Digital spaces. Space optimization.
Computer, phone, browser, mail, messenger and other services are also your work or personal portable places in the digital environment. You can turn these tools into time wasters, or you can make them assistants and optimizers. My gadgets have experienced all the knowledge of time management with me, and below I will share tools and settings that will help optimize work with digital assistants.
Computer
1. Maintain naming and file order. You can use the search, but sooner or later you will forget the file name, and you will have to search manually. Set the structure and stick to it.
2. Use cloud storage. They allow you to work with files on your computer and make them available on other devices. Google, in addition to storage, provides many useful services: documents, tables, photos, forms, etc. Our storage by Mail and Yandex can be used to store files as well. They have free rates, and no one is stopping you from creating multiple accounts to get more free space.
3. Use a password memorization system. The most popular extra step on the Internet. If you often forget passwords, then you can use a password manager or come up with your own memorization system. With a password manager, it’s risky to keep eggs in one basket. In my opinion, the system of inventing passwords is more reliable, since it is in the head. Read about it separately, remember passwords and forget about their recovery.
4. Use the clipboard manager. A very cool feature that few people know about. Have you ever had this moment when you copied a text from work to send to a colleague, but suddenly a friend threw off a cool video, which urgently needs to be forwarded to friends? You copy the link to the video, send it to your friends, and you need to copy the text for a colleague again. With the help of clipboard managers, you can copy different information to the clipboard and paste it where you need with different keyboard shortcuts. The clipboard manager stores all the copied information, and you can always return to it without searching for the source. It makes my life a lot easier when working with documents and text.
5. Use window organization. I’m sure you haven’t learned all the window management functions on your computer yet. There are many standard functions and additional utilities for working with open windows. Study them depending on your operating system so that working with windows becomes more efficient.
6. Use screenshot software. Taking a picture of a piece of a computer or phone screen is an indispensable function. There are standard programs, but additional utilities have a little more functionality. I use the free Monosnap. It knows how to take screenshots, draw and write on them, upload to the cloud and issue a link. Even knows how to record videos. This is very convenient for asynchronous communication. Also pay attention to Loom. A cool service for recording a screen with your pretty face in a separate circle.
7. Use keyboard shortcuts. When I first played Counter-Strike, I aimed the mouse at the target for two minutes. Don’t be me when working at the computer. Learn at least the basic keyboard shortcuts to add speed and comfort to your work. Believe me, there are very convenient things, and you will quickly get used to it.
Browser
1. Organize your favorite links and folders. The browser can be found in any computer and is a separate entity where it is important to have order. Links that you need quick access to can be added to Favorites. They will be displayed in the panel under the browser’s address bar. When the space in the panel runs out, you can create folders for links. Make a logical grouping and put the most important thing in a prominent place. Use the reading list as a backlog. Create an account so that your folders and links can be easily deployed on a new computer or in another browser.
2. Set up the start page. It is better that the start page contains selected links and does not contain distractions. I have a new tab — this is a search bar with selected links. There are many extensions to customize the start pages for every taste. From beautiful backgrounds to the task list and the weather. Everything but not to see the news, because it’s harmful.
3. Group the tabs. If you are the person who has so many tabs open that it’s hard to get into them with the cursor, then try the tab grouping function in Chrome. For example, you compare products in different tabs or have opened many articles while studying. You can add tabs to a group and collapse it.
4. Use extensions. There are additional programs for browsers that work directly in them. They are called extensions. They help to link the browser with other services or make working on the Internet more comfortable. For example, a web clipper for saving information in Microsoft OneNote, AdBlock for blocking ads, Loom for recording video from the screen, etc. Type in the search for “Top browser extensions and name” and see what they are.
5. Use spell-checking websites. Let’s omit the reasons why you make mistakes in the words of your native or non-native language. There are sites where you can check the text before sending it, so as not to get into an awkward situation.
1. Create folders and configure rules. Previously, I used only labels to sort emails. They worked like an analogue of tags in Microsoft OneNote. Then I wanted the emails to be automatically collected into folders by senders, and I could quickly make all the emails read. For each sender, I created a folder and set up rules so that emails from a certain domain in the address immediately fall into the desired folder. I add emails to some folders manually. For example, emails with documents to store files in one folder. I rarely go to the mail, but I immediately see the leading folders in terms of content. If I notice that there is little useful stuff there, then I try to unsubscribe from the mailing list. All emails that do not get into folders are usually spam and are blacklisted.
2. Set up mail collection in one mailbox. If you use several mailboxes for different purposes or cloud storage, then spend 10 minutes setting up automatic collection of emails from all mailboxes into one.
3. Use temporary mailboxes. If you don’t want to use your mailbox to register on a fishy site and collect all the spam in the world, then use the “Temporary Mail”. There are sites where you can get a temporary address and get a letter to it there. No registrations and passwords are needed.
