One of the advantages of the Google Chrome browser is the wide variety of extensions and applications that we can add to get the most out of the websites we visit.
There are many types of extensions for Chrome: some will help you with productivity , others allow you to "disconnect" from social networks, or organize your files, notes and to-dos. You can also better organize your Gmail mailbox or share screenshots more easily.
Below we have selected 10 Google Chrome extensions that will be very useful to you.
1. Drag: organize your Gmail in Kanban-style columns
Kanban is a productivity model widely used at the business level. It consists of dividing the tasks into three columns: to be done, in progress and finished . It is a very useful system to distribute work and have a visual and instantaneous control of the status of projects.
The good news is that there is a Chrome extension that allows you to bring that system to your Gmail mailbox .
Once you install Drag, the extension will create labels corresponding to those columns, and you will be able to distribute your messages by the columns. The system is very simple: just drag the emails from one site to another .
At any time you can return to the standard view of Gmail , just "turn off" the switch that appears in the upper right corner.
The paid version also offers several advanced features and the ability to share dashboards with other people for teamwork.
2. Taskade: a list of tasks in your new tab
Imagine having your schedule and your to-do list available every time you open a new tab . That's the simple functionality that the Taskade extension adds to Google Chrome.
In a way, Taskade is reminiscent of Evernote's notebook system , where you can create different lists and categories.
One of the most useful features is creating your weekly to-do list . Thus, for each specific day you will have the activities to be completed at hand, and you will be able to do them one by one and mark them as completed with a simple “tick”.
3. Google Keep extension, useful to save links
Google Keep, Google's notes application, also has its extension for Chrome. Once you install it, a button will be added to the navigation bar .
Every time you visit a website that you are interested in keeping, you just have to press the button and Google Keep will create a note with the corresponding link . And you can add title, description and tags before saving it to your account.
4. Save to Google Drive: never lose useful information again
With Save to Google Drive you can save PDFs, images and other web page content directly to your Google account storage. Install the extension in your Chrome browser and the option to "Save to Drive" will appear in the right mouse button menu.
Of course, once you save inside your Drive, you can organize the content and place it inside a specific folder .
5. The Great Suspender: prevent Chrome from “devouring” your computer's RAM
Although the latest browser updates have greatly improved the situation, Google Chrome continues to consume a lot of computer resources . It is not surprising that it uses up to 90% of your computer's RAM.
Luckily, there is an extension to address the problem. With The Great Suspender you will save battery (and give your computer a break) thanks to its intelligent tab management .
The Great Suspender will detect the tabs that you have open and that have been inactive for several minutes. Then, automatically, it will deactivate them so that they do not waste resources . When you need one of them again, you just have to select it and click on it to reload it.
In the extension settings you can select exceptions: pages that you don't want to ever deactivate .
6. Marinara, the best extension for the Pomodoro technique
The Pomodoro technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo, will help you revolutionize your productivity and better manage time. It consists of working for 25 minutes without interruption (1 Pomodoro) and then resting for 5 minutes. Every 4 Pomodori or blocks of work, your break will be 15 minutes instead of 5.
The best way to keep track of time is with a timer already programmed into the Pomodoro Technique blocks. In Google Chrome you can install the Marinara extension. A button will be added to the navigation bar, and you just have to press it to activate the Pomodoro counter .
7. Loom, to record your screen live
With the Loom extension for Google Chrome you will be able to record your screen live, with or without audio , and with the option to also record from the computer's camera to include your face in the lower left corner.
This tool is ideal to create content for your blogs or even to remember a complex process that you will have to repeat in the future. What you record will become a mini-tutorial for you, which will allow you to repeat the same steps on a certain website.
8. Google Dictionary
The Google Dictionary extension allows you to display the definition of any word while you are browsing the Internet . You can configure the language in which you want it to work and activate the definitions by selecting a word or by double clicking on it.
9. Flash Video Downloader, to download any video from the Internet
Imagine that you are browsing the Internet and you find a video that you would like to keep , for example from Facebook. With Flash Video Downloader you can easily download it.
Install the extension in your Google Chrome browser and a button with an arrow will appear in the navigation bar. When there is a downloadable video on the page you are visiting, the arrow will turn blue . Click on it and select the video you want to download.
10. Block Site, block websites that distract you while you have to work
No more using Facebook and wasting time on pages you don't need when you should be working. With Block Site, you can configure a list of blocked websites that you will not be able to access while you have work to do.
And say goodbye to procrastination! You can activate the extension permanently or only at certain times.