Why I Started Using Shift to Manage My Workstation
I recently saw an ad (probably on Facebook) for a new software called Shift. I’m always a sucker for new ways to keep my life organized and this one lured me in very quickly. Those ads work I tell you! Before I dive into how I’m using it, I’ll give a quick rundown on what it is and how it works.
Shift was designed for anyone who manages multiple mail applications, essentially. I’d say that it is best suited for entrepreneurs, CEOs, designers, freelancers and those who do a majority of their work online. It’s a productivity application designed for productive people! It streamlines your workflows so that you can get things done more easily. I no longer have to log in and out of multiple accounts and the transition between my most commonly used spaces are organized in one neat workspace. They offer over 900 popular applications, extensions, mail accounts and cloud services.
Shift has become my new dashboard for everything. One of my biggest pain points is jumping between various email addresses within my Chrome browser. Sure, it’s just a few clicks but Shift changed the game for me in the way they have it set up for instant and quick access. I’m also in and out of Google Drive all day long and using Shift has made that seamless, too. All my Google apps are right there and ready to use, without the hassle of opening different tabs and those tabs getting lost in the shuffle on my computer screen.
Since opening Emma Rose Company back in 2015, I’ve learned that there are simply so many things out there for us to explore and try to be more organized. One of the problems with that, however, is not all of those work for any given business. I can’t tell you how many productivity systems I’ve played with and Shift is by far the first one that makes the most sense when it comes to having a dashboard for all my stuff!
Like any new program, there’s always room for improvement. I want to quickly touch on the things that I’d like to see happen with it in the weeks to come. Let’s start with the pros and cons!
Pros:
I absolutely love having my email and go-to apps all in one place so that I don’t have to log in and out of my various accounts.
I like the ability to opens links externally and that the apps maintain full functionality within the tool.
I love the simple interface and how intuitive it is. Sometimes apps can just be too busy and therefore, less productive.
They are always improving and updating to add more plugins and applications. As a creative, I appreciate creators who are always looking to make our lives at the computer more seamless!
I love not having to switch between screens as much as I have in the past.
Cons:
I’ve found the software to be slightly “laggy” from time to time.
I’d like to see even more apps. There’s a workaround to add my go to’s that aren’t apps within Shift, but I want to actually be able to see the company logo/icon on my sidebar to more easily recognize what it is vs. the workaround is an icon to a random app I don’t use. This will make more sense when I share some pictures of my workspace! The apps I’m specifically thinking about are HoneyBook, Flodesk, and Planoly.
I wish I could have my Google iCal synced up to my accounts vs. the Google Calendar. My family and I stay in the know through iCal and I want to be able to have that calendar more easily accessible vs opening it on my desktop.
I want it to implement my keyboard shortcuts. For example, when I type “erc" anywhere on my devices, it automatically creates my email address. I also have shortcuts for all my Instagram handles and web addresses, etc. I’ve found this very handy when posting on social media and other places I write regularly! For some reason, within the program, it doesn’t pull this feature I love.
I want to be able to double click on the main window frame and have it expand to full screen mode. Right now, that does not work like it does when I’m using my web browser or any other application. It does have full screen mode but I like to see the main header on my laptop that tells me the time, etc.
Because I’m a designer, I can’t deny that I’d love to see the ability to customize the workspace a bit more when it comes to aesthetics, fonts, and sizing. I want to be able to make the icons even smaller on my sidebar and be able to incorporate my brand colors.
Like everything out there, you can find a free option as well as other tiers when it comes to your subscription. I started with the free version for awhile to see if this is something I’d actually use, and it proved to be a yes, so I upgraded my account to the Advanced plan.
Here’s a snapshot of my account and how I have it setup!
The top circles are my connected Gmail accounts. I can easily toggle back and forth between them and in the upper righthand corner, I have easy access to all my Google apps.
Below my gmail accounts are direct access to my most used platforms like:
Squarespace
Trello
HoneyBook
Planoly
FloDesk
All my Instagram accounts
Facebook
Amazon
US Bank
Quickbooks
And below you’ll find a screenshot of all things apps! There are so many you can use within Shift to customize your own workspace.
The best part is that you can try Shift for free! If you don’t love it, you aren’t locked in to anything! I honestly can’t recommend it enough and so happy to have found this just before the New Year! 2020 is already looking like it’s going to be an incredible year and I hope to share more insights with you all this year about what I use to run and manage my business more efficiently!
Get started for free by clicking here!
Questions? I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Have you tried Shift?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
My Personal Journey to Entrepreneurship
My Go-To Gift For Clients | Greetabl
How to Deal With the Comment "You Are Too Expensive"
Disclosure
In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I appreciate the support and love you all have shown my blog and will only recommend products that I use, love, or covet. That's all!