Author: Andre Oentoro

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8 Best Remote Working Apps for Productivity

Remote work is the new norm, but have you mastered the effective ways to do it? Working from your couch sounds fun and easy until you have to open multiple tabs and start to lose focus instead. 

Whether you’re a digital nomad, a student juggling freelance gigs, or just navigating the remote work life, having the best apps at your fingertips can make all the difference. So, we’ll walk you through some solutions for effective remote working. 

We’ve rounded up the top eight remote working apps to help you crush deadlines, stay connected, and smooth your workflow. From free project management tools to a specialized music platform, check out the list below!

Todoist

When you open Todoist for the first time, you’ll see a clean and intuitive interface. The main function this tool does is allow users to create detailed to-do lists, set priorities, and organize tasks into projects. For remote workers, Todoist provides a central hub for tracking personal and team tasks. It can be a versatile task management app for individual workers or remote teams. It also offers integrations with Google Calendar and Slack.

Main Features

  • Task organization to create tasks, set priorities, and organize them into projects.
  • Due dates and reminders to set deadlines and reminders.
  • Collaboration tools to share tasks and assignments.
  • Integration to connect with other tools like Google Calendar and Slack.
  • Cross-platform sync for seamless synchronization on multiple platforms.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Limited free features
  • Basic reporting
  • Learning curve

Asana

Asana is one of the most robust project management tools designed to streamline your team’s workflow and enhance collaboration. Similar to Todoist, it also lets you easily create tasks, set deadlines, and organize projects. 

For instance, if you’re managing a project at DPS Power, a power generator company, Asana allows you to create tasks related to generator maintenance schedules easily, set deadlines for equipment upgrades, and organize projects for new generator installations.

Its intuitive interface offers multiple views, such as lists, boards, and calendars. This tool is particularly useful for managing complex projects with multiple components. You can see each task’s status and dependencies.

Main Features

  • Task and project tracker to create tasks and assign them to team members.
  • Team collaboration to improve team communication through comments, attachments, and real-time updates.
  • Timeline and Gantt Charts to provide visual timelines and tracking progress.
  • Customizable workflows for utmost flexibility with custom fields and project templates.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Complexity for small teams with extensive features.
  • Performance issues with larger projects and extensive data.
  • Pricing on paid plans.

Airtable

Airtable is a free, flexible, and visually appealing tool. It combines spreadsheet features with a database, which can be a perfect solution for managing projects and organizing information. 

For remote teams, the visual and flexible approach allows for easy tracking of tasks, projects, and information. It also supports real-time collaboration, enabling team members to work together on the same database and see updates instantly.

Main Features

  • Customizable database for creating custom databases with various field types, views, and filters.
  • Collaboration tools that support real-time collaboration and communication.
  • Ready-to-use templates.
  • Visual organization for different views (grid, calendar, kanban, gallery).

Potential Drawbacks

  • Learning curve
  • Limited reporting and analytics
  • Pricing (even though a free plan is available)

Zoom Workplace

Zoom is perhaps one of the leading tools for conducting online video conferences. It facilitates remote workers in conducting virtual meetings, webinars, and team communication. 

The free plan enables users to use video conferencing for up to 40 minutes. But you can always add up the time frame for online meetings with its paid plans.

Main Features

  • Video conferencing
  • Screen sharing
  • Recording
  • Breakout rooms
  • Integration with Slack, Google Calendar, and Microsoft Teams

Potential Drawbacks

  • Security concerns
  • Bandwidth requirements
  • Feature overload

Google Workspace

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a suite of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools designed by Google to enhance teamwork and streamline communication in a remote team.

As you may already know, it includes essential applications like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. The comprehensive features are suitable for remote teams to handle emails, document creation, storage, and collaboration.

Main Features

  • Gmail acts as a robust email platform with advanced search, filtering, and integration.
  • Google Drive for providing cloud storage and easy access for sharing of files across team members.
  • Docs, Sheets, and Slides to facilitate real-time collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
  • Collaboration tools and integration.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Privacy concerns.
  • Feature limitations.
  • Internet dependency.

