Useful tools and systems to make you more successful as a creative

Many of us are finding it increasingly difficult to land work right now, thanks to a range of factors, from the state of the economy to competition from AI. And this can compound the eternal 'feast and famine' problem freelancers have always faced.

For instance, in the good times, when three clients offer you work all at once, you'll happily turn two down, knowing that more will surely come along later. However, when you haven't had work for ages, you might be tempted to take on two of them… or even all three.

Then there's the problem of shrinking client budgets. You don't want to turn work down completely. But if the money you're getting has gone down, you'll want to somehow speed up the process and get that work done more quickly to keep your monthly balance sheet in good health.

In both scenarios, becoming more efficient and productive is vital if you're to avoid pulling a succession of all-nighters. The good news is that there are an increasing number of tools and systems out there to aid you by streamlining your workflows and amplifying your creative output.

To get you started, we've compiled a list of tried-and-tested tools that we rate personally. Plus, because many other creatives and studios already use these tools, familiarity with them can also be a useful marketable skill.

1. Be more organised

Feel like you've been working for hours but still haven't got much done? For most of us, effective time management and project organisation don't just happen by magic. Here are some useful tools to help you master this aspect of your creative workflow:

Trello

Trello is a popular project management tool that organises tasks using boards, lists and cards. Its intuitive interface makes it a good choice for those who prefer a more visual approach to task management. You can create boards for different projects, use lists to represent stages of your workflow and move cards (representing tasks) through these stages as you progress.

Notion

Notion is a great choice if you want a project management tool you can easily customise. By combining notes, tasks, wikis, and databases in one place, you can use it to create a personal knowledge base, manage projects, write and organise content, and even build simple websites.

Toggl

Not sure where your time is going? Toggl is a straightforward time-tracking tool that gives you the answers. With one-click time tracking, you can easily log hours spent on different tasks or projects. You can also get valuable insights into your work patterns, helping you identify time sinks and optimise your workflow. For freelancers, it's particularly useful in accurately tracking billable hours and generating client reports.

2. Harness AI for productivity

You might hate the way generative AI art is taking away your business. But don't dismiss AI entirely because there are some great AI productivity tools that can enhance efficiency without replacing the human creative spark.

Grammarly

For anyone who frequently engages in writing – whether it's crafting compelling copy, drafting proposals, or communicating with clients – Grammarly can be a game-changer. This AI-powered writing assistant helps improve your writing, not just by catching grammatical errors and typos but also by suggesting improvements in style, tone and clarity. Usefully, it can adapt to different types of writing, from formal reports to casual social media posts.

Otter.ai

Otter.ai is an AI-powered transcription tool that works very well in practice. By accurately transcribing speech to text in real-time, Otter.ai allows you to focus on the conversation or creative process at hand rather than on taking notes. It can automatically distinguish between different speakers. It quickly summarises the main points of a discussion for you. And its searchable, editable transcripts make it a great choice for anyone working in journalism, content creation or filmmaking.

Loom

Loom is a video recording and sharing tool with an emphasis on asynchronous communication. This means that instead of scheduling meetings for every small discussion, you can record a quick Loom video to explain concepts, provide feedback, or walk through changes. This not only saves time but also allows for clearer communication.

3. Automate parts of your workflow

Automation is the key to scaling your creative output without sacrificing quality. By handling routine tasks automatically, you'll have more time to focus on the creative aspects of your work.

Zapier

Zapier is an automation tool that connects different apps and services, allowing you to create workflows (called "Zaps") that automate repetitive tasks. For example, you could set up a Zap that automatically saves email attachments to your cloud storage or one that creates a new task in your project management tool when a client fills out an online form. The beauty of Zapier lies in its versatility and its vast number of integrations.

IFTTT

IFTTT, which stands for "If This Then That," is another powerful automation tool that helps you create simple conditional statements called applets. These applets are triggered by changes that occur within other web services such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, or even smart home devices. For instance, you could set up an applet that automatically posts your Instagram photos to Twitter or one that saves tagged Facebook photos to a specific folder in your cloud storage.

4. Collaborate more seamlessly

In a globalised, remote-working world, effective collaboration tools are becoming increasingly vital. These tools can help bridge the gap when clients are geographically distant and keep the creativity flowing when team members are physically apart.

Miroa

Miro is a digital whiteboard platform that brings the collaborative energy of in-person brainstorming sessions to the digital realm. It's basically an infinite canvas where team members can add notes, images, diagrams and more in real-time. This makes it easier to visualise ideas, create mood boards, map out user journeys, or plan complex projects online. You can use pre-made templates or create your own custom boards.

Frame.io

Frame.io is a video collaboration platform that streamlines the review and approval process. Most notably, team members and clients can leave time-coded comments directly on the video, making feedback clear and actionable. This can significantly reduce the back-and-forth often involved in video revisions and ensure everyone is on the same page.

5. Reorganise your social media

Once upon a time, you only worried about Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Now there's TikTok, Threads, BlueSky, and LinkedIn… the list is endless. Managing all of these platforms can take forever, but these tools can help reduce the time you spend posting from hours to minutes.

Buffer

Buffer makes it quick and easy to schedule posts across multiple social networks. Its intuitive interface makes planning and scheduling your content in advance easy, and its analytics capabilities provide detailed insights into what content resonates best with your audience. Buffer also offers collaboration features, making it a great choice for creative teams managing social media together.

Beacons.ai

Beacons.ai is a "link in bio" tool that has become increasingly popular among creatives on social media platforms like Instagram, where profile links are limited. It allows you to create a customisable landing page that houses multiple links, essentially turning your single bio link into a hub for all your online content. With various modules such as video embeds, mailing list signups, and even tipping options, it's super-versatile.

Feedly

Staying updated with the latest trends and news in your creative field is crucial for remaining competitive and inspired. Feedly is an RSS reader that allows you to curate and organise content from various sources in one place. You can follow blogs, news sites and even keywords across the web, creating a personalised feed of relevant information. An AI-powered feature, Leo, can even help prioritise the most important content.