Target Audience
This article is written for the working class (salaried employees, students), i.e., people who do not run a business primarily.
If you are a business owner, there are many more things you can do with WhatsApp, which we will cover separately.
Thanks for reading Chinmay’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Context
This blog tries to answer the following questions
- How to get more done with WhatsApp?
- Why you should use WhatsApp Business instead of WhatsApp even if you are just an individual and not a business.
Choosing the right Application
Before trying to think how to use a tool more efficiently, We should as are we using the right tool for our needs. So, lets answer that question first.
We know WhatsApp has 2 applications: WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business. So which one is right for you?
Simple answer: WhatsApp Business (Irrespective of what you do in your professional life)
Now, you might be thinking,
Why should I use WhatsApp Business instead of WhatsApp as an individual?
We know WhatsApp has 2 apps: WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business.
This article presents points from the WhatsApp Business app and also recommends switching to WhatsApp Business from regular WhatsApp.
To answer this question, let’s first ask:
How do we choose which application to use?
We choose an application based on:
- The features it has or the use cases it solves
- The price (cost of ownership + migration) — the price you pay to buy/subscribe to the app + the effort required to move your existing system/process to the new app
- Usability and learning curve (easy to use, less time to learn)
For WhatsApp & WhatsApp Business, points 2 & 3 are not decision-making factors at all since both applications are free (we are talking about the app, not the APIs).
So the decision boils down to the features and use cases.
Here, WhatsApp Business wins.
You might wonder why I am suggesting a business app when a personal version already exists. Because the line between personal and work has blurred.
Examples:
- A message from a friend about movie plans is personal, but a message from the same friend about a job opening with a resume deadline is work.
- A group among friends for a vacation is personal, but action items like visa approval and hotel booking require structured planning.
- A message from your boss about office work is work, but an invitation from the same boss to attend his son’s birthday is personal.
When the communication source is the same, you cannot have different tools and still expect to stay organized & productive.
And if we have to choose just one, choosing the WhatsApp Business makes more sense.
Using the right application the right way
Well, This is the crux of this article. This blog post explains how people like you & me, can get more efficient in our daily work by using WhatsApp Business.
1. Turn Chats into a Task Board with Labels
WhatsApp Business allows you to assign labals to chats. You can define your own labels and assign a label to each chat. It also groups chats by labels & shows the count & provides a quick way to access the chats under a particular label.
You can define the following labels for your chats (These are just sample labels & you can have your own labels.
- To do
- To Reply/Call back
- To follow up
- Pending project
- Pending payment
Whenever a chat involves work:
→ Apply a label before closing the chat.
This becomes your daily review list instead of scrolling endlessly.
Tip: Review labels every morning instead of your inbox.
2. Use Broadcast Lists, Not Groups
We tend to create groups whenever we have to communicate with multiple people at once. However, Broadcast is a better option for bulk one way communication.
You use Broadcast Lists for:
- Festival wishes
- Messages to students (for teachers / professors / instructors)
- Messaging people city-wise (e.g., you are traveling and want to tell only people in that city)
Broadcast lists do not have to be permanent; they can be temporary for an event. example
- Event-specific communication (house parties, meetups)
- Sending your home-buying requirements to multiple real estate agents at once
For more detailed analysis on Group vs Broadcast list and when to use what please refer to the post here.
3) Use Quick Replies
Setting up quick replies for recurring messages will save at least 20–30 minutes daily.
Examples:
- “I started from the office, will be home in 30 minutes.”
- “Stuck in traffic, will be delayed.”
- “Let’s join on a call: https://meet.google.com/jeh-fzpp-shp “
To use Quick Replies, start typing with : ‘/’
Example:/intro
Hi! Here’s how I help. Let’s jump on a quick call: https://meet.google.com/jeh-fzpp-shp
4) Disable Notifications Intelligently
Instead of disabling notifications entirely or keeping phone in silent mode, You can set up the notifications intelligently to be notified of important messages only.
So,
- Mute all groups
- Enable High Priority Notifications only for important contacts/groups
- If you are in iPhone – Turn on Notification Summary / Scheduled Mode
- It is an iPhone (iOS) feature that controls how WhatsApp notifications appear, so that you don’t get interrupted in real time.
- You’ll find it in:
Settings → Notifications → Scheduled Summary
- You’ll find it in:
- This applies to WhatsApp and all other apps you choose.
- It is an iPhone (iOS) feature that controls how WhatsApp notifications appear, so that you don’t get interrupted in real time.
5) Convert WhatsApp Messages into Tasks Automatically
If you use any tool to manage your tasks (like Trello / Asana), use an automation tool to create a task from a WhatsApp notification.
It would be a simple workflow like
“When I star a message in WhatsApp → Create a task.”
And the easiest way to do this would be through relay.app. The below screenshot shows the applications you can integrate with WhatsApp.
This solves the ultimate problem: Action items no longer get lost in chat.
6) Use WhatsApp on Desktop (90% Faster)
Why:
- Faster typing
- Easier file sharing
- No thumb fatigue
7) Create a Calendly / Cal.com Link & Stop Scheduling Back-and-Forth
Many time in our regular conversations we try to find a time convenient for 2 or more people also for a call like a vacation planning, shopping discussion etc. In professional life we use Calendar and Video conferencing softwares very effectively, However in personal life we still rely on old way of calling & asking if someone is free and then continuing with the conversation. You can avoid this by creating a calendly link and sharing on your profile so that blocking time for any activity does not become another activity.
You can have different calendly links for different groups, chats or may save it just as a quick reply as well if you wish to control who you share it with.
Summary
Here is a summary of what we discussed so far.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is no longer just a place for casual chats. With a few intentional tweaks, it can become a powerful personal productivity system.
By switching to WhatsApp Business, using labels to track tasks, leveraging broadcast lists for structured communication, setting up quick replies, and managing notifications intelligently — you move from reactive messaging to purposeful communication. You spend less time scrolling, less time repeating yourself, and more time actually doing the work that matters.
This article focused on techniques for individuals who use WhatsApp as part of their personal and professional life. If you are a business owner, freelancer, or run any service-based work — there is a much larger productivity and automation layer you can unlock. I will cover that in a dedicated article soon.
Notes & Credits
Disclaimer
This blog post is written purely for educational purpose & is driven by my own point of view. This is not written to promote any application. Any, misinterpretation or misrepresentation can only be attributed to my limited knowledge & experience.
Content of some sections of the article are generated by ChatGPT, But have been reviewed thoroughly by me.
App Credits
Contact
Email: hello@chinmaypanda.com
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/+918861429600
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chinmaypandain/