ProofHub

ProofHub is an all-in-one project management tool. It’s clean and easy to navigate, even for new users. With a simple interface, ProofHub offers a range of features for task management and time tracking.

For instance, if you’re working on an animated book review project, ProofHub can help you organize scriptwriting, animation design, and voice recording tasks. You can set deadlines for each phase, track the time spent on different tasks, and ensure that your team stays on schedule.

Users can also share files, comment on projects, and monitor progress. Moreover, projects can be customized to fit various project needs.

Main Benefits

  • Task management features to create tasks, set deadlines, and track progress.
  • Time tracking and reporting features.
  • Collaboration tools for discussing projects and sharing files.
  • Customizable workflows to fit various project needs.
  • Integration with various tools.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Limited free features.
  • Despite a simple interface, some may find it less modern.
  • Learning curve for new users.

Slack

Slack has been mentioned many times previously. It is perhaps one of the remote tools with the most integration. It is actually designed to facilitate real-time messaging and collaboration.

Slack provides a centralized space for team discussion, file sharing, and integration. Remote workers can use it as a go-to and all-inclusive solution for remote communication.

Main Features

  • Real-time messaging that enables instant communication.
  • File sharing to allow users to share files easily.
  • Search functionality that offers powerful search capabilities. 
  • Customizable notifications to set and manage notifications without being overwhelmed.
  • Massive integration with other third-party apps and services.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Dependency on the Internet.
  • Notification overload without proper management.
  • Advanced features can be costly.
  • Learning curve for new users.

Brain.fm

Are you one of those people who can’t work without music? Brain.fm is a unique tool that provides scientifically designed music to enhance focus and productivity. This tool can also help you avoid burnout.

It offers audio tracks engineered to improve concentration, relaxation, and overall cognitive performance. If you’re looking for a tool to help you enhance concentration and productivity, Brain.fm is totally worth trying.

Main Features

  • Focus music to improve concentration and work efficiency.
  • Cognitive benefits to help users achieve deeper focus and reduce distractions.
  • Music personalization based on specific needs.
  • Integration with other productivity tools.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Subscription cost.
  • Effectiveness variance.
  • Limited functionality on project management features.

Takeaway

As we’ve explored, the right tools can transform your remote work experience from chaotic to productive. These top 8 apps are designed to streamline your tasks, enhance collaboration, and keep you focused.

But remember, choosing the best app is just a piece of the puzzle. Try to establish a routine that works for you, set clear boundaries between work and personal time, and balance screen time with breaks.

Author Bio

Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning animation video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order). 

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How to Improve the Mobile App Onboarding Process

First impressions matter, especially for mobile apps. The onboarding process is the first interaction users have with your app, and it can make or break their decision to stick around.

A smooth and engaging onboarding experience helps users understand your app’s value and sets the stage for long-term engagement and retention. So, how can we make this experience great?

That’s what we’re going to discuss in this article. Before we explore some strategies, let’s first identify some factors that make an onboarding process memorable and pleasing for users.

What Makes a Mobile App Onboarding Great?

An onboarding process must be educative and informative, but we must not forget the visual appeal. Both an informative and appealing onboarding process can improve engagement and keep users coming back. 

When you create onboarding content for a mobile app, consider the following elements:

Simplicity and clarity: Aim to highlight the core features and benefits of your app with clear and concise instructions to help users get started without frustration.

Interactive elements: Use interactive tutorials or walk-throughs to allow users to learn by doing. This can help them better understand how to use your app.

Progress indicators: Let users know how far they’ve come and how much is left can keep them motivated. Progress indicators also provide a sense of accomplishment. 

Seamless transition: Use a smooth transition from onboarding to regular app use. Get users to a point where they feel comfortable using the app on their own.

