Surprising predictions part 4

 The Magic of Macs: How to Make Technology Work for You

Technology can be complicated and intimidating, but luckily, it doesn’t have to be! The key to using technology successfully is to not only know how to use it, but also how to make it work for you. From saving time and energy with your favorite apps and programs to choosing the right tools that match your needs and preferences, this guide on how to make technology work for you will help you turn those apps and programs into valuable tools that save you time and get more done at work.

Simplify

We live in a world filled with complicated computer systems, phones, and other devices. While our tech makes life easier in many ways, it can also get complex quickly. Luckily, we can use simplification techniques to regain control over our gadgets and set clear limits on how technology functions in our lives. Here are some tips that will help you gain command over your tech and make it work for you. 

Remove Unnecessary Apps - In order to simplify your life, it’s important to remove any unnecessary apps from your phone or tablet. This means identifying any unused apps or ones you rarely use, then getting rid of them. By ridding yourself of these apps, you free up space on your device and reduce distractions that can lead to smartphone addiction. 

Adjust Your Screen Time - While we all need a little screen time in our lives, too much can lead to tech overload and distraction. To simplify your life, try adjusting your phone or tablet’s settings so you’re only getting notifications at certain times of day. For example, you might set it up so that you only get alerts during work hours or when family members are trying to reach you. 

Reclaim Your Calendar - It’s easy to let your calendar become overrun with meetings and appointments—and then feel stressed out when there isn’t enough room on your schedule. To simplify your life, try removing any unnecessary events from your calendar and making sure you only have one or two appointments per day. This will help you stay focused, reduce stress, and make sure you have time to relax at home or enjoy hobbies outside of work. 

Set Limits - In order to simplify your life, it’s important to set limits on how much time you spend on technology each day.

Cut out Paper Clutter

Go digital! Scan all your printed documents into your computer. Then create folders on your desktop that are categorized by type (e.g., invoices, bills, receipts). Organize them into subfolders if necessary. For example, you could have one folder that contains only tax-related items and another folder with just business expenses. Access these folders at any time and you’ll never have a Where did I put that? moment ever again! It also helps keep things tidy—and not to mention organized—when you can see everything at once instead of sifting through a pile of papers. In addition, many scanner apps will let you upload your files directly to cloud storage or other online storage sites like Dropbox or Google Drive. This way, they’re accessible from anywhere. And it couldn’t be easier than saving everything in its place digitally! Just remember to make regular backups of your hard drive too. There’s nothing worse than losing an entire year’s worth of receipts due to a hard drive crash! If you do end up filing paper copies, consider getting a filing cabinet with wheels so you can easily move it around when needed. Or get two filing cabinets and stack them on top of each other—this is great for creating extra storage space underneath. If there’s no room in your office or home office, use a spare closet; otherwise invest in some plastic shelving units that are easy to assemble. Use them as extra storage space! Most importantly, always label your files clearly with what’s inside. Otherwise you might find yourself digging through boxes of old photos looking for a receipt from last week...which was filed under miscellaneous.

Organize Efficiently

Embrace your inner neat freak by keeping things organized. This not only helps you find things faster but it also calms your mind and helps you sleep better at night. First, create a workspace that is specifically designed for work and then schedule time each day to sit in it. Clear off everything else (there are plenty of office supply stores that sell storage containers) and spend some time getting used to how everything looks so that you can keep it organized once it's been set up. Keep only a laptop, notebook, pen/pencil/marker, and reading material in your space as these are essential tools you will use every day—you can always bring other items from home if necessary or go get them once you're at work. Lastly, when it comes to technology, don't be afraid to ditch all non-essentials. If you have too many apps on your phone and they just aren't helpful anymore, delete them! The same goes for social media accounts; take an hour out of your week and delete any accounts that aren't adding value to your life. It might seem like a lot of work now but in just one month you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner! #1 Tip: Figure out what your goals are and make sure you're tracking progress toward those goals daily. Be specific about what you want to accomplish and make sure you know exactly how much time you need to complete each task. Having goals means nothing if there isn't accountability behind them! It doesn't matter if people think what you're doing is silly or crazy—the most important thing is that YOU believe in yourself enough to give it a shot! After all, self-confidence trumps intelligence every single time.

Customize your experience

As you use a Mac, you’ll notice that it adapts to your preferences, making it feel as though it’s doing all of the work. This is something called personalization—and you can take full advantage of it by enabling custom options that best fit your working style. You can customize your Dock icons, rearrange menu bar items, set up gestures and create keyboard shortcuts—all without downloading any new apps. To make technology work for you, begin with customization on your Apple device! 

