Last Updated: January 2023
As an solopreneur, I’m always looking for ways to make my work life easier! Especially for those small, repetitive tasks that are tedious and time-consuming.
Over the years, I’ve collected a handful of tools that really do boost my productivity in small-but-mighty ways. Some of these are bigger items (see all my faves right here), but some of them are tiny widgets that help me out daily.
Today I’ll be sharing the three best Google Chrome extensions that I’ve found to help me in my work life. Most of these I use every single day! They live in my internet browser and are always at the ready, making things easier for me with one click.
If you’re also an entrepreneur, here are the Google Chrome extensions I find particularly useful for productivity:
1. Video Speed Controller
I’m not a person who usually thinks that doing things faster is better, but I find myself using this extension nearly every time I watch a video. Installing the extension adds a speed controller to the top left-hand corner of any video you watch within your browser, whether it’s on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook or beyond. Even better, you can boost the speed by small increments, which means that you don’t have to strain to listen at twice the speed. Usually I hover at around 1.5x the speed which, for most videos, feels manageable.
Use this if: You consume a lot of content for your job (or because you’re curious), but want to shave down the amount time you spend watching 20 minute TED talks.
GET THE EXTENSION →
2. ColorZilla
Most small business owners, entrepreneurs, and knowledge workers spend a lot of time designing graphics, websites, email campaigns, and even Instagram stories. A few years ago I found myself needing to open Photoshop or access brand guidelines documents every time I needed to know what colour to use for a particular design element, which was tedious and annoying. This extension saves me a crazy amount of time and I use it daily.
You just choose “Pick colour from page” from the menu, and hover over any part of any website to grab the exact hex code. You can also access your picked colour history and copy those codes to your clipboard, which really helps if you frequently work with the same brand colours.
Use this if: Your job involves putting together design elements using specific colour codes that you can never remember and don’t want to type out every single time.
GET THE EXTENSION →3. Loom
One of the hardest parts of working remotely is not being able to quickly explain something in your own words. I often find myself typing out long emails to explain what I mean and provide enough detail. This takes forever for something that would have taken two minutes to describe out loud.
Enter: Loom! This tool lives in your browser and lets you record yourself and your screen at any time. Then, it stores that video file for you in the cloud so that you can quickly & seamlessly share the link with someone else. Boom! Efficient, asynchronous communication.
I use this all the time when replying to client questions, sending welcome emails, or giving tutorials. It is so useful, and it’s free!
Use this if: You want to communicate complicated things in a simplified way.
GET THE EXTENSION →Runners-Up
Okay, I couldn’t just mention three! Here are a couple other recommendations that I love. I don’t use these ones as regularly, but they’re interesting and helpful too:
- WhatFont: Similar to ColorZilla, this allows you to hover over any font on a website and figure out what it is. HUGELY helpful for design projects.
- Screenshot YouTube: Exactly what it sounds like! This extension allows you to take a clean, high-quality screenshot from any YouTube video.
- Newsfeed Eradicator: This keeps me productive because it keeps me from scrolling on sites like Facebook! It eliminates your newsfeed but still allows you to check notifications.
These are my favourites, but I’ll be honest: this list doesn’t even scratch the surface of what Google Chrome extensions have to offer! There are so many useful widgets that can make your day more seamless and productive. You can check out their full catalog of extensions here.
Let me know: What are your favourite Google Chrome extensions? What tools help you stay focused and productive throughout your workday? I love collecting tips and tools like these.
And if you need more support with your productivity, click here to grab my free video, 5 Ways to Boost Your Productivity, or sign up for a free Productivity Party with our community below!