Handling a business can be an unsettling task facing ups and downs. Without actual task management, it isn’t easy to keep a record of deadlines. This is a prime reason why only a few percent of businesses succeed. Since the workload and daily tasks are always on the verge of inclination, it is customary to lose track of schedules and tasks. Let’s suppose the project undertaken by an organization is vast, and so is the team. From the manager’s point of view, it is pretty understandable that it will take a considerable amount of effort to get the required output. The best possible solution at our disposal will be to use Task and Project Management tools to manage the tasks and projects effectively. The tools are digitally handled, allowing us to manage everything related to project management via online space. These simple tools enable us to look at the organizations’ workflow. It is used to track work rate and the team’s workday hours. It also helps maintain a specific pace as the demand of the task. But first, let us understand the issues a project manager would face without the project management tools.
Issues without task and project management tools
Uncertain Expectations – The expectations from the project are unclear both from the client and managers’ sides. Lack of undefined modus operandi of the system from beginning to end. Fuzzy objectives may result in projects failing miserably.Unhealthy Communication – A communication gap between the team members, project manager, or the client may lead to undesirable outcomes leaving the task vulnerable without completion.Team Conflicts – There will be instances where people with varied personalities and skill sets will have to work together. Conflicts result in reduced productivity and negative problem-solving ability of the entire team.Unmatched Deadlines – Late delivery of tasks by incompetent team members or managers or poor communication decreases customer retention.Unclear Work Distribution – Unclear distribution of roles results in an unhealthy work environment filled with stress, ambiguities, and frustration.
However, these issues can be eliminated by using task and project management tools. You will also notice a huge improvement in the efficiency and productivity of your employees. These tools can prove to be effective in the following ways:
Users work intelligently and efficiently, providing a greater success rate.Manage and marshal the workload by setting, assigning, and executing priorities.Manage project costs, budget, and attend meetings remotely anytime from anywhere.New members can be integrated into the team effectively with minimal effort.Task planning and organizing become easier.No manual or mental commitment since most of the things are automated.
Benefits of Project Management Tools
Also, it comes in handy irrespective of the size of the business. These tools are something that every business must-have. Some of the crucial benefits of project management tools are:
Improves coordination and collaboration among team members.Keeps an eye on the timeline, ensuring deadlines are matched before or on time.By using the right tools, team members can be kept in line with the current goings.Document sharing is quick and easy, maintaining transparency.Better communication between team members results in enhanced productivity and time management.
Since project management tools prioritize tasks and manage things from one place, most of the work is done by the machine. This will save your time and energy. Investing in the correct tool will yield significant returns on investment. With some tools, the returns can be as high as touching 150% or even more. The tools are also very budget-friendly and cost-effective, ensuring that our limit for a particular project is not crossed. Also, it increases productivity by generating productive workflows and achieving the objectives well within time. There are many tools available, especially those who are new to the business world and are keen on trying out these tools. To avoid confusion, here are some of the best ones with free lifetime access with limited features.
nTask
nTask is a project management software enabling teams or members to participate, analyze, plan, and effectively manage daily tasks. It helps its users align with the project planning, resource allocation, management, and deadlines by creating a to-do list. So, you don’t have to worry about missing out on an important task. Managing work and focusing on tasks simultaneously is made more accessible by setting up priorities to ensure that everyone stays in the loop at the same pace. You can also track your growth by simply adding tasks and scheduling due dates by forming Gantt charts. You can also note each team member’s time spent on tasks through the nTask time tracker. If you face any issue within the tool, nTask will help you manage it easily. The best part of this tool is its growth. It is continuously adding new features to help you and your business prosper.
ClickUp
ClickUp is an excellent Kanban board tool for revolutionizing your work. It brings every tool to one place. The flexibility of the software is due to its unique set of rankings. The presence of a bird-eye view of everything feature makes it easy to pinpoint anything you are looking for. This eventually also saves your time by generating maximum task automation and customization. It will let you freely collaborate and share documents with your team members without hassle. With this, you will never miss a task because of the recurring checklist. Also, you can review the scheduled studies quickly before kick-starting them. ClickUp’s tech-savvy team is noteworthy for the security and privacy of users. The tool offers free training and 24-hour support for all its users. If you are a beginner, you will find it pretty easy to get familiar with the tool. ClickUp has clocked the highest number of uptime in the past 12 months. It is free for personal use consisting of unlimited members for an unlimited number of tasks.
Trello
Trello is a broadly used Kanban app used as a project and task management software. Further, it can also be used to create a to-do list. Trello has some excellent features to give the team members that extra boost needed to match deadlines before time. Your tasks can be managed, tracked down, and carried out with the help of team members by opening cards. Integrating apps on which everyone prefers to work is also an option. The tool comes in handy when planning events and managing fieldwork. Trello’s map view ensures that your team does not lose sight by displaying location-based data. The plan is free for new business starters and entire teams looking to organize their workflows. It offers free service for anyone looking to manage its business.
