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Google is getting their own heading separate from all others since the University Does have a contract with them in regards to our G Suite for Education and our email system. Primary support is ETS. -Enterprise Technology Service Center (http://etsc.ucsb.edu/ | 805-893-5000)

Google is not just email, it features a whole suite of tools that can make your life easier. We also have lots of documentation on the most common features

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With UCSB Connect, any Connect user can create a Shared Drive to act as a Group Share Drive.

Google Hangouts

Looking for an alternative to Skype? Google Hangouts is actually a great and well-performing option for audio and video meetings. In case you use Slack, it can easily be integrated and simplify your working life.

Chrome Remote Desktop

Chrome Remote Desktop allows you to access your computer securely from your phone, tablet or another computer. Essentially, this means you can access your machine from anywhere, at any time. You can access your computer by typing in an access URL into a web browser or download the mobile app for iOS and Andriod.

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Communication

Communication is one of the most important but also most challenging parts of working remotely. Not being in the same office as your team members or clients can be a true issue. The following remote work tools help you stay connected efficiently.

Zoom

Zoom is a cloud-based platform for video and audio conferencing, mobile collaboration, and simple online meetings. Zoom's web-based conferencing uses high-quality video and audio and is accessible on MacOS, Windows, iOS and Android mobile devices.

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Primary support is provided by ETS - Enterprise Technology Service Center (http://etsc.ucsb.edu/ | 805-893-5000)

Key features

• Video meetings: Remote teams can run video meetings and one-to-one video calls.
• Voice calls: You can also run group or one-to-one voice calls when face-to-face meetings aren’t necessary.
• Webinars: You can also use Zoom to host webinars.
• Messaging: Team members can send messages using Zoom.
• File sharing: Share files during and outside of video/voice chats for collaboration between members.
• Remote desktop: Share your screen, either in view only mode or allow others to control your mouse and keyboard

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When you manage a remote team, having great communication tools sometimes isn’t enough. In case you need a quick feedback or want to check out the current team’s sentiment, here are some tools for you. 

Doodle

Want to find the perfect time for the next team meeting or the opinion about a new decision? Doodle is a great tool to send out short polls of any kind and get a quick response. 

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Project Management

There are hundreds of project management apps out there. You have to test and see what has all the functions your team needs and a user experience that you like the most. Most of the ones listed below are free or have a free trial in the Microsoft or Apple stores and thus have been verified to have at least minimal levels of security. 

Asana

Asana is very popular amongst bigger businesses. It is a professional and very powerful project management app with impressive layouts to organize projects between a large number of team members.

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Staying productive might be one of the biggest struggles of remote workers. Too many potential distractions in your home office, too many things to keep track of. Here are some applications that help you stay on task through the day. Most of the ones listed below are free or have a free trial in the Microsoft or Apple stores and thus have been verified to have at least minimal levels of security. 

TomatoTimer

You have probably heard of the Pomodoro Technique before. You split your work in 25-minute sprints and take a break of 3-5 minutes in between every working period. This helps your brain to relax and to get new energy. The TomatoTimer does exactly that: It stops your time and reminds you to take your necessary breaks.

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Todoist is a remote work app that helps you keep track of all of your to-do lists and items. It is also responsive, works offline and you can use it for team collaborations.

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Health

When you work from home, you naturally don’t move around as much as if you would in an office. You don’t need to leave the house, go to the office, run between meeting rooms, or go to a cafe for lunch. lack of movement is a killer.

Another important factor is mental wellbeing. Trying to stay focused when you work from home with all the potential distractions, can be very hard sometimes. The following apps might help you with it.

Mindfulness

Meditation is good for you, only a few minutes a day are enough to refresh your brain, energize and be able to focus again. Mindfulness is a very easy app that provides you with tones and guided meditations.

Seven

Seven is a very handy exercise app that challenges you to do a quick but very intense 7-minute workout. Exercises switch between cardio and strength and can easily be done in a quick break from work.

Take a Break Please

When you work from home and don’t have to pay attention to breaks or office closing hours, it can be very tempting to work all day. A painful hunchback, dry eyes and a stiff neck are often the result. Take a Break Please is an app that forces you to take breaks throughout the day. 

Tide

Similar to Mindfulness, Tide is a meditation app, that gives you relaxing melodies, peaceful backgrounds and motivating quotes.

Noisli

Human brains are fascinating. While some can only work when it’s super quiet in the room, others need a busy surrounding to get them going. Noisli generates artificial sounds, like the wind in the trees or a busy coffee shop. In case you want to cover unwanted sounds, you have a wide range of white noise to choose from. Please note that this app costs $2, it is still far cheaper than buying a 8 hour white noise track from iTunes. 

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