Easy Productivity Tips for Busy People
Do your kids differ? And by differ I mean were they created from the dust of two different planets that live in two different galaxies? Age definitely plays a roll in this, but I am SHOCKED to the point of whip lash at the words and behaviors that come out of my two. One is all hair-toss-check-my-nails with her energy and giggles, and the other one eats giggles for a bedtime snack. She will cut you. Anger thy name is Georgia Gray. When she hugs me I freeze and don’t make eye contact in fear of an explosion or lightning strike hitting and burning us all into dust and ashes. She levitates into the car after school on a flame produced by her own intensity only to come in, pick 3 fights, throw 2 things with force on the floor of the car, then fall asleep sideways while screaming. This is all tempered and balanced with India’s vignettes about the day that make me feel like I am forehead first in a Pacman game. Of course, I have to slice through to her humility layer over her distraction with her phone just to get meaningful conversation:
Me: India how was the day? Do you have any homework?
India:
Me: Honey how was your day?
India:
Me: Gray, do you want your snack you packed this morning?
Gray:
Me: Honey this is what YOU PICKED OUT as the snack you wanted for this afternoon…?
Gray:
Me: India, Put your phone down and tell me about your day.
India:
Me:
I’m sure this looks and sounds very similar to what goes on in your household or your car. It’s just part of the daily grind. #amirightoramiright
Because the daily grind is full of headaches from our kids and #allthethings from work and life, productivity can be a big deal. It can make or break a day sometimes. So today I am giving you productivity tools for your personal tech toolkit. Cherry pick as you please!
Using stars in Gmail — Let me throw you life preserver for your email by telling you there is help and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If what I just said doesn’t make sense to you, you probably don’t need this tip anyway, let’s be real.
If you are #notquiteorganized in the email department like me, this will help. Start by starring messages that are important and need your reply POSTHASTE! Once you have done this, instead of allowing those messages to get lost in the inundation, navigate your arrow over to your lefthand menu in gmail. When it pops out, click the drop-down arrow beside ‘Inbox’. Click ‘Starred First’ and ohmygosh my life just changed I’m dead.
Talk to text for productivity — Do you need to be in the back of the room and put something on a Google Document on the panel or Smart Board at the front of the room? Maybe you just need to put something down on a doc but your hands aren’t free. Or MAYBE you are a little lazy with your note-taking and-or brainstorming and just don’t want to type. This tip is for you then.
Open the desired Google doc on your computer.
Open said doc on your phone.
Tap the doc on your phone to call up your phone’s keyboard.
Tap the microphone and START TALKING OHMYGOSHTHISISBEAUTIFUL!
Ctrl F — I have spread the ctrl F joy before but I’m spreading it again! If you are on the lengthiest of web pages, pdfs, Power Points, spreadsheets and the like AND you need to find JUST ONE word, then press the Ctrl key plus the letter ‘f’. A search bar will appear at the top right. Enter the word or phrase you wish to search. Just watch the magic that happens before your eyes. #nuffsaid
iPhone Do Not Disturb — Do Not Disturb on my iPhone is one of the trifecta of features that I lean on at this current stage of 2019. Do Not Disturb(DND) can be used more than just at night. You can choose to turn it on while you are driving and send text messages automatically to your favorites to let them know that you are driving and don’t need your life to flash before your eyes so you will text them back at your destination. It can be used at any point of the day that you feel you need to minimize notifications. It absolutely boosts productivity more than you realize! #quiettime #checkyourheart #imock
Head into Settings →Do Not Disturb to browse your options for this feature.
iPhone Text Replacement and Predictive Text — This one is so easy and simple but it is keeping my thumb from stretching into oblivion while I try texting one-handed. With predictive text, I can tap the options my keyboard gives me which minimizes frustration and thumb-stretching while texting. #theresakeyboardforthat Head to Settings →General →Keyboard →toggle on Predictive.
Equally, there is text replacement under the same Keyboard area. Tap this and then tap the plus button to create hotkeys or replacements. For example, create OMW for ‘On my way’. #productivity
Unlock Chromebook with Android phone — This last one is for you diehard androidians! This is for the chromebook that you own that is logged in under the same account as your phone. So it may be a personal chromebook ; ) SO, go to Settings on your phone and look for ‘Screen lock’ in the People section. After you confirm your password choose ‘Set up’ next to the “Smart Lock for Chromebook” option. Just follow the prompts to finish setting up.
Here are a few other tips for chromebook users!
That’s it, I’m pooped. Got any weird hacks you use to make life easier? I would LOVE genuinely to hear them, so send them my way tout suite!