Meistertask
Meistertask has built its base above only a few critical blocks – projects, tasks, and a dashboard. The plan is free for a single person who is a beginner. Its work can be understood by looking at its tutorials and guides. The backing up of user data is carried out regularly, and data transfers of all accounts are encrypted. You can use the tool according to your work requirements with the help of the Kanban board. Here, you can limit the number of tasks needed to perform in a day. Use multiple checklists for multiple tasks keeping track of the functions simultaneously. Also, the attachment of files is done with minimal effort. Images and files not larger than 200 MB can be attached directly to the tasks. This is a one-stop app for beginners and business owners, saving time and resources. It efficiently offers free-of-cost services for individual users for core task management.
Notion
Notion, if you look it up in the dictionary, the word notion means an idea. It is an idea to run a whole business or a company on a single tool. The tech team provides you with customized solutions according to your business or personal needs. The aspects for any group are not limited since the tool is designed for engineering, design, and product-oriented teams. You can do more than just jotting down notes. Effectively organize your tasks using a hassle-free and clarity-generating interface. It enhances the teamwork capabilities of the individuals serving small, medium, and large businesses. It lets team members start a conversation with anyone, anytime related to tasks. The tool also keeps coming up with frequent user-friendly updates. It is free for student and personal use.
Monday
Monday is a trusted software by millions of customers globally. It has a cloud-based structure. Investing in this tool will generate ROI as high as above 250% because of its unique specifications. You can watch the teams’ progress by clicking on the status button. Giving the tedious work to robots, letting you entirely focus on tasks at hand, and boosting your productivity. Connecting other necessary tools is only a few clicks away. It will force you to make data-driven decisions with speed and accuracy. The tool follows a pipeline management approach enabling the project manager to check the status of all tasks in a single window. It eliminates repetitive tasks, and in case of issues, reliable chat support is available 24 hours.
Todoist
Todoist is among one of the most advancing tools in recent times. Constant addition of new features maintains the usefulness of the tool. By using the smart scheduling feature, you can prepone or postpone the tasks according to the need of the hour. You can create a customized task view for your workflow pictured with Kanban-style cards. The timeline will make you adhere to your deadlines and track daily progress. Note down new establishments and proceedings on your project anytime, anywhere by integrating Todoist with the apps you use to complete other tasks like Alexa, IFTTT, and many more. It is available on all devices, and the plan is free for starters for the first five projects. This way, beginners can learn about the importance of organizing and managing tasks.
Any.do
With Any.do, viewing and scheduling of tasks is straightforward. It is a web-oriented task management tool available on Android and macOS. Users can also use this tool to manage personal and team goals. Because of its simple UI/UX build-up, it has been a preferred choice for beginners and startups. The disintegration of projects and tasks into subtasks and workflow can be distributed to the group according to skill sets. Any.do offers to integrate with other party calendars like Google to maintain the efficacy of deadline. You can enter tasks orally by taking advantage of the voice-entry feature. You can even bookmark essential points from your meetings to review them afterward. Buying its premium plan once you are accustomed to the tool is a fair idea to go with.
OpenProject
OpenProject is a fast and secure open-source project management software to handle different projects and team meetings. It assists the project throughout its life cycle. Responsibilities are distributed among the team members to carry out the work smoothly. You can subscribe for activities as per your needs and even get regular updates on them. You can act as an observer and review the work completed daily. Usage of filter options is highly regarded to cut short the search of the required entity. You can share your planning of the job with essential stakeholders via OpenProject. It has a robust API, helping in the integration of different tools. All devices support this irrespective of the size of the screen. You can either use their cloud offering or try Kamatera hosting to get OpenProject running with one click.
Asana
Asana is that task and project management tool which provides the easiest way to manage and schedule tasks by setting up Gantt charts. Its work-graph data model keeps the team productivity high throughout the undertaking. Troubleshooting problems faced while doing any task is quick due to the chat support team being available 24 hours. It lets you bring your thinking to the real world by adjusting to your needs and demands. You can fully control the team meetings and ensure everyone gets the correct information regarding tasks. As it is available on all devices, you can even use it on Android and iOS to integrate with other apps as per your workflow. Its longstanding list of features allows users to take up this platform without any second thoughts. Its basic plan is free for individuals and teams new to the business.
Conclusion
The heavy dependence on smartphones, laptops, and other strengthening technologies has made the work faster. It helps in increasing task and project management efficiency. However, blatantly choosing any tool to suit your requirements will only harm your business. Choosing the right tool is equally necessary. It eventually reduces manual efforts and helps in saving time, energy, and essential resources. These project management tools are a gateway for beginners and a getaway from hectic tasks for experienced professionals.