Your screen will also be much more functional if you adjust its brightness manually. In fact, research shows that staring at a bright screen before bedtime leads to an earlier release of melatonin (the sleep hormone) than does dimming your screen before going to bed. So whenever possible, save visual interest for daytime hours and use shades or curtains at night so you can relax in darkness when evening rolls around. And because we spend so much time near our devices these days, make sure they’re not too close: Experts recommend keeping them 18 inches away from your face when looking at them—though further is even better if it feels comfortable to you! If they aren't too bright at night, avoid using screens two hours before bedtime in order to ensure quality rest. Your computer will automatically go into sleep mode after a period of inactivity. But if you don’t want to wait for it to do so, try putting your device into airplane mode instead. That way, no incoming notifications will wake up your computer as long as you leave Wi-Fi turned off (which keeps all internet activity on standby). 

When you take breaks while working on your computer, keep moving by taking short walks or stretching during commercials while watching TV. This can help prevent neck pain and carpal tunnel syndrome caused by repetitive motions like typing and mouse clicking—and it might just clear up some space in your mind as well!

Take advantage of multiple screens

There are plenty of times that a second screen can come in handy. For example, if you're reviewing a Word document and need to quickly get info from another page, or if you're editing an image in Photoshop and want to view other documents next to it. Having dual screens lets you multitask like never before. Many people aren't aware that their laptops are able to connect an external monitor via either a HDMI or VGA cable. If your laptop doesn't have these ports, there's usually an adapter available at most electronics stores. If you've got a desktop computer, chances are good that it has more than one display port on its back panel (or front panel). All you'll need is an adapter to hook up your laptop's display. Once everything is connected, just go into your system preferences and select Displays then Arrangement. From here, you'll be able to choose how many displays will be active and which ones will show what content. To see what each option looks like, hover over each icon until a preview pops up. Note that some operating systems may not support multiple monitors out of the box, but they can still be set up by following tutorials online. While Apple computers are generally thought to do well with multiple monitors because they use graphics processors instead of central processing units (CPUs), Windows machines often perform better when running several applications simultaneously—especially those with demanding 3D graphics capabilities. This is largely due to Windows' superior multi-tasking capabilities.

Get help from apps.

Technology can make life easier, so why not learn about how to use it? Try out some apps and find what you like. If you’re still stumped, there are countless resources available online and many companies offering remote support services. In other words, there is no shame in turning to others for help; technology is meant to solve problems and make life simpler—if it doesn’t, something’s gone wrong. Check out our previous post on how technology can benefit your business by clicking here. We've also provided a link below to more information regarding apps that will get you started! Click here for more information. 

Apps are one way to gain a better understanding of how you want to use technology as well as tips on optimizing its usefulness in everyday life. For example, if you find yourself looking at social media multiple times during the day, try out an app thathatthathattt blocks sites from distracting websites or helps limit screen time. Be sure to check out our list below for some useful options. Also be sure to explore all settings and options with any new device or platform - it's easy to overlook certain functionality because we become accustomed to seeing things work one way over time.

Use your software smartly.

Computers are some of the most advanced tools on Earth, and they’re also quite possibly one of humanity’s biggest time-savers. But how do you use them smartly? Computer software can be intimidating if you don’t know where to start or what each tool does. And it isn’t just new users who feel lost; there’s a reason we have beginner guides for computers. Even so, don't worry about that. Just take a look at these guides and see if any software appeals to you—because now is as good a time as any to jump in with both feet. Here are some common computer functions that might help get you started on your smart computing journeyjourneyjourneyjourney ... __________________________________________ _

...and if you find yourself overwhelmed by all of these possibilities, maybe consider getting an Apple laptop. It will save you a lot of trouble! (Just kidding!)... but seriously, why not try using an Apple laptop? The touch screen technology will make using technology much easier than ever before! Just think about how convenient it would be to click things without having to lift up your hands from their comfortable typing position. Wow! That's pretty cool... and definitely worth considering when shopping around for laptops! They're easy to learn too - even kids can figure out how to use Apple laptops in no time! They're practically intuitive machines! So what are you waiting for? Get one today! And don't forget to download some of those software programs that might help with your business planning! Good luck!

...and if you find yourself overwhelmed by all of these possibilities, maybe consider getting an Apple laptop. It will save you a lot of trouble! (Just kidding!)... but seriously, why not try using an Apple laptop? The touch screen technology will make using technology much easier than ever before! Just think about how convenient it would be to click things without having to lift up your hands from their comfortable typing position. Wow! That's pretty cool... and definitely worth considering when shopping around for laptops! They're easy to learn too - even kids can figure out how to use Apple laptops in no time!