7 Best Chrome Extensions To Increase Your Productivity

We spend most of our online time in a browser. Some of us do research, others watch videos on YouTube or talk to their friends on Facebook. With the web developing faster and faster every day, many things like e-mail programs or even office software move away from computers and into your browser.

Sometimes we tend to waste time online, but you can also improve your productivity using extensions and add ons. Some browsers offer the possibility to install additional, small programs called “extensions” or “add-ons” that can increase your productivity and offer you a better experience.

Google Chrome is the most used browser in the world. Although Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is still leading in the US, Chrome wins on a global scale with 37% – in front of other browsers like Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox.

Browser-usage-world-wide-2011-2013

Increase Your Productivity With Google Chrome Extensions

People like to use Chrome not only because it’s fast, supports new web technologies and its many built-in features, but also because of the extensive Chrome Web Store. This article will show you 7 Chrome extensions that will help you to increase your online productivity.

StayFocusd

StayFocusd is a great extension that helps you to limit time wasted online. By adding certain websites to StayFocused, the extension will only allow you to browse these websites for a limited amount of time. You can also use the “Nuclear Option” and allow only a few websites to be available, limiting access to all other websites. This extension is especially great if you can’t get yourself to work for 30 minutes without checking Facebook. Just add Facebook to the list and StayFocused!

StayFocusd on the Chrome Web Store

Awesome Screenshot

Awesome Screenshot offers the possibility to take screenshots of the website you’re currently browsing. You can decide whether to capture the whole page, window or only a certain area. In contrast to other browser capturing tools, Awesome Screenshot offers annotation features as well as an instant upload to an image host.

You can also choose to store your screenshot temporarily (for 3 days). This will automatically generate a link, which you can instantly share with anybody.

Download Awesome Screenshot

Popchrom

Do you repeat certain phrases or long words quite often? Popchrom might be able to help you with that! Simply define shortcut phrases like “tb” and the extension will replace it with a predefined word or phrase like “trendblog.net”.

Download Popchrom

RescueTime

RescureTime helps you to keep track of the time you spend in your browser and what you’re doing. You can also set alerts that will remind you to stop wasting time when browsing too much on “unwanted” websites.

Download RescueTime

Session Buddy

If you’re like me, you always have tons of tabs open. This can get quite chaotic from time to time. Session Buddy helps you to save the state of all open tabs and restore them at a later point in time.

Download Session Buddy

LastPass

LastPass is a password manager and form filler. If you have many passwords for different websites, LastPass will store them all securely in one place. Just like with 1Password for Mac, you’ll only need one password ever again. It can also help you to easily fill-in data in forms.

Download the Last Pass and get a free month of LastPass premium here.

Strict Pomodoro

Do you like to use the Pomodoro time management technique? This extension will block distracting websites and only allow you to access them during your break periods.

Download Strict Pomodoro

Checker Plus for Gmail

If you’re using Gmail, Checker Plus is the ultimate Gmail tool. The extension offers you many features such as displaying new emails, reading and deleting them without even opening the Gmail website.

Download Checker Plus for Gmail

Conclusion

Google Chrome extensions are a great way to improve your productivity by making many tasks easier, help you to track your time or block certain websites. Do you use IFTTT? Then check out Daniel’s article with 10 IFTTT recipes to increase your productivity.

Did I forget your favorite productivity extensions? Make sure to comment below and I’ll add them to this list!

10 Comments
  1. MiJ says

    OMG I can’t believe that ie dropped so dramatically! Unbelievable but not surprising.
    Do you think that these extensions will work on all chromium browsers? I’m using Torch browser and usually don’t have any problems installing chromium extensions..I think that the “Session Buddy” will be very handy for me 😛

    1. Philipp Greitsch says

      I think that most people that are still using IE are forced to do so due to company restrictions. IT departments can control IE usage quite well, which make’s it very popular in big companies!

      About your question: If you’re using the latest version of Torch (version 25 or newer) all Chrome extensions should work perfectly fine!

      Cheers,
      Philipp

      1. MiJ says

        Thanks for answering so quickly! I’ll try to install this extension on Torch today.

        1. Philipp Greitsch says

          Please let me know how it went!

          1. MiJ says

            So I tried it out and it does work fine. It’s definitely a useful tool! It’s a bit more advanced than what torch browser currently offers so I’ll make sure to use it. With torch I can see my recently closed tabs, but I can’t save them. Thanks for the info!

          2. Fred.v says

            I think that I’ll also give it a try. Thx!

  2. blue gem says
  3. Arvind N says

    Arvind N
    • 3 minutes ago

    Limitless is a great personal time management extension for chrome. Keeps you focused on productive websites and nudges you if you spend too much time on non-productive stuff.http://belimitless.co/

  4. Andrey says

    To automate right button click after selecting text you can try “Auto Context Menu”
    https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/auto-context-menu/gmbhdddcdochffpcmijcaiggfjbgfaad

  5. Vikas says

    Thanks for showing awesome use of google chrome. Right now lots of apps help us to increase productivity. Currently I am using Laterbox
    this–> https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/laterbox/iaifobbecnjnelihknjpccfidofmmajl
    .They are different because it’s also installed on new tab if we trying to open new tab Laterbox is there so it keeps me focused on my list also helps me to deal with procrastination nature.

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