“What’s one productivity software suite that has revolutionized your remote work experience in 2025? How has it specifically improved your workflow, and what feature would you recommend others to explore?”
Notion
Notion has become a cornerstone of my remote work in 2025. The biggest shift came from using its integrated databases to create a personalized operating system for content creation, client management, and research tracking. Instead of jumping between five apps, I use linked pages and databases to move smoothly from idea to execution. The feature I’d recommend most is “relations and rollups.” They let you connect tasks to clients or projects and automatically surface relevant updates or deadlines. It transformed how I plan and focus each day without losing sight of long-term goals.
Chris Brewer, Managing Director, Best Retreats
Microsoft 365
The productivity software suite that has truly transformed my remote work experience in 2025 is Microsoft 365. As the founder of George’s Floofing Friends, a neighborhood focused dog walking company in Logan Square, balancing client communication, scheduling, and team coordination was often a juggling act. Microsoft 365’s seamless integration of tools like Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint has specifically improved my workflow by consolidating everything into one reliable platform, allowing me to manage appointments, communicate with clients, and share route plans efficiently without switching between multiple apps.
For example, scheduling walks around Chicago’s unpredictable weather became much easier thanks to Outlook’s calendar syncing and real time updates. Our walkers get instant notifications if plans shift, which keeps everyone on the same page and pets safe. This feature alone has reduced missed walks and last minute cancellations, something many local pet parents in busy urban settings face. One client recently shared how this streamlined scheduling gave them peace of mind during their demanding workdays, knowing their dog was never left waiting. Another feature I recommend exploring is Microsoft Teams’ collaboration capabilities.
Our team uses it not only for messaging but also for sharing photos and live updates from walks. This builds a sense of community and trust with pet parents who appreciate seeing their furry friends enjoying neighborhood parks. When you want transparent communication and quick problem solving, Teams offers a simple, neighborhood friendly way to stay connected, no matter where the team is. In an urban environment like Chicago, where pet care needs shift quickly alongside weather and work demands, having a software suite that blends efficiency with real time community storytelling is invaluable. Microsoft 365 doesn’t just help me run a dog walking service it supports the relationships that make this work meaningful. It’s a practical tool that aligns perfectly with the evolving expectations of pet parents balancing busy city lives.
George Kunatz, Owner, George’s Floofing Friends
Microsoft 365
Remote work has transformed how I lead Rehab2Wellness, and one productivity software suite that has profoundly reshaped my workflow in 2025 is Microsoft 365. This suite goes beyond simple document sharing it acts like a digital hub that keeps every aspect of my rehabilitation programs organized, accessible, and collaborative, no matter where I am. Managing client schedules, sharing personalized wellness plans, and coordinating with my team are now seamless, freeing up more time to focus on what truly matters helping people reclaim their health and live pain free.
The feature I recommend most is Microsoft Teams’ integration with other apps. It allows instant communication, video consultations, and real time editing of rehab protocols, all in one place. This fluid interaction has improved the quality and speed of care, especially for clients navigating chronic pain or mobility challenges who rely on consistent, personalized support. It also lets me connect emotionally with clients through video calls, which is vital when guiding someone through recovery beyond physical exercises. Before adopting this software, I often struggled with fragmented tools that slowed down communication and made managing individual progress cumbersome. Now, with everything centralized, my team and I can tailor each client’s program and respond quickly to their evolving needs.
One client recently shared how staying connected through these tools helped her remain motivated during post surgery recovery, proving how technology can enhance both practical outcomes and emotional support. By integrating technology thoughtfully, Rehab2Wellness continues its mission to empower individuals on their wellness journeys with personalized, holistic care. Microsoft 365 supports that mission by providing a reliable, intuitive platform that adapts to the dynamic nature of rehabilitation and wellness a true partner in both the technical and human sides of healing.
Paul Roscioli, Chiropractic Physician, Owner, Main Line Disc
Linear
In the gaming and tech world, we’re always looking for ways to stay agile, and one productivity suite that’s truly changed the game for our remote team in 2025 is Linear. At first, we were using a patchwork of tools—Trello for tasks, Slack for communication, Notion for docs—but Linear brought it all together in a way that feels built for developers and creatives alike.
What makes Linear stand out is its focus on flow. The interface is clean, fast, and just enough—no clutter, no distractions. For a team working on game development, where creativity and focus are everything, that’s a huge plus. We especially love the automated issue tracking and cycle management features. It’s like a project manager quietly running in the background, keeping us on track without micromanagement.