Onboarding users are best using animated explainer videos. You can use screencast animations to provide tutorials and highlight features on your app. Videos are not only engaging but also visually appealing to engage users.For example, a furniture company, Multimo, can create an onboarding process on its mobile app to guide customers through making a purchase or pre-ordering customized products. The onboarding process in such apps can prevent confusion and may lead to higher sales.

How to Elevate the Mobile App Onboarding Process

Creating your mobile app onboarding process requires a well-structured plan. You can communicate concepts with your app developer team and find the best strategies to elevate the onboarding process.

Build trust and credibility before asking for permission.

Before requesting access to sensitive information or device features (like location, contacts, or camera), building trust and credibility with your users is crucial. Building trust must be gradually done to avoid bombarding users with multiple permission requests right at the start.

First, you can clearly communicate why you need certain permissions and how they enhance the user experience. For example, explain that access to location data will help provide personalized content or services.

You must also highlight any security measures you have in place to protect user data. To gain trust and credibility, consider including testimonials, user reviews, or endorsements from trusted sources.

Use clear language when explaining what the app does.

Clear messages are key when introducing your app to new users. However, making sure your explanations are easy to understand can be a real challenge and requires a deep understanding of your users.

We recommend never using jargon, as it can be irrelevant to users. Instead, use simple, everyday language rather than technical terms or industry jargon. Your goal is to ensure users of all backgrounds understand what your app does.

While guiding users to your app, get to the point quickly. Users want to understand your app’s value without wading through lengthy descriptions. Focus on the main functionalities and use images, icons, or short videos to illustrate how your app works.

Include a visible “skip” button.

Providing an onboarding process is great, but respecting user preferences must also come first. Giving users control over their onboarding experience can lead to higher satisfaction and retention. A way to do this is by offering a visible “skip” button.

Some users prefer to explore the app on their own without a guided tutorial. Moreover, mandatory onboarding can be a barrier for experienced users or those who are already familiar with similar apps.

A “skip” button reduces this friction. Make sure your “skip” button is easy to find and clearly labeled. This makes it convenient for users to opt out of the onboarding process if they choose to.

Show off the best features first.

The best comes first. Prioritize key features and highlight your app’s most impressive and valuable features right from the start to capture users’ interest.

Show users how your main features work. It’s best to explain them with engaging visuals, short videos, or interactive demos. This will help users learn icons and tools quickly and grasp your app’s functionality more effectively.

While highlighting key features, use engaging language and visuals to build excitement. For example, if your target users are young generations, use straightforward descriptions with friendly intonation to keep them hooked.

Don’t ask for too many things at once.

Overloading users with requests and information can be overwhelming. As a result, users may close your app, leading to higher dropout rates. To avoid this, use the step-by-step approach by breaking down the onboarding process into manageable steps.

Focus on the most important information and actions users need to take initially. As users become more comfortable with the app, additional features and requests can be introduced later.

In addition, simplify user actions. You can make each step simple and easy to complete. Avoid asking for too much information or too many permissions at once, which can be off-putting.

Use animations and visual cues to guide users.

Animations and visual cues can make the onboarding process more intuitive and engaging. You can use explainer videos to demonstrate how to use key features. For example, an animated hand or arrow can show users where to tap or swipe.

In other cases, you can also use visual cues like highlighting, zooming, or flashing to draw attention to important elements and actions. This helps users quickly understand what to do next.

However, keep in mind that when you use animations, ensure you show smooth transitions. Implement smooth transitions between steps to create a seamless experience. This reduces cognitive load and keeps users engaged.

Wrapping Up

A mobile app onboarding process must be effective to deliver maximum understanding for users. This process is necessary to ensure users understand the value of your app and feel confident using it. 

The above points are strategies for creating a mobile app onboarding process. Ensure users understand the value of your app and feel confident using it. Your goal is to make users feel welcomed and informed when using your app from the very first interaction.

Author Bio

Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning animation video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order). 

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Developer Burnout: How to Deal With It?

Developer Burnout

If a developer claimed they’ve never had a brush with burnout, it’s either they’re superhuman or they lied. But let’s be real. It’s most likely the latter. 

