For all their efficiencies, using computers can be a downright chore. Tasks like inputting contacts, making calendar appointments, and writing similar e-mail messages are time-consuming and repetitive.
However, you can work faster if you’re willing to invest time and even money into a handful of powerful tools for your computer, tablet, and smartphone. These tools are, frankly, ideal for power users, as they require effort to set up and configure. But once that’s done, you’ll be doing just about everything faster, literally.
So check out these apps ideal for busy entrepreneurs. I’ve chosen apps and tools available for the most common platforms, including iOS and Android.
Text Expansion Software
You’ll be amazed at how much faster and less tedious the simple task of typing becomes when you install a text expander onto your Mac or PC.
A text expander program enables you to set up system wide “snippets” that expand into words, sentences, and even entire documents when they’re typed. For example, if you work at a law firm and constantly need to type out “Cornelius, Stamford, Brethelson, Barbaro, & Boswell,” you can instead create a shortcut like “csbbb,” which will automatically expand. (Tip: For greater efficiency, use single-word shortcuts like “c” for the previous example.)
If nothing else, you’ll love having shortcuts for your e-mail address and other contact information.
Calendar Software
Inputting appointments can be a needlessly repetitive task, especially if you do the same thing many times over.
For instance, you may hold sales presentations that always happen at your office, always take the same amount of time, and are always given the same category within your calendar. Use a program with calendar templates to easily create tasks that have these and other fields already filled out.
Weekly Calendar is a great iPhone program ($1.99), while Pocket Informant is available for Android, iPhone and the web, with paid and free versions.
Doing Things on the Web
If you’re anything like me, you may literally have dozens of website logins. Keeping up all these can be more tedious than it should be. Browsers save and fill passwords, but don’t sync with other browsers. An Excel spreadsheet may be a handy reference, but having one with your passwords is a security risk.
Instead, I use the multi-platform 1Password, which is a paid app available for Mac, PC, iPhone, and Android. Passwords are synced across devices using Dropbox, and they’re encrypted for security.
Using 1Password on a Mac or PC, you can use a keyboard shortcut to both navigate to a website and fill out the login information in one step.
In addition, 1Password stores and fills out your credit card information and your contact information, making online purchases and web forms much less time-consuming and tedious.
Work on Any File, Anywhere
If you’re not already using Dropbox, start now! With all your files available online, you don’t need to travel to any particular computer to begin working on documents. You’ll save time by not e-mailing files to yourself, and it’s faster to share and collaborate on documents, as well. (Bonus: It’s lightning-fast on 4G phones.)
About Author
Ashlee McCullen is a staff writer for ApronAddicts.com, a site about fashionable aprons and kitchen style.
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