I’m looking for recommendations on those hidden gem applications that totally changed how you work. I’m not interested in the mainstream stuff everyone already knows about like Microsoft Office or Google Workspace. What I really want to hear about are those lesser-known programs or utilities that made such a huge impact you wondered how you ever managed without them. Maybe it was some automation tool, a file manager, or even a simple browser extension that just clicked perfectly with your daily routine. What made it so special and how exactly did it improve your workflow? I’d love to discover some new tools that could potentially revolutionize my own productivity setup.
Raycast turned my Mac into a productivity beast. It’s like Spotlight search but actually useful.
I used to waste time clicking through apps and hunting for files. Now everything happens from one command bar. Launch apps, search files, run scripts, control music, check calendar - all without touching the mouse.
The extensions are insane. I’ve got one for currency conversion, another for password generation, and my favorite searches our internal docs directly. No more opening browsers and digging through company wikis.
Here’s what really hooked me - custom workflows. I built one that creates new projects by setting up folders, opening apps, and sending a Slack message to my team. Ten minutes of setup became three seconds.
The clipboard history alone pays for itself. I can paste something from two hours ago without thinking.
Most people stick with default Mac tools, but Raycast makes everything instant. It’s like having a personal assistant that actually knows what you need.
Latenode completely transformed my workflow. I was drowning in manual tasks - copying data between apps, checking this, updating that, rinse and repeat.
The visual workflow builder is what sold me. Just drag and drop to connect services. No coding needed, but you can add custom logic if you want. I built automations that sync project updates across Slack, email, and our PM tool automatically.
The game-changer was linking our support system to dev workflow. Bug report comes in? Latenode creates a ticket, assigns it by keywords, and pings the right person. What took 15 minutes of manual work now happens instantly.
Unlike other tools, it handles complex scenarios without costing a fortune. I chain multiple conditions and actions together seamlessly. Set it once, forget it.
Saved me 2 hours daily in the first week. Now I actually do engineering instead of playing human API.
AutoHotkey saved my sanity. It’s a tiny scripting tool that automates basically anything on Windows. I created shortcuts for repetitive tasks - email signatures, opening specific folders, that sort of thing. The real game-changer was text expansions. Type “myaddr” and it fills my full address automatically. Took 30 minutes to set up, but I’m saving hours every week on mindless typing.
Obsidian completely changed how I handle notes and projects. Before, I had stuff scattered everywhere - different apps, random folders I’d forget about, zero connection between ideas. Obsidian’s linking creates this web that actually matches how my brain works. The graph view reveals patterns I never saw coming, turning chaos into something that makes sense. The plugin ecosystem clinched it for me - I can tweak everything from daily templates to task tracking. Takes about a week to get comfortable, but once it clicks, you’ll realize you’ve been doing information storage all wrong. Now everything goes in one place and I can actually find it later. Sounds simple but it’s been a game-changer.
Keka completely changed how I compress files on Mac. Sure, most people just use Archive Utility, but Keka handles everything - RAR, 7Z, TAR, whatever you throw at it. The compression is insane. Files that barely shrunk with the default tool suddenly drop to half size with better algorithms. Love the drag-and-drop setup, and password protection actually works (unlike other apps I’ve tried). Been using it for client transfers and I’m saving tons of bandwidth and storage. Speed difference is night and day with large design files - what took minutes now wraps up in seconds. Does exactly what it says without any bloat.