Tech Products You Should Have

Anyone who owns a smartphone knows it can run through a battery in less than a day with all the mobile applications and communication software.. So I carry a backup battery charger everywhere. The Digital Treasures ChargeIt Universal 3600mAh Power Bank is a great choice to consider and only $30 on Amazon. Cloud based storage is also a must to have in the digital age so that you will not lose any of those important files. And why risk it when cloud-based storage options are so widely available and cheap? One of the best bargains is Google Drive, which is free for the first 15 GB of storage and $1.99 per month ($23.88 per year) for up to 100GB. (You can also get 1TB for $9.99 per month or $119.88 per year.) You can use it to sync files between all of your devices and access your files from anywhere. Electric toothbrushes work better than manual ones. Not only does brushing with an electric toothbrush leave your teeth feeling cleaner, according to a report by The Cochrane Collaboration Oral Health Group, it also reduces plaque and the risk of contracting gingivitis, an early stage periodontal disease that affects 50 percent of adults.

Be More Productive

In this world, we need to figure out a way to work smarter and not harder. It is important to get the most out of your time so that there is a lot more time for the things you love. One of the best tips is to find the three most important things that need to get done, such as finishing that web development project, and do those first thing in the morning because otherwise you will get too busy and run out of time. As far as to-do lists go, it might help to write out everything that needs to be done the night before so that you can just jump right in in the morning. My most recent and favorite change to my to-do list has been separating my "today" list from a master list of everything I need to get done. I often feel anxious about all the things I know I need to do at some point -- I need to write them down somewhere so I don't forget them, otherwise I worry about when they'll get done. But I don't want these cluttering up my list for today. That will just make today seem busier than it is. The whole idea of working smarter, rather than harder, comes from the problem many of us have of putting in more and more hours, only to find we don't get more done. We want to find methods of being more productive in less time. One way to go about this is to adjust the way we measure productivity.

Paperless

So here is the new year and how far have you gotten with all those resolutions? The new year also usually means a clean slate and the perfect time to get all the documents organized especially with tax season right around the bend. More things, such as internet faxing, are going digital this year and in the coming years so it might be a good idea to make the transition now. Of course there are a lot of concerns such as whether it is safe and what about taxes. So how to go about it? A strong backup system is required – either an external backup drive or cloud storage (like Google Drive or Dropbox) or better yet, both. Other necessary tools are a fast document scanner, a flatbed Multi-Function Printer (MFP) for scanning bulky items, a paper shredder and a program that will turn all those scanned documents into PDF files, the standard file format for archiving documents.The key to making this process easy is setting up a simple workflow that becomes habit. A good filing system ensures you can find everything later, which is another IRS requirement. You must be able to produce your records upon request, just as with paper. Scan everything, but also store in paper form official certified documents and anything with a raised seal, such as notarized documents, deeds, wills, title documents, trust documents, birth/death certificates. Other candidates for paper are short-term items you want at your fingertips, like flyers, clippings, and catalogs. Or, keep your desk pristine by scanning those short-term notes into your “delete by” folder.

Protecting Internet Accounts

Security experts say passwords for more than 2 million Facebook, Google and other accounts have been compromised and circulated online. When a malicious hacker gets a password to one account, it’s often a stepping stone to a more serious breach, especially because many people use the same passwords on multiple accounts. So if someone breaks into your Facebook account, that person might try the same password on your banking or Amazon account. Suddenly, it’s not just about fake messages being posted to your social media accounts. It’s about your hard-earned money. So do not use the same passwords for email, banks, and internet phone services. Another thing you can do to protect yourself is to make the passwords long and use a combination of letters and symbols while avoiding words that are in the dictionary. Lastly, it is important to change the password regularly.

Technology These Days

We don’t yet know what, if any, the implications will be for a generation coming of age in a digital era, and the question fills even the most tech-savvy among us with a mixture of wonder and trepidation. I grew up knowing what it was like not to be in front of a glowing screen and not being able to get online. Or in the process of getting online, there were all kinds of beeps and whirrs that resulted in not being able to use the land line. These days most people do not even have a home phone because cell phones and other internet phone services have replaced the need for a land line. It is true the pervasiveness of technology is shaping us, whether or not we like it — but perhaps it is also true that comparing the future with an outdated past is not going to beget any reliable answers anytime soon. Do you feel that technology has shaped your life in a negative or positive way? It is something that we cannot live without nor avoid in our lives. Socrates once railed on and on about how writing is going to ruin humanity because people will not need to remember things if they simply write them down. Clearly, there is more to the written word than he thought.

Time Savers

When you opened that new smartphone and smelled the sweet smell of the amazing phone services, did you ever once think about opening the instructions to find out how to use it? I thought so. The most amazing technological advances for everyday life would never see the light of day if the interface needed instructions. You only have to accidentally hit the space bar once to notice the webpage you are reading then scrolls down. We really do not need a 30-second voicemail prompt to tell us how to leave a message. Regardless of what industry you're in or what product of service you are selling, the key to success is connecting your brand with your customers. Every point of contact must be choreographed. Your customers must feel that you understand the way they think. So, any thoughts on these time saving technologies?

Going to Work Sick

Admit it, how many times a year do you go to work sick when you know you should have stayed home simply because you know that you cannot miss a day or getting that day's pay? The average adult gets a cold about two or three times a year, with each one lasting up to a week, or sometimes longer. Even though it can be tempting to go to work while you're sick, there are many reasons why you are better off staying home. First of all, you will get other people sick and they will not be entirely grateful for that present. Secondly, pushing yourself and working too much in the early stages of illness may actually prolong your recovery time. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to colds. If you must show up to work, disinfect touched objects such as phones systems, doorknobs, and computer keyboards, and consider avoiding sharing items such as pens.