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Business News/ News / Business Of Life/  Let technology simplify your life
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Let technology simplify your life

Organize your work the smart way by putting your gadgets and apps to better use. Here are some tips and tricks

Decide how many devices to use, and carry only one if it can do the job. Photo: iStockphotoPremium
Decide how many devices to use, and carry only one if it can do the job. Photo: iStockphoto

PUNE :

Many management training sessions have been devised and books written to help you organize your work, prioritize tasks and schedule your day better. But there is usually one missing link in all this—technology. You may be wondering why a phone that claims to be smart, or a tablet at the workstation that claims to replace the PC effortlessly, are actually not getting more work done. The answer could be quite simple—you are probably not leveraging technology as a productivity tool as you deal with email overloads or run from one meeting to another.

Keep the baggage light

It is very easy to make the mistake of carrying too many gadgets, or too few. The question to ask is—do you really need to carry a phone and a tablet, for example, if one device can do the job? You may.

The trick is to plan beforehand and take stock of what you need to carry where, because one device may work for a lot of users, while others may still need two for separate purposes. Like Delhi-based Ambika Sharma, founder of Pulp Strategy, a digital marketing firm. “I go almost nowhere without my MacBook Pro and I am addicted to my iPhone 6 Plus—just love the battery life and big screen," she says.

Know what you need

A lot of people make the mistake of using a gadget for a task that it may be completely unsuited for. To buy a smartphone, tablet or, for that matter, any computing device that fits your usage perfectly, you need to identify the tasks that the gadget will be required to execute. Start by ticking the checklist—the size of the screen you find comfortable, processing power, portability, whether it has enough storage space for data, and how easy it is to use. “While choosing one, I generally look at its processor speed, storage and battery life," says Delhi-based Salil Kapoor, managing director of Hooq, a video-streaming service. He adds, “I love phablets—the wide screen helps in keeping track of work, play and entertainment, all in one single gadget."

The criteria will vary from person to person, so there is really no hard and fast rule. “I guess at one time I would have answered that processing power and design used to be vital; but now I would say ease of use is what I look for in a smartphone or computer," says Stockholm-based Bengt Rittri, chief executive officer at Blueair, a Swedish company that designs and manufactures indoor air purifiers.

Use a ‘second screen’

Multitasking is common, but the humble old PC or laptop can only provide so much flexibility of use. The “second screen" phenomenon, complementing the primary computing device, is catching on.

A study conducted by Forrester Consulting in May 2015 indicated that most users have figured out which device works best for them when it comes to executing a certain task—76% of people prefer using a PC for Web browsing, while 22% prefer a mobile device; 58% still prefer to use a PC for emails, while 39% now prefer accessing mails on their smartphones. “My second screen has to be my Xperia Z5 Premium smartphone, with a 5.5-inch nice big screen which I find very comfortable to use," says Delhi-based Kenichiro Hibi, managing director, Sony India. Kapoor picks his Android smartphone (he doesn’t say which, though) and Sharma votes for the iPhone 6 Plus as the preferred complementary devices to the PC in office. “I use my Apple iPhone 6 Plus as a natural extension of my computer. I also use the latest iPad Pro, which is a great size for working with on aeroplanes," says Rittri.

With their big screens and powerful processors, mobile devices ensure you don’t need to be tethered to the office PC, and have the flexibility of responding to mails, working on documents and preparing projects even when you are away from your workstation.

Choose the right apps

In the last two years, the app ecosystem has exploded, and it is not all Angry Birds or social networks. Productivity software is genuinely making lives easier—managing assignments, keeping track of projects, or simply communicating with colleagues.

Instant messengers (IMs) are usually considered fun apps, but they are also relevant in the corporate world. “WhatsApp is my instant communication tool with office colleagues and family," says Hibi. While WhatsApp is still geared more to individual use, some IM apps are specifically designed for office use. When paired with other productivity apps, they can make life a lot easier. “Slack is used for intra-office communication, WhatsApp is mainly to communicate with my family, friends and, sometimes, for office communication, and I prefer Google Calendar to track my meetings or appointments," says Kapoor.

As a first step, you can shift to an IM to communicate with colleagues—this comes with the additional benefit of preventing inbox clutter and email overload.

Companies are now using specialized apps. “For work, I can’t do without Basecamp (a project management tool); it keeps me up to speed with everything in office. We use Trello (a workflow management app), Jira (an issue-tracking app) and GitHub (for online project hosting for multiple developers to work together) for the technology functions," says Sharma.

Go offline to recharge the body

All this will make it easier to manage work. But try going offline sometimes—it’s one way of letting the mind and body relax. “Always try to have dedicated off-screen time and spend it thinking and communicating face to face with people," says Kapoor. This “offline" time is crucial. “I usually have a dedicated cut-off time, after which I avoid contact with any device," says Hibi.

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Published: 26 Jun 2016, 04:17 PM IST
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