The dynamic world of coding chaos is never easy, especially with those impossible deadlines, poor project timeline estimates, chaotic app development plans, and miss-release schedules. A continuous case like this pushes developers to work beyond what is physically and mentally sustainable.

That’s where the developer burnout comes in.

Endless exhaustion, no productivity, constant negativism– you might think it’s just one of those days that you got super lazy.  But turns out it lasts longer than expected.

Recent Gallup surveys reveal most workers (about 76%) experience burnout. And if you’re one of them, there are some practices that can help you bring the spark back and deal with it. We’ll also include statistics from the State of Developer Wellness Report 2024 to support our points and provide additional insights into effective strategies for overcoming burnout.

How Do You Know You Have a Developer Burnout?

Developer Burnout 1
Do you know that over half (54%) of developers experience occasional burnout?

It may start when you notice a decline in your enthusiasm for coding, a constant feeling of exhaustion even after a long, good night’s sleep, or a growing sense of cynicism towards your work and projects. 

In fact, over 23% of developers feel like they don’t even have a sense of purpose. Each new task feels like a huge chore, and they find it increasingly difficult to summon the motivation to tackle it.

Developer Burnout 2
But how do you know that it’s not just you being lazy?

Burnout tends to persist over time. It affects your performance consistently across various tasks and projects. It can manifest physically, such as headaches, muscle tension, or even illness due to chronic stress. 

However, you might still enjoy coding. But over time, you find yourself always struggling to muster the energy to engage in it. The work feels meaningless, and every day starts to feel the same.

Meanwhile, feeling lazy might be more sporadic and not necessarily tied to specific circumstances. When you feel lazy, you might experience a temporary lack of motivation or energy, often seeking immediate gratification or avoiding tasks altogether, but without the underlying sense of constant emotional exhaustion.

Burnout typically leads to a decline in the quality of your work, as well as increased errors and difficulty concentrating. If you notice a significant drop in your performance despite your best efforts, it could be a sign of burnout rather than laziness.

How to Deal With Developer Burnout?

The best way is always to seek professional help. But, if you’re looking for immediate strategies to cope with developer burnout, these tips might be helpful to make it less painful and make everything more manageable.

Review and find the trigger

Take some time to reflect on your recent experiences at work and how they have impacted your well-being. Consider moments when you felt particularly stressed, overwhelmed, or demotivated.

The report shows that as many as 76.5% of surveyed developers make time to check on their health and well-being regularly. You can start by looking for patterns or recurring themes in your experiences.

Developer Burnout 3

Are there specific tasks, projects, or situations that consistently trigger feelings of burnout? Am I feeling overwhelmed or drained? Am I giving myself enough time for self-care?

Don’t forget the internal factors. Are there any personal habits or thought patterns that might be contributing to your burnout? For example, perfectionism, over-commitment, or difficulty setting boundaries.

When you know the trigger, it will be much easier to gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to your stress and exhaustion.

Go to your safe place

Everyone has their own safe place. Some prefer to do their hobbies, while others like to talk it out to their closest friends or families.

Your safe place is a space or activity where you feel calm, relaxed, and free from stress. It’s a place where you can recharge and rejuvenate your mind and body.

Once you’ve identified your safe place or activity, prioritize making time for it regularly, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. Set boundaries to protect this time and ensure that you have dedicated opportunities to recharge and take care of yourself.

Prioritize work-life balance

Developer burnout often starts when you neglect your personal needs and well-being in favor of work demands. This imbalance can lead to chronic stress, exhaustion, and feelings of disillusionment with work.

Fortunately, more and more tech companies are aware of the importance of this work-life balance and are implementing initiatives and policies to support their employees’ well-being.

The same report says that at least 77% of companies accommodate developers’ timeout requests. It’s easier for developers to take the necessary breaks and recharge.

Developer Burnout 4

Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent one from encroaching on the other. Define your specific work hours and commit to unplugging from work-related tasks during personal time. 

