Is your tech working as hard as you do?

By Natalie Lucken, Account Manager

Technology, at its core, is designed to save time and human labor, thus increasing our efficiency. Chances are you probably use a lot of technology every day to do your job, and just  going about your daily life. The phrase Apple coined for it’s mobile phones, “There’s an app for that,” rings in our ears after years of great marketing. There are literally thousands of apps in the online world that can improve your day in ways you may not have thought of. Let’s look at some of the best apps and free programs to help you get organized, and finally get the upper hand when you face that bloated Inbox.

Gmail  Don’t underestimate the features of this common email service! When you have a long email/report/letter to type, use your cell phone to simply open a new message in Gmail, and click the microphone button. Then, just START TALKING. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect, but you can say what you need to say, and then put your own email in the “To” field. You will immediately get an email with the entire text of what you needed to write, ready for a few quick edits.  www.gmail.com

Evernote  this desktop and app based solution, can help you by being a virtual filing cabinet, list maker, and even a recipe saver. There is a wonderful free version of Evernote, with an unlimited amount of time to test it out. This app includes its own “snipper,” so that you can gather information from websites and instantly file it in your Evernote desktop or mobile app. Collaboration with work teams becomes no problem at all with multiple users’ access to building projects, gathering research, and uploading files to a common location. One of the best things to do  www.evernote.com

PhraseExpress  This desktop helper can cut your time  spent on typing the same thing over and over again down to the very minimum. I have saved so much pain and cramps in my wrists and forearms using this app. According to the app itself, I have saved over 14 hours of typing time since installing this app 6 weeks ago!  You work at a your computer all day long… can you imagine the long term, physical benefits of this? The app can also help fill in forms quickly, and remembers (www.phraseexpress.com )

Dashlane  How many passwords do you have to keep track of? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to login on the first try, every time, knowing you have the right password and won’t have to keep resetting it?  This app (and desktop program) can hold all of your passwords securely, and at the ready when you need them. There is a great feature that helps create a new password, by asking if you want it to generate a random one, that no one could guess, such as “Kr2!pnot”. The app can also help fill in forms quickly, and remembers several different profiles, in case you need to use different logins for specific businesses. Once installed, this program even did an assessment of all my stored passwords. The results were surprising to say the least: Currently, there are 203 passwords, and 154 are considered “weak”! Seems there is some work to be done, protecting my computer (and my identity too).     www.dashlane.com

Cozi and GQueue These three apps can organize all the busy family appointments and events that get you out of bed in the morning. The Cozi app s an awesome organizer for busy families, and allows for everyone to edit and add new plans and get-togethers anytime.  A shared grocery list and recipe for dinner will definitely simplify meal planning. And, there’s even a family journal feature included, so you can make a diary entry when you have a special day to capture, complete with your photos to share. http://www.cozi.com/

If you are a list-maker, there is so much to like about GQueue, which made its debut in 2012. Specifically designed for small businesses, this app is simple, first and foremost. It allows for drag-and-drop functionality, and scheduling of repeated tasks that can be shared across a whole team of coworkers. Its ability to sync with all your Google apps, and keep you apprised of everything on your plate, makes it a great tool to organize yourself for the new year.     https://www.gqueues.com/

There are so many great apps out there to help your efficiency (and your sanity!), so your to-do lists that get checked off, and your mood gets lifted, when you are feeling the weight of that inbox on Monday morning.

Just remember: if it’s truly important, it will all get done!

eAssist Helpful News and Billing Tips; Edition #125