We're well into 2015 now, and if you're feeling like you're not making as much progress on your New Year's resolution — or anything, for that matter — as you had hoped at this point, you don't need a swift kick in the pants. Well, you probably do. But there's something else you can do that's a lot easier and less painful.
Did you know Google Chrome can be used for so much more than checking your email and laughing at cat GIFs? Yes, the Internet can be a huge time suck, but it doesn't have to be that way. It can actually help you get stuff done more quickly and efficiently than you ever thought was possible. These nine Google Chrome apps and extensions will help you complete your work so you can get to the funny animal videos sooner.
1. OneTab
If the tabs at the top of your browser get so tiny you can't even make out the page each one represents, you need OneTab, stat. This nifty Chrome extension does exactly what the name suggests. OneTab will convert all of your tabs into one list, which will save up to 95 percent of your memory and save time you don't have searching for that one webpage that's buried among your 287 tabs.
2. Momentum
Staring at websites all day can leave you feeling bored and cold. Sometimes, you need to shake things up a bit to perk up and get that burst of energy to complete your daily tasks. Momentum will help you do that by replacing your tabs with photos of lovely landscapes to soothe you while also providing some motivation with words of encouragement, a reminder of your daily goal and a to-do list to help you stay on track.
3. StayFocused
There's no shame in having your cursor wander over to Reddit when you should be finishing up that report. You just need to bring in some reinforcements. StayFocused is a Chrome extension that allows you to block websites for a specified amount of time. Whether you need to stay off Facebook during a 45-minute lecture or for your whole eight-hour workday, StayFocused will help you do just that.
4. Google Keep
If you're the type of person that's constantly making lists, Google Keep is for you. This Chrome app will help you keep track of your ideas and tasks and also send them to anyone you're collaborating with. You can also send photos and record voice memos so you can really save and send any idea you can think of.
5. Asana
When you're constantly working with others, it can be easy for notes and assignments to get lost in the shuffle. That's not the case with Asana, which lets you create and assign tasks to team members so that your workflow is never interrupted.
6. Pocket
One of the great things about the Internet is how many wonderful pieces of writing are just a click away. However, it's easy to get sucked in to a lengthy personal essay or investigative feature, which is only a bad thing when you're supposed to be working. You should instead download Pocket, which lets you save any webpage to read later on, and you can access it offline from your computer, smartphone or tablet. This way, you can read everything you want and do your work, too.
7. UberConference
Sometimes, the only way to get your work done is through constant conference calls, but PIN numbers and abrupt, weird noises every time someone joins the conversation doesn't make it easy. Enter UberConference, which gets rid of PINs if you're using the pro version, lets you see when someone has joined the call and even includes their social media profiles so you can connect with them later on.
8. LastPass: Free Password Manager
We live in the age of having user names and passwords for everything. It can be a bit much to remember them all, and then you're just relegated to resetting your passwords, only to forget them again and again. It's a vicious cycle. LastPass will help you securely keep track of all of your log-ins and search for which one you need when you need it. You'll never have to click on a "Forgot your password?" link ever again.
9. Pushbullet
With computers, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and whatever other devices are coming up in the future, we've got a lot of places to look. Pushbullet will consolidate all of your notifications, links and files to whichever device you're currently using so you can keep your attention focused on just one place and keep working uninterrupted.
