The Best Productivity Apps and Tools for Voice Actors

Being a professional voice actor is a juggling act. Between deciding what jobs to audition for, taking care of the business side of your voice over career, and managing to fit in some well-deserved self-care and downtime, it’s a tough job! Thankfully, productivity apps and tools are out there to help you get it all done. 

But which ones are worth the download?

In this article

1. Be Focused
2. QuickBooks Self-Employed
3. Productive
4. Hootsuite
5. Breethe
6. Take Advantage of Pre-loaded Apps
7. Go ‘Old School’ with Notebooks and Lists
8. Productivity Tips from the Voices Insiders
9. Be More Productive This Year

With nearly 2 million apps offered on the App Store, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices available — especially when the last thing you want to do is add another task to the list. That’s why we went straight to the experts, the Voices Insiders, to find out what productivity apps and tools they use and recommend as voice actors to save time and get more done in their day. The Voices Insiders are a team of voice over professionals who share their insights and advice with the Voices community to help talent at all stages of career growth.

Read on to find the best productivity apps and tools professional voice actors recommend. 

Be Focused

Publisher: Denys Ievenko

Availability: Mac, iOS

Price: Free, Pro version $12.99

Rating: 4.7

Be Focused is a productivity app that helps you get things done by breaking up tasks into manageable blocks of time with set breaks. Using the Pomodoro Technique helps to reduce distractions by focusing on one task for 25 minutes, followed by a five-minute break, and then as many sets, or pomodoros, as necessary to complete your tasks with a longer break after every four pomodoros. If you’re constantly distracted by incoming emails, chats or text messages, you might find this system works for you.

Be Focused makes tracking tasks and intervals easy and manages breaks within the app without the kitchen timer. Beyond the timer function, Be Focused allows you to customize reports and track your goals and progress so you can focus on what really matters.

Key features:

• Manage tasks and set breaks with customizable timer settings
• Keep track of your to-do list and add new tasks with ease
• Track daily, weekly, or custom progress with customized reports

“I highly recommend Be Focused, one of the many apps that use the Pomodoro Technique,” says Alexa Brown. “It gives you 25 minutes of focused time, followed by a five-minute break, then repeats as many times as necessary. 25 minutes is just the right length of time to work without a break — without the temptation of checking emails, phones, etc., and without losing concentration or getting too tired. Perfect for tasks you know you can do when you put your mind to it!”

Be Focused is available for download on the App Store.

QuickBooks Self-Employed

Publisher: Intuit

Availability: iOS, Android and web app

Price: Monthly plans start at $20

Rating: 4.5

A successful voice acting career takes more than skill — it also requires a handle on the business side. That’s where QuickBooks Self-Employed can help.

QuickBooks Self-Employed is an expense tracker, invoice generator and tax deduction estimator for self-employed, freelancers and independent contractors. This app, also available online, makes it easy to monitor your finances so you can spend more time in the studio, not crunching numbers.

Key features:

• Keep track of receipts and log expenses with the receipt scanner
• Easily generate reports to see where your business stands
• Create and send professional-looking invoices on the go

“The one computer program I use to help me with my voice over business is QuickBooks Self-Employed,” shares Kristen Paige. “It helps me keep track of how much money I make each week/month.”

“QuickBooks Self-Employed allows me to scan receipts and send invoices easily and receive payment,” adds Craig Williams.

QuickBooks Self-Employed is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

Productive

Publisher: Apalon Apps

Availability: iOS, Android

Price: Free with in-app purchases

Rating: 4.4

Productive is a daily tracker that can help you build new habits and set personal goals. The app offers smart reminders that can be set to go off throughout the day so users can stay on top of healthy habits and stay focused on their goals.

If you need regular reminders to drink more water or want to set aside time in your day to meditate, Productive might be the tool for you.

Key features:

• Create, complete, stop, or pause your habits when needed
• Stay motivated with smart reminders scheduled throughout the day
• Analyze progress and track your habits with statistics

“It’s a nice, simple-to-use productivity app that keeps me on track every day for my main to-do list,” says Craig Williams, who recommends this in addition to QuickBooks Self-Employed.

Productive is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

Hootsuite

Publisher: Hootsuite

Availability: iOS, Android and web app

Price: Free, monthly professional plans starting at $99

Rating: 4.6

Staying current on social media and connecting with your network can take up much of your day. Hootsuite can do much of the work for you.

Hootsuite is a social media tool that allows you to create, schedule, plan, monitor and engage with your audience across most social platforms in one place. With Streams and Inbox, you can easily monitor topics, hashtags, and mentions and join in on conversations without switching between platforms or endlessly scrolling. Plus, you can schedule your content to go out when and where you want.

Key features:

• Create, edit, review and publish posts from one central location
• See your content calendar at a glance and identify gaps
• Monitor conversations happening around your industry and interests

“Hootsuite is a fantastic social media scheduling tool that lets me publish throughout the day when I’m not always available,” Lenore Hume shares. “I’ll post ‘Things I Learned in VO this Week,’ testimonials from clients, and samples of the work I’ve voiced. This helps keep me visible in the voice over community and allows me to connect with industry folks and potential casting directors.”

Hootsuite is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

Breethe

Publisher: OMG. I Can Meditate! Inc.

