5 Best Google Chrome Extensions to Boost Productivity

Although we’d like to believe otherwise, most of our life is run on computers. Screen times continue to soar as we become inseparable from our devices. From entertainment on Netflix to weekly planning on your phone, we find ourselves more dependent on technology every day. One device, however, reigns supreme; especially for busy workdays. The traditional computer has become an essential device for every working-class adult, and with it comes the heavy reliance on the internet browser. Some of us can barely imagine what life was like before Google.

There are numerous internet browsers, but Google Chrome is among the most popular. One of the reasons why people trust Chrome over other browsers is because it has some of the best productivity functionalities. Google’s Chrome has a litany of extensions that users can install in order to make their lives on the web easier. These extensions are designed to ensure that users boost their productivity and get the most out of their working hours.

In case you need a little help with improving your productivity especially when you are working on your computer, we have compiled a list of the top 5 best Chrome extensions that you can download and install today to boost your productivity. These extensions could be the difference you need to make your workdays more productive.

Right Inbox

This Chrome extension is designed to ease your workflow and ensure that you have all your email tasks covered. Increasing email productivity has been proven to save time and Right Inbox is the only extension you need for email management. This extension has numerous features:

1. Schedule your emails

Have you ever received an email, typed in the response, and saved the reply to your drafts but eventually forgot to click send? Scheduling your emails ensures that your schedule is always aligned with other remote partners and Right Inbox even has time-zone support in case you are working with people from different time zones. All you have to do is write your emails in Gmail as you are accustomed to, and then schedule your email to be delivered at your preferred time.

2. Set reminders

Often, we tend to forget important deadlines, conversations, or emails. Right Inbox has a feature that allows users to set reminders so that they never forget the important stuff. Next time you tell yourself that you need to follow-up on a certain issue, simply set an automatic reminder that will ensure you remember all the details.

3. Private notes

Sometimes, we have great ideas that seem to disappear after a while. Private notes, a feature by Right Inbox allows you to jot down all these ideas without sharing them with anyone or cluttering your drafts. This feature can also be used with the reminder feature in case you need a reminder of these ideas.

4. Recurring emails

Do you have emails that are the same throughout your work calendar? This feature allows you to automate recurring emails so that you don’t have to worry about writing or sending them.

5. Sequences

Sometimes, your emails may go unread, driving your performance down. Right Inbox allows you to write follow-up emails beforehand then sends them in case your mail is unread or not replied to. You don’t have to worry about spamming your partners or potential clients because scheduled follow-up emails are automatically cancelled once a reply is received.

BlockSite

This Chrome extension boosts productivity by ensuring that you remain focused only on the important tabs. During working hours, we find ourselves being distracted by cat videos on YouTube or Instagram stories. BlockSite ensures that your chances of being distracted are minimized. It is designed to make your productivity a priority with these features:

1. Stay focused

Block all the websites that you find distracting when you want to stay in the zone and remain productive. This feature also comes with a focus timer that helps you stay on track with all your tasks whether you are at work or in school

2. Focus mode

Working continuously throughout your day can be unproductive. Focus mode boosts productivity by ensuring that you get workable breaks that fit perfectly into your schedule. Working in intervals has been proven to increase performance and the BlockSite Focus mode ensures that you have just enough breaks to remain productive.

3. Adult content

Adult content can be harmful when it is consumed excessively or by the wrong people. In order to keep your computer clean, BlockSite allows you to block all inappropriate content easily.

4. Scheduling

Routines have been proven to increase productivity. If you have a daily work schedule, you can use the scheduling feature to stay on track by setting days and times when you can access certain websites and applications.

5. Password protection

With blocked websites that you may want to have access to during your rest and relaxation time, a password may help you get past Blocked Sites blocklist. This password makes it harder for you to procrastinate.

6. Uninstall prevention

If one simple extension is the only thing that is keeping you from enjoying your usual cat videos, then installing it may help you get access to your daily dose of cuteness, right? This is not the case with BlockSite due to the Uninstall Prevention feature that no one can uninstall this Chrome extension without your approval, meaning you will have to stay productive as long as you are willing to.

7. Site redirect

This is a premium feature that ensures that users are redirected to a more productive website instead of a distracting one.

8. Sync

Blocksite can be synced between your desktop and your mobile phone to ensure that your distractions and addictions are managed on all your devices. This feature promotes productivity throughout your day.

9. Insights

Are you curious about how you spent your time on the internet? BlockSite can give you an in depth look at the website categories you spend a lot of time on, how much time you spend on them, and how much time you save. These insights can be a great tool for self-development.

Noisli

If your workspace is noisy and you prefer a calm space instead of chatter, Noisili replaces background noise with calming soundtracks like chirping birds, and rainfall. This extension blocks annoying noises with nature sounds and it has been proven to boost both mood and productivity.

Win the Day

Every ambitious person starts their day with hopes of getting the most out of it, winning the day. The Win the Day extension is designed to remind you of your goals and help you achieve them. Win the Day allows you to set your goals in different categories i.e. Large Goals and Subgoals. These goals are then displayed on your browser homepage. In addition to that, you have the option to set sub tasks which are essentially your steps to achieving your goals. Subtasks act as a ladder that leads you to your big goals.

With this extension, you can build new habits. Win the Day has a feature that allows you to enter up to three habits that you want to work on. After these habits are entered, you can then set a time period to focus on each new habit. If you experience any distractions, there is an option to keep distractions off your screen using the focus mode feature.

Checker Plus for Gmail

Sometimes, your email is quite busy and with the other tasks you have to handle, it becomes quite difficult to click back and forth to your Gmail browser every few minutes. Checker Plus allows you to read and reply to your emails without going to the Gmail inbox. Every time you receive an email, Checker Plus puts a small envelope-like widget on your toolbar that you can click on to read and reply to your email, saving you a lot of time.

Knowing where your attention is the key to increasing productivity. A busy day does not necessarily mean that it was productive. A lot of time is wasted every time we try to regain focus after being distracted. To be productive, undivided attention on your set goals is required. Whenever you don’t have enough willpower to keep distractions at bay, these Chrome extensions play a huge role in ensuring that the distractions are not easy to gain access to.

Although most of our distractions come from technology, it is also technology that helps us to remain focused on our important duties. These Chrome extensions are free and really easy to install and set up. For anyone who wants to boost their productivity, it is always a great idea to take the necessary steps that will allow them to achieve their goals and eventually change rather harmful habits. With proper time management, it becomes easier to find time even for leisure activities. Productivity extensions are not meant to ensure that you are serious all the time, you can also set time aside for rest and relaxation, which is a vital part of a well balanced lifestyle.