SmallBizResource Blog -- Productivity

Getting Through the Workday: Life Hacker to the Rescue

Posted by Naomi Grossman Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008, 09:02 AM ET

Anyone running a small business knows it's the seemingly "little" things -- the unintuitive spreadsheets, the complicated file storing system, the daily calendar that won't sync with anything -- that uses up so much of your precious time. But there is always a better way to do things -- and chances are Life Hacker knows what it is.

If you don't know about Life Hacker, you should. The site is chock full of tips, resources and downloads that will help you do pretty much everything you do during your workday, faster, easier, and cheaper.

It's got the lowdown on free apps, tips on making Windows navigation simpler, and mobile tools you should know about.

The site's founding editor and lead blogger, Gina Trapani, was interviewed by The New York Times' Marci Alboher and her answers demonstrate why the site has become the "go-to source for people who have become overwhelmed