You have a few options for managing your time: you may do it yourself, systematize it, automate it, or delegate it. I strongly believe in minimizing and simplifying whenever and wherever it is possible. I even produced a manual about simplifying things (Simplify & Thrive). That’s how much it means to me.
Our thoughts are continually stimulated by texts, emails, and social media in our digital age. We can check anything on an app on our phone, and before we know it, 30 minutes have passed. Where has the time gone?
While it is undeniably one of the primary sources of distraction in our daily lives, technology is also a potent instrument. Technology has the potential to automate tasks and optimize workflows, giving us more time to focus on what truly makes us happy. Your productivity will increase, and you’ll save time by automating the tiny, repetitive tasks in your daily life. Also, check out S4 Hana by Accely.
Here are some of my current favorite technological advancements that are significantly simplifying my life:
1. Grammarly – Free / Upgrade to Premium
Grammarly is similar to having a spell checker and proofreader for everything. This program also functions as a browser plugin and proofs on several devices, highlighting any potential text problems. While evaluating your writings against more than 250 grammar rules also offers context-specific corrections for grammar, spelling, wordiness, style, punctuation, and possible plagiarism detection.
2. Free canned responses in Gmail
Time is saved by using email templates. Remember that whatever you repeatedly do can be recorded and saved for later use. Do you frequently send the same email response to the same person? To be prepared with intelligent, pre-written comments that you can send immediately, wherever you are, create a scripted reaction in your Gmail account. How to enable canned responses is provided here.
3. Spark – Free / Upgrade to Premium
According to studies, sometimes checking your email daily might lower stress and increase productivity. I experimented with other inbox management programs, and Spark is unquestionably my favorite among the platforms and add-ons I’ve used. Spark enables you to establish follow-up reminders, schedule emails to send later, and prioritize the items in your inbox. Spark won’t let you miss the mark even if you are out of sight and out of mind.
4. Upgrade to the paid version of Trello
Trello is the project and task management tool I keep returning to after experimenting with a few others. The fact that projects can be set up as visual, drag-and-drop boards, cards, lists, and workflows makes them so simple. Additionally, due dates, checklists, attachments, and color coding on Trello cards enable me to quickly and easily keep track of tasks and timeframes. If you want to add more bells and whistles, you may utilize their subscription edition, which still has a ton of capability.
5. Free Google Chrome Extension: Autofill for Chrome
Using Autofill for Chrome, I fill out forms with all kinds of saved information, including my credit cards and address. Autofill will ask you if you want to preserve the data for later use when you fill out a new record. Additionally, you can modify and remove saved information and sync it with other devices. Check out Chrome’s Password Manager if you’re sick of having to keep track of many login information for all your platforms and accounts. Your various account information is saved, and your logins are automatically filled up.
6. Free IFTTT
IFTTT, which stands for If This Then That, enables you to use all of your numerous apps and platforms far more effectively. You can develop mini-workflows or automation by connecting them in ways that they wouldn’t typically work together. After linking your apps to IFTTT, you choose a trigger action and the workflow that will take place after it. There are many options for getting all the annoying little redundant activities off your plate and running on their own because more than a hundred apps are supported.
7. Calendly – Upgrade to the Premium Plan
Say goodbye to the administrative time and back-and-forth that comes with scheduling appointments. Clients, customers, and contacts may book straight into your allocated open time slots with Calendly, which syncs to your Google calendar. In addition to sending them a confirmation of their reservation and a Google calendar invitation, you can also set up automatic reminder emails to be sent out before appointments.
What then is taking up your time? Have you fallen into a hole of constant immediate communication and unreal expectations because you check your phone every five minutes and make yourself available to respond to every email or text promptly? Make a mental list of all the things that could be simplified, and then try out some technology that makes your life more straightforward rather than worse.
I hope the apps above, technological aids, and automation inspire a few “I don’t know how I lived without this!” moments and enable you to say goodbye to pointless tasks and diversions.
Additionally, you can look into How I Make the Most of My Time as a Creative Entrepreneur. Do you have a favorite app or time-saving trick? Could you leave them in the section below?
