Top 5 Free Tools That Save Me 10+ Hours a Week

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while juggling content, consulting, teaching, and building—it’s this: time is not money, it’s fuel.

And if you’re burning through it with cluttered processes, you’re going nowhere fast.

That’s why I’m obsessed with tools that give me time back without costing a rupee. After trying dozens of apps and AI platforms, I’ve found a few that I keep returning to—week after week.

Here are the top 5 free tools that help me save 10+ hours every week, sometimes even more:

1. Notion – My Second Brain

Notion is where I think, plan, and write—all in one place.

From blog outlines and client SOPs to my weekly to-do list and reading notes, everything lives here. I’ve built a custom dashboard that shows:

My weekly goals
Today’s top 3 tasks
A habit tracker
Quick capture space for ideas

How it saves time:

No more switching between 5 apps. Everything’s here. Plus, their AI helps me summarize or rewrite notes when I’m stuck.

2. Motion (Free Plan) – Calendar Meets Task Boss

Motion changed the game for me. It automatically schedules my tasks into my Google Calendar based on urgency, priority, and my focus hours.

I don’t just plan my day anymore—it plans me.

How it saves time:

I waste zero time deciding “what to do next.” It handles that mental fatigue for me. Plus, I get deep work slots without even trying.

3. Fireflies.ai – Meeting Notes, Done for Me

When I’m on a Zoom or Google Meet call, Fireflies automatically records and transcribes it. Later, I search “keywords” like “action items” or “content ideas” instead of replaying the whole thing.

How it saves time:

No more writing notes mid-conversation. I stay present in the call, and still get an organized recap after.

4. ChatGPT (Free) – My Thinking Partner

Yes, I’m a regular user of ChatGPT—even in its free version.

From drafting emails, brainstorming hooks for LinkedIn posts, or refining blog ideas, it speeds up my thinking process. It’s not just a writing tool—it’s like a creative mirror.

How it saves time:

I don’t stare at blank screens anymore. ChatGPT gives me momentum, especially when I’m stuck.

5. Scribe – Auto-Generates Step-by-Step Guides

This one’s underrated. Scribe records your screen while you do a task and turns it into a step-by-step visual guide.

I use it to create tutorials for interns, share onboarding docs, or even create process SOPs.

How it saves time:

I explain a task once—and reuse that guide forever.

I don’t believe productivity is about doing more—it’s about doing less, better.

These tools help me buy back my time, so I can focus on building, writing, and actually living.

If you’re just starting out, pick one tool that resonates and make it part of your daily flow. Over time, you’ll build a system that works for you, not the other way around.

Let’s keep building—smarter.

— Anurag

Watching Time Unfold: My Personal Experience with Fevicol's Generational Sofa Story

When I first encountered Fevicol's 60th anniversary campaign, I was immediately struck by its ambitious storytelling approach. As someone who has watched countless advertisements over the years, this one-and-a-half-minute journey felt like something entirely different – a mini-documentary wrapped in commercial brilliance. The Opening Moment The campaign begins in 1959, and I'm transported to a black-and-white world that feels authentically vintage. I watch as craftsmen carefully construct what appears to be an ordinary sofa, but I can sense this isn't going to be an ordinary story. The attention to period details – the clothing, the workshop setting, the grainy film quality – immediately tells me that Fevicol and Ogilvy have invested deeply in creating an authentic experience. Following the Sofa's Journey What captivates me most is how I become emotionally invested in this piece of furniture. I find myself following this sofa as it moves through different phases of ...

What Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Taught Me About Personalization in Marketing

There are few campaigns that make you pause, smile, and think — “Damn, that’s smart.” For me, Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign was one of those moments. Let me take you back to when I first came across it. The First Time I Saw My Name on a Coke Bottle I was at a supermarket, casually browsing, and suddenly I noticed a rack of Coke bottles with people’s names on them. I looked closer — “Amit,” “Priya,” “Rahul,” and then... boom — “Anurag.” I smiled. It felt oddly personal. It wasn't just a Coke anymore — it was my Coke. And just like that, Coca-Cola had done something remarkable : they took one of the world’s most mass-produced products, and made it feel uniquely mine. That’s when it hit me — this is personalization done right . What Was the “Share a Coke” Campaign? If you haven’t heard of it, here’s the short version: Launched in Australia in 2011 , Coca-Cola replaced its iconic logo with popular first names . The idea? Encourage people to “Share a Coke” with some...

Desh Ki Chai, Desh Ka Kulhad: Why Tata Tea’s Campaign Still Stays With Me

Three years ago, in January 2022, I stumbled upon a campaign that didn’t just sell a product — it touched something deeper in me. It was Tata Tea Premium’s “Desh Ka Kulhad” campaign. Launched around Republic Day, it instantly caught my attention — not because it was flashy or celebrity-packed, but because it celebrated something that felt genuinely Indian: the humble kulhad . Today, as a marketer and storyteller, when I look back at campaigns that stayed with me, Desh Ka Kulhad always makes the cut. Here’s why. The Power of a Simple Symbol Growing up, I remember train journeys where tea would be served in small clay cups — warm, earthy, fragrant. The kulhad wasn’t just a cup. It was an experience. And Tata Tea Premium beautifully brought that memory alive for millions across the country. Instead of relying on western aesthetics or glossy studio shots, the campaign embraced what made India… India. The kulhad became a metaphor — for tradition, for sustainability, and for our shar...

Built by Anurag Lala

Search This Blog