One feature I’d recommend others explore is the API integrations. We’ve connected Linear to our codebase and testing tools, so bug reports and new feature requests flow seamlessly into our dev workflow. It’s helped us cut down on miscommunication and delays—making sure our team stays aligned, even across time zones.
Marin Cristian-Ovidiu, CEO, Online Games
I learned about Sunsama last spring when my startup team was struggling with burnout, and it’s been a game-changer for maintaining our sanity. The daily ritual of planning my day feels almost meditative, and I love how it pulls together my calendar, tasks, and goals in one clean interface. After seeing how it helped our team reduce meeting overload by 40%, I definitely recommend trying their ‘Focus Time’ blocks feature first – it’s helped me carve out actual deep work time instead of drowning in back-to-back Zooms.
Bennett Maxwell, CEO, Franchise KI
Coda
Coda has improved how I manage cross-functional teams. I run SEO campaigns and also handle technical development, so I need documents that act like apps. With Coda, I combine task tracking, meeting notes, and client workflows in one document. I also pull live data from APIs into those docs, so I always have fresh metrics right where I need them. This has replaced long update calls and messy emails.
If you’re new to Coda, try the button feature. I use it to automate recurring tasks, like sending reports or changing task statuses. It’s like having lightweight automation inside your docs without switching to external platforms. That alone has saved me hours every week across multiple client projects.
Burak Özdemir, Founder, Online Alarm Kur
Monday.com
I’ve been blown away by Monday.com’s impact on my real estate team’s remote workflow this year. Just last week, we closed three properties simultaneously using their new AI-powered timeline feature, which automatically adjusted everyone’s schedules when our home inspector had a last-minute delay. What really made a difference for us was the custom property listing template I created – it syncs with our MLS database and sends automatic updates to clients, saving me about 2 hours each day.
Carl Fanaro, President, NOLA Buys Houses
TeamViewer
As a tech consultant, I’ve found TeamViewer to be a game-changer for managing multiple client systems remotely – being able to hop between workstations with a single click saves me hours each week. I especially love their new AI-powered troubleshooting assistant that helps diagnose common issues before I even connect, and I’d definitely recommend exploring that feature first to boost your productivity.
Pavel Sher, CEO, FuseBase
Notion
In 2025, Notion has been the backbone of how we run remote. It’s gone from being a notes tool to a full operating system for the team. We use it for everything: project tracking, async updates, documentation, even light CRM.
The biggest shift came when we stopped using it as a personal workspace and started treating it like shared infrastructure. That’s when the clarity really kicked in. Everyone knows where to look, what’s next, and what’s blocking who.
If you’re new to it, I’d start with synced databases. They’ve saved us hours by letting us link updates across teams without duplicating work. One change updates everywhere. It sounds small, but in a remote setup, that kind of alignment adds up fast.
Liz Kolb, Co-Founder, Axion Now Events
Asana
Being a project manager, I’ve found Asana to be a game-changer, especially with their new predictive task prioritization that’s helped me stay ahead of bottlenecks. Just last week, I used their custom field automations to track budget spending across three different departments, which used to take me hours in spreadsheets. The ‘Timeline View’ is honestly my favorite feature – I use it daily to spot resource conflicts and adjust deadlines before they become problems.
Justin Mauldin, Founder, Salient PR
Slack’s new cognitive workspace feature
I learned that Slack’s new cognitive workspace feature has become my remote work game-changer when it started automatically creating focused work channels based on our conversation patterns and project needs. The smart summary feature now catches me up on important discussions from my off-hours in just 3 minutes, which saved me from missing crucial updates during a recent product launch. If you’re just getting started, I’d suggest setting up their new ‘Focus Time’ mode – it intelligently manages notifications and creates distraction-free periods based on your natural productivity patterns.
Josiah Lipsmeyer, Founder, Plasthetix Plastic Surgery Marketing
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has completely transformed how I deliver remote coding tutorials since its latest AI upgrades in early 2025. I’ve been blown away by how the AI meeting assistant automatically creates detailed code snippets and learning summaries for my students, saving me hours of post-session documentation. The real game-changer though is the new collaborative IDE feature – I can now pair program with students in real-time while maintaining crystal-clear video quality.
Sandro Kratz, Founder, Tutorbase