Understand which tasks and activities are most important to you and allocate your time and energy accordingly. Communicate these boundaries to colleagues and supervisors to ensure they are respected.

Learn to say “no”

Some developers struggle with people-pleasing tendencies, feeling obligated to say “yes” to every request or task that comes their way. This behavior can stem from a desire to be liked, a fear of disappointing others, or a belief that saying “no” is selfish or unprofessional. If you say yes to everything you’ve been asked for, then get ready to feel overworked— just like one-third of other developers.

Developer Burnout 5

Remember, you’re a developer, not a superhero. You have limits and boundaries that need to be respected, both by yourself and by others. Constantly saying “yes” to everything can lead to burnout and undermine your ability to perform at your best.

Learning to say “no” is not about being selfish or uncooperative. It means filtering which tasks you really have to do and which ones are not even your responsibilities. All of this is for the sake of your well-being and effectiveness.

Work smarter, not harder

Writing good code takes time and a lot of thinking. Contrary to popular stereotypes, effective developers are not the ones who live and breathe code, stay awake all night to resolve bugs, and memorize their code extensively.

An effective developer works smartly. They focus on solving the right problems in the right way. So, working harder doesn’t always equate to working smarter. Use tools that can streamline the whole process and eliminate those mundane, repetitive tasks.

For example, using version control systems like Git allows developers to manage code changes efficiently, collaborate seamlessly with team members, and track project history effectively. 

Integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Visual Studio Code or IntelliJ IDEA offer features like code completion, syntax highlighting, and debugging tools that improve productivity and accuracy.

Wrapping Up

Developer burnout is real. All those lines of code mean nothing if the developers behind them are exhausted, demotivated, and struggling to maintain their passion for their work. 

Like the small beetles of life, the small symptoms of burnout can continually become stronger and stronger if we don’t interrupt them. By catching the mild feelings, we give ourselves the time for preventive action. If you want to delve deeper into developer burnout and see the statistics firsthand, download the State of Developer Wellness Report 2024.

Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order). Find him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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The Essential Soft Skills for Developers

When it comes to developers, technical skills aren’t the only thing that matters. In order to survive in the workforce, they must equip themselves with soft skills to avoid miscommunication and gain credibility.

According to a research report, 85% of career success stems from proficient soft skills and people skills. In contrast, hard skills, such as technical expertise and knowledge, contribute only 15% to overall career success.

So, whether you’re a fresh-grad developer or a seasoned one, having well-developed soft skills is necessary. We’ve listed eight essential soft skills for developers to help you improve your professional career.

#1. Analytical Problem Solving

Analytical problem-solving skills are fundamental soft skills for developers, as you will encounter complex technical challenges regularly. This skill helps you break down intricate problems into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Managing your problems helps you quickly identify patterns, root causes, and potential solutions. This skill enables you to navigate through coding errors, optimize algorithms, and design efficient software architectures.

To grow analytics problem-solving skills, experiences play crucial roles. You can engage in activities like participating in coding competitions, solving algorithm puzzles, practicing systematic techniques, or discussing cases with experts.

Collaborating with peers on challenging projects and seeking mentorship from experienced developers give valuable knowledge and perspectives. So, the key is to gain insights and enrich your experience.

#2. Attention to Detail

Minor errors or oversights in code can lead to significant issues, such as software bugs or security vulnerabilities. That’s why attention to detail is necessary to ensure accuracy. Besides, this skill enhances the reliability and maintainability of your code. 

When you review code and documentation meticulously, you can catch and rectify errors before they impact the functionality of your software. You can avoid unnecessary mistakes and build credibility as a developer.

To cultivate attention to detail, you can adopt practices such as code reviews and writing comprehensive unit tests. You’re also allowed to utilize code analysis tools to identify potential issues. Using tech helps you be more efficient while keeping your work perfect.

#3. Effective Time Management

As developers, you work with deadlines. What’s more challenging is that you work in a fast-paced working environment. You’ll easily get stressed and behind deadlines without proper time management skills.

