeschool Planet Questions – Everything You Need To Know
Online Time Management Tools For Working Moms
Using online time management tools is one of the best productivity tips for working moms because using the right tool to help you get the job done is a great way to increase your productivity and reduce wasted time.
It is amazing how much more you can accomplish when you focus and block out distractions.
I’ve shared some of my favorite tools and ones I’ve had recommended repeatedly by other working homeschool moms.
Which of these online time management tools will you try this week for better time management?
It’s important to have a great foundation for time management in place, I highly recommend starting with a simple schedule.
More Time Management Tools
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
