4 Tech Tricks To Improve Your Life

Create some new habits that can save you time and make you more productive.

Technology makes things a whole lot easier, but sometimes it can still be a pain to sort through loads of data and emails just to realize that the file you were looking for isn't there. It might seem like the technology is making things more difficult when you are struggling to sort through hundreds of emails and getting stuck doing repetitive tasks for what feels like an eternity.

Getting the most out of your technology will make you more effective and productive at work. And, as you probably know, staying organized and having access to your data is much more important when you are looking for a job. But, there are plenty of tips and tools that can help make you life easier and keep you working more efficiently.

Many of us are still learning how to make the most of the technology we have access to and aren't aware of some of the brilliantly useful shortcuts that are built right into our computers. To help you out, here are some tech tips to improve your life:

• Work faster without your mouse – Keyboard shortcuts are a lifesaver. They may not feel comfortable at first, but once you get used to them, they will save you tons of time. My favorite shortcuts are:
  • Ctrl-S to save a document.
  • Ctrl-T to open a new tab, or Ctrl-Click to open a link in a new tab.
  • Ctrl-C to copy
  • Ctrl-V to paste
  • Alt-Tab to cycle through all open windows
  • Windows-F launches the search tool
  • Windows-D minimizes all windows to show the desktop

• Use your camera phone as your personal photographic memory- Just about everyone has a camera in their cell phone these days. You may not have thought of it, but you can use the camera to help you remember everything. For example, you can take a picture of the sign in the parking garage so you will remember where you parked, take a picture of the item in the store you want to research later, take pictures of ads in sales papers before you go shopping or even snap photos of business cards, receipts and phone numbers. It is easier than writing them down, you don't need a pen and you won't lose the information.
  
  
• Consolidate email addresses with Gmail – Managing multiple email addresses can take up a lot of time. Consider creating a Gmail account. Gmail works as an email client and as an email host. It has a built in email fetcher, and can monitor the inbox on up to 5 additional email accounts. The best part is that you can even send email from your non-Gmail accounts directly from the Gmail compose screen. Just toggle the “from” address and the email will route from the selected account.
  
  
• Use Google Calendar to keep up with appointments and birthdays – The Google calender is easy to work with and will send you reminders about upcoming events via SMS text messages or email messaging. When you get emails in your Gmail account inviting you to an event or confirming an appointment, Google even prompts you to add the event to your calender.

Source:

PC World

What are your favorite time saving tech tricks? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.