4. Use templates. If you have to write the same information often, then save the template so that you don’t have to type the text every time. Use delayed sending to schedule the sending of emails in advance. For example, schedule a dispatch in the morning so that the letter is first in the recipient’s list at the beginning of the working day.
Phone.
1. Set up the home screen. The phone will most often be the conductor of incoming information to your GTD. Therefore, access to applications should be convenient and fast. The most important ones should be on the first screen, within the radius of the thumb movement. They must be accessed on a locked screen, and widgets installed.
2. Group the applications. People are divided into two types. Those who have several screens full of application icons, and those who put them in folders. I’m one of the second. Grouping applications by folders makes it easier to navigate, and everything fits on fewer screens. As with things, do not allow clutter. Delete unused applications, and put everything like “may be useful” in a separate folder.
3. Remove social networks. This is entertainment that you should attend whenever you wish, not when you get another push. Using them should be like listening to records, and not like endless broadcasting of the streaming service of the same songs directly into the ears. Choose the time, take out the record, set up the player and listen. Get rid of these time wasters or make access as difficult as possible. Can’t cope, and really want to go through the feed? Study the topic of the FOMO effect or read the book “Digital Minimalism” by Cal Newport.
4. Turn off notifications. This has already been discussed in the section about time management. Disable all notifications except for important contacts and services.
5. Set the “Do not disturb” mode. Set up a schedule when there are no calls and notifications. So, you will not be able to wake up with a night call or get distracted during an important event. If you are afraid that people will be looking for you, and you are not in touch, then warn your friends and family to call more than twice. In the “Do not disturb” mode, you can configure the mode to turn off after a second call.
6. Set up “Night Mode”. After sunset, it changes the display colors to the warmer edge of the spectrum to reduce eye strain. Take care of your eyesight, you will be less tired and fall asleep better.
7. Put a rising melody on the alarm clock. As a child, my least favorite phrase was “Semyon, get up.” That’s how my mom woke me up for school. It’s the same story with all the standard alarm ringtones. Put a pleasant melody with increasing volume that will wake you up gradually, without harsh sounds and stress.
8. Optimize the settings for battery saving. They say that taxi services inflate the price when you call a taxi from a discharged phone. Do not overpay, and also do not be a hostage of charging or powerbank. Disable optional settings and functions that affect the phone’s battery.
9. Set up autopayments. It’s better to set up autopayments for everything, but it’s important to keep track of what’s active and inactive. I enter autopayments in Microsoft To Do as recurring tasks and mark when they are completed.
10. Configure keyboard shortcuts. You can assign the phrase “Happy birthday” to the combination of letters “hbdy” and never type these words manually again. You can do the same with your email, position, company description and any information that takes a long time to type manually. You can also set up auto-correction and predictive typing. I strongly advise you to study the work with typing more deeply, since we work with it very often in life and at work.
Messenger
1. Use Telegram. You can choose any messenger, if it is Telegram. In addition to security, cool UX and cross-platform, it has useful features, bots, integrations and folders. If you don’t use it, then I highly recommend it. When it was first blocked, I was even scared for a minute and worried that I would have to switch to WhatsApp or others.
2. Put chats into folders. A super feature that has been waited for a very long time in Telegram. For example, you can collect work chats in the “Work” folder. Easily see “Personal”, “New” and “Unread” messages separately. It is very convenient and helps to fight chaos if you subscribe to many channels.
3. Use the Saved channel for notes. Create channels on topics where you are the only participant. Like folders in mail. Forward messages or publications of a certain subject there. For example, I keep important publications about education and product development in separate channels. So, I have a certain knowledge base that I can access through the search.
4. Set up notifications. You can turn off notifications and leave them only in the most important chats, channels or contacts. This way you can read the rest of the chats when it’s convenient for you, and don’t miss the important ones. Set up a message counter on the Telegram icon. Let it count unread chats, not messages, so that the number on the icon does not put pressure on you. Don’t worry that you won’t be in touch for everyone. Whoever needs it will call. This is our cruel world.
Useful apps
There are many programs for all devices and services that help optimize time and resources. Follow the productivity blogs. There is always news about new services and life hacks on their use. You will definitely discover something useful. For example:
● Feedly — collects news from different sources into one feed;
● Pocket — saves content from anywhere in memory and provides access without the Internet;
● Coinkeeper — helps to keep track of finances;
● Must — answers the question of what to watch without the agony of choice;
● TextGrabber — recognizes text from photos;
● Wallet — stores discount cards in your phone.
The list can go on for a long time. There are a lot of such programs and applications. Use them in your life and work scenarios for optimization. I touched on the basics, but digital spaces are the whole universe. Start with the basics, and over time you will form your own set of tools and approaches.