Consider practicing prioritizing your tasks to meet project deadlines. Also, effective time management during work hours helps you balance multiple tasks and maintain productivity. Most importantly, you can avoid procrastination and deliver high-quality work timely. 

You can improve time management skills using productivity techniques such as performing deep work, creating prioritized to-do lists and setting realistic goals and deadlines. Use project management tools like Kanban boards or task trackers to effectively organize their work and track progress.

#4. Clear Communication

As a developer, you will discuss projects, technical concepts, and problems with your teammates. You may also need to present your ideas and concepts to clients and stakeholders. If you can’t communicate effectively, it may lead to miscommunication and misinterpretation. 

Understandably, developing communication skills is challenging. However, you can improve this skill by practicing active listening and using plain language to explain complex concepts. 

Break down your ideas or concepts so that others easily understand your messages. You can provide concise and coherent explanations in meetings, emails, and documentation. 

In addition, consider seeking feedback from your colleagues. If possible, try participating in communication workshops or training programs to refine your communication skills and build rapport with your teammates.

#5. Collaborative Teamwork

You’ll often find group projects that require you to communicate with teammates. For example, in collaborative coding, you will work with work partners, app designers, product managers, testers, and other stakeholders. 

When a collaboration project occurs, make sure you respect others’ opinions even though they may be against your ideas. Show mutual support and consider putting away your personal feelings to achieve greater job satisfaction and project success.

To improve your collaborative teamwork skills, try to actively participate in team meetings, contribute ideas and insights, and respect the opinions of your teammates. With good relationships with your colleagues, you can feel a sense of belonging in the office.

#6. Critical Thinking

Developing critical thinking can take time and vary differently among people. This skill is crucial for developers to evaluate and analyze complex problems. Along with that, critical thinking is also helpful for you to assess different solutions and make informed decisions.

Acts like questioning assumptions, examining evidence, and considering alternative perspectives are parts of critical thinking. These acts will guide you to make well-reasoned conclusions and mitigate issues.

You can engage in code review sessions, brainstorming discussions, and problem-solving workshops with your peers. You can also cultivate a habit of asking probing questions and seeking diverse viewpoints to enhance your analytical reasoning abilities.

#7. Data Security Awareness

Data breaches and cyber threats are prevalent today, so building security awareness is essential for developers. This skill allows you to understand and mitigate risks related to protecting sensitive information within software systems. 

Online security is important in safeguarding user data and maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of systems. You can implement appropriate security measures When you know common security vulnerabilities, such as injection attacks, cross-site scripting, and insecure authentication mechanisms.

Additionally, staying informed about industry best practices, emerging security threats, and regulatory requirements helps you address security concerns in software projects. Training programs, security workshops, and certifications in cybersecurity can also equip you with security-related knowledge and skills.

#8. Ethical Conduct

Ethical conduct refers to upholding integrity, honesty, and responsibility in your professional practices and interactions. Meanwhile, developers often face ethical dilemmas related to issues such as user privacy, data ownership, and algorithmic bias. 

Adhering to ethical principles and values helps you ensure that your decisions and actions prioritize the well-being and rights of users, stakeholders, and society. But what can be included in ethical conduct?

Typically, it involves considering the potential impacts of technology on individuals and communities. Moreover, it means respecting diversity and inclusivity, as well as promoting transparency and accountability in software development processes. 

Engaging in ethical discussions and debates is one of the best ways to grow this skill. You can seek guidance from professionals, ethical frameworks, and codes of conduct while reflecting on the ethical implications of your work.

Conclusion

Writing code isn’t the only job of developers. Even though you’ll spend a lot of time in front of computers, you’ll still need to communicate with others and yourself. Understanding how to behave really does matter for your career success.

In conclusion, soft skills for developers are essential to thrive in the ever-changing and collaborative field of software development. From problem-solving to ethical behavior, each skill plays a vital role in working effectively, communicating clearly, and ensuring project success.

Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).