Availability: iOS, Android

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Rating: 4.6

Life as a voice actor can be non-stop, so taking the time to wind down and practice self-care is important. Breethe is a meditation app that can help you de-stress, practice mindfulness, and feel inspired to take on the day (or night!).

Breethe features a catalog of over 1,500 stories, meditations and sounds to guide you on your path to wellness. Topics range from stress reduction to insomnia, relationships and more.

Key features:

• Hundreds of guided meditations to help you relax
• Hours of curated playlists to fit your mood, plus the ability to create your own
• Breathing exercises and videos to help you quickly calm down

“It’s a simple-to-use meditation app that takes you on a daily journey with your meditation,” says Craig Williams.

Breethe is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.

Take Advantage of Pre-loaded Apps

When it comes to productivity apps, sometimes the basics are all you need. Most phones come pre-loaded with the essentials, such as note-taking apps, calendars and timers, to help you stay organized and on track.

“I really love the iOS apps that come with the iPhone,” says Lenore Hume. “Calendar is critical to me for scheduling appointments and other commitments, so I can work my voice over around them (I work a full-time day job). It’s fantastic for adding in voice over job deadlines. I also love the Notes app for quick access to my voice over audition letter templates.”

Jesse Adam adds, “I use a few simple apps on my phone, like Calendar and to-do lists.”

Go ‘Old School’ with Notebooks and Lists

Notebooks, whiteboards and lists are classic productivity tools. If apps don’t fit your style, go old school! What’s important is finding the method that keeps you consistent.

“I love having a physical list,” shares Jesse Adam. “Every morning, I write out what I need to accomplish and slowly check off each item as it gets done. I keep the notebook right next to me all day, and it really helps keep me on track.”

“I am a little old fashioned and keep a daily/weekly calendar book that I take with me wherever I go,” Kristen Paige says. “I use it to keep track of life (kids, appointments, etc.) and my bookings for each week. I’m also a chronic list maker, so it gives me space each week to keep track of my to-do list. I’m sure there are online apps that can do the same thing, but good ol’ pencil and paper works for me!”

Productivity Tips from the Voices Insiders

Productivity apps and tools can make a voice actor’s life easier and more organized, but it all starts with good habits!

Set a Goal

“When you are starting out, getting bookings is a numbers game (it still is, actually!), so set a reasonable audition goal each day and dedicate a chunk of time to meet that goal,” suggests Kristen Paige. “Time your auditions! When I started I probably spent 30 minutes on each audition and was happy to submit a few each day. After chatting with the Voices folks, they told me that I should work towards only spending maybe five minutes on each audition! Yikes! So, I timed my auditions to see where I actually was and worked to streamline the process. I’m still not at the five-minute mark for all of my auditions, but I’ve gotten a lot faster, and I am able to submit more each day!”

Make a Checklist

Jesse Adam recommends, “Have a daily checklist. Before you dive into each day, take a bit of time to create a list of what you’d like to get done. It helps you get prepared for the day ahead and move forward with a more focused purpose. When there is a lull, just quickly scan your list to see what you can move on to. At the end of the day, whatever is left on the list, write out again for the next day on a fresh list. That way, the next morning, you’ve already got your list started.”

Set a Routine

“Be vigilant with your time,” says Craig Williams. “Many people enjoy the performing side and spend too much time on that because it is way more fun. Assign time to the business side of voice over to reach out directly to clients, market yourself and keep on top of your financials. This always pays off in the long run.”

“Schedule yourself a voice over audition routine,” Lenore Hume explains. “Mine is first thing in the morning before I start my day job and in the evenings after my little guy goes to bed. Auditioning can be a bit of a slog, you will do a LOT of them! By keeping a routine, it allows you to get used to doing them and they become daily second nature.”

“If you’re a part-time voice actor, schedule in at least 1-2 hours a day after your job for auditions,” Melanie Scroggins recommends. “If you’re a full-time voice actor, you still need to schedule in a couple of hours or so a day for auditions. Blocking the time on your calendar can be helpful for this because then you don’t ‘overbook’ yourself with another task.”

Focus on Your Craft

“I would suggest using auditions as good practice material when you first start and submit them,” says Alexa Brown. “If you spend weeks or months just on practice scripts rather than real auditions trying to build up your skills, you’ll lose out and use up a lot of time. So get warmed up, make sure you are happy with your mic technique, and get going on the auditions. Worst case, you’ll send out a few that, in hindsight, could have been better. Best case, you’ll start to win jobs sooner rather than later with a lot of practice under your belt!”

“Keep things simple,” Robert Mattson recommends. “Start with thinking through your process and add just enough tools to cover your needs. It’s too easy to download all the shiny things you see and get distracted.”

Tiffany Grant adds, “It’s very important to work on your craft every day: audition, attend webinars, read and watch tips from working pros to gain useful tips. As with any skill, to get really good at auditioning, you need to do it a LOT. Work on areas you need to improve, and you will get better. Try to learn something new every day.”

Be More Productive This Year

Being more productive doesn’t mean overhauling your entire workflow. Start small and take the time to figure out what’s working for you right now and identify areas that can be improved. There’s an app for that!

Want to amp up your productivity this year? Sign up for a Voices account and grow your voice acting career from your home studio. And if we missed your favorite app on this list, let us know what it is and why you recommend it in the comments!