Email was never meant to be the backbone of communication in an organization, but it has become exactly that thanks to its ubiquity and convenience. How do you make the most of your email without getting distracted by it? Use these 7 Gmail add-ons to boost your productivity and streamline your workflow! 7 Gmail Add-Ons You’re Missing Out On
1) Boomerang
Boomerang is a productivity extension for Gmail that lets you schedule emails to send later, receive read receipts on messages you’ve sent out, and view your inbox in a preview format—which allows you to see what your inbox will look like before opening it. This add-on is designed for power users who want ultimate control over their email. In addition to sending and receiving messages at an optimal time, Boomerang makes sure you keep track of all correspondence.
2) Rapportive
Rapportive is a handy way to find out more about your contacts’ social profiles. If you get an email from someone and don’t know much about them, it can be helpful to search their name on LinkedIn or to run a Google search. But if they have a Rapportive profile, you can see all of that information right in your inbox. Plus, if your contact has given Rapportive permission, you can even see their latest tweets and pictures there too.
3) Streak
Streak is a powerful CRM for salespeople and small business owners. While there are many options for CRMs on your desktop, Streak stands out for its ease of use and Google Apps integration. The service also supports up to 50 team members—perfect for small agencies with large teams or businesses with remote employees. Streak has recently been integrated into Google Sheets as well, making it an even more powerful tool for salespeople and business managers. ( Read our full review .)
4) Boomerang Calendar
Boomerang Calendar is an add-on that adds a variety of useful calendar tools, such as pre-scheduling reminders for emails or toggling between multiple calendars (Google Calendar and Apple’s default iOS calendar). This way, you don’t have to keep opening up separate apps to manage your meetings and appointments. If you use Google Calendar often, Boomerang Calendar will become your new best friend.
5) Noisli
If you’re a person who can’t focus on one thing, Noisli is your new best friend. Created for people who need sounds to be productive, Noisli is an online background sound generator and mixer that includes everything from rainforests to coffee shops to thunderstorms. Best of all? It has a 10-minute timer so you know when you have to stop goofing off!
6) Timer Tab
This little add-on will send you a 15 minute warning when your timer is up. It’s great for anything that requires blocks of time to complete. For example, I use it in conjunction with my Pomodoro Technique, so that I can get some exercise and stretching in while my brain rests and rejuvenates. If there’s a task you know will take hours to accomplish, use Timer Tab and set it to alert you at specified intervals. Remember: taking breaks is good for concentration!
7) Sanebox
Email is a wonderful tool, but it can be a distraction if you’re not focused on what you need to do. Some emails are important, some aren’t, and some may take action in days or weeks. When you have hundreds of emails sitting in your inbox, it’s hard to figure out which ones deserve your attention now.