Written by: Georgia O'Keefe, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In the busy worlds of teaching and entrepreneurship, staying organized and creative is a daily challenge. Though my traditional classroom teaching days are over, I still very much consider myself an educator, both in my tutoring and consulting work, and in my freelance design and organization work.
In this blog, I'm excited to share three favorite free tools that continuously make all of my education and entrepreneurial roles streamlined and organized. Spoiler alert: since I tend to get carried away with my love for this stuff – I might just share 3 bonus tools at the end! And, yes, I used all 6 to get this blog out into the world in multiple ways, easily!
1. Canva
Canva, a versatile graphic design platform, has taken the worlds of education and entrepreneurship by storm. There is a paid version (only ~10 USD a month) which I have and find extremely worthwhile, but you can absolutely do so much with just the free version!
With its user-friendly interface and an array of creative tools, Canva has become an indispensable asset for both teachers and small business owners alike. This web-based application allows users to effortlessly create stunning visuals, design marketing materials, and produce eye-catching presentations. For teachers, Canva offers the power to craft engaging lesson plans, captivating educational materials, and vibrant classroom displays, elevating the learning experience. Simultaneously, for small business owners, Canva facilitates the production of professional-grade marketing collateral, social media content, and branding materials, all without the need for a graphic design background.
I first discovered Canva when I was teaching pre-k and starting my first business. I was amazed at how I could use Canva for both creating classroom materials, and marketing materials for my new business! Not only that, but it was fun and easy. When I transitioned out of my classroom role I continued to use Canva to build businesses, course material for my tutoring and consulting, content for social media and website design, and even now incorporate creating content for other teachers and small businesses into my freelance work.
I used Canva to create social media content for Instagram and Pinterest to share out the info in this blog in a different way!
Want help creating content for your business or classroom? Let me know, here!
PS If you’re a teacher you may like my freebie Canva for the Classroom that you can download here!
2. iPhone notes app
The iPhone Notes app is a hidden gem, often overlooked but immensely powerful for both teachers and small business owners. This built-in note-taking tool, readily accessible on Apple devices, serves as a digital repository for ideas, to-do lists, reminders, and more. For educators, it's a lifeline for organizing lesson plans, jotting down spontaneous teaching insights, and keeping track of administrative tasks, all seamlessly synced across devices. Likewise, for small business owners, the iPhone Notes app aids in managing daily tasks, brainstorming marketing strategies, and swiftly capturing fleeting moments of inspiration. Its simplicity and synchronization ensure that crucial information is always at your fingertips.
Across my education roles I’ve used the Notes app for all of the above, especially to-do lists (the check off feature is the best!) and drafting ideas on the go that I don’t want to forget when I don’t have time to grab my notebook or fully flesh out an idea. Currently I use the Notes to-do list feature to keep track of my podcast launch steps, sessions with tutor students, and of course my weekly to-do list. Plus, there’s a collaboration feature which makes it easy for my consulting partner and I to collaborate on lists and ideas.
I used the Notes app for this blog to craft a checklist for all my steps to launch the blog!
3. Chat GPT
Chat GPT, powered by the prowess of AI, is a transformative tool that has captured the attention of teachers and small business owners. This cutting-edge application provides a conversational interface, enabling users to engage in dynamic and intelligent interactions with an artificial intelligence model. For educators, Chat GPT offers valuable assistance in research, lesson planning, and student support, acting as a virtual assistant that can provide information, answer questions, and even generate content. In the realm of small business, Chat GPT becomes an invaluable resource for customer interactions, content creation, and problem-solving. Its ability to understand and respond to user queries in a human-like manner streamlines processes, increases efficiency, and enhances the overall customer experience.
Chat GPT is a game changer. Though it wasn’t available when I was in the classroom, I use it now to help me come up with ideas for unique tutoring and consulting activities, draft copy for marketing materials, and even outline blog posts (yes I used it for this one!). You still use your own words and tone of voice to write, Chat GPT just provides a starting point so that you don’t reinvent the wheel – we all know that just getting started is often the hardest part of any task!
Chat GPT helped me create an outline for this blog and made organizing my ideas so much easier and less time consuming.
Those three should keep you busy and entertained for a while, but since I can’t help myself here are 3 more of my favorites!:
1. Trello
Trello is a versatile project management and task organization tool that benefits both teachers and small business owners. It provides a visual platform where users can create boards, lists, and cards to manage their projects and tasks collaboratively. Teachers find Trello invaluable for planning and tracking curriculum development, assignment schedules, and classroom management. Small business owners utilize Trello to streamline project workflows, track progress, and coordinate team efforts, thereby enhancing efficiency and fostering productive collaboration in educational and business settings. I love trello for planning social media content, new projects and courses.
2. Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud-based storage and collaboration platform that revolutionizes the way teachers and small business owners manage their documents and data. With Google Drive, users can store, share, and access files from anywhere with an internet connection. Educators benefit from its seamless document sharing and collaborative features, facilitating lesson plan collaboration and student assignment submissions. For small business owners, it simplifies team collaboration, document management, and data access, fostering enhanced productivity, organization, and efficient data sharing among team members.
I keep all my google docs, sheets, and presentations organized in folders in my google drive, and love google docs for drafting ideas, proposals, and blogs like this one!
Want help learning about keeping your business or classroom organized using Google Drive, Trello, or the Notes app? Message me here or check out this other blog I wrote about organization.
3. TidyCal
TidyCal is an intuitive scheduling and appointment booking tool that offers significant benefits to both teachers and small business owners. This platform streamlines the process of setting up meetings, classes, or appointments, allowing users to share their availability and schedule events effortlessly. For teachers, TidyCal eases the burden of coordinating parent-teacher conferences, student consultations, and classroom events. In the realm of small business, it simplifies client scheduling, team meetings, and service appointments, enhancing efficiency, reducing scheduling conflicts, and ultimately saving valuable time for all parties involved.
I used to use Calendly for scheduling but find there are more benefits to using TidyCal (this article explains the pros and cons well!). Curious about anything in this blog or how I can support your teaching or small business? Book a time to chat through my TidyCal link here!!
So there you have it, 3 (okay 6!) of my favorite free tools for organizing and creating. In the whirlwind of teaching and entrepreneurship, where organization and creativity are paramount, having the right tools can make all the difference. While my traditional classroom teaching days are behind me, I continue to embrace the role of an educator in various aspects of my work, including tutoring, consulting, and freelance content creation. These tools have become the backbone of my educational and entrepreneurial ventures, and I hope they inspire you to elevate your own work as well. If you ever need assistance or want to explore these tools further, don't hesitate to reach out – I'm here to help you succeed in both teaching and entrepreneurship.
Georgia O'Keefe, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
I am a former educator who left the field to follow my intuition and my curiosities and start my own creative design business, and I am currently traveling the US full time in my home on wheels. I help teachers and small business owners make space for what lights them up in life, and feel empowered to share their journey through beautiful content and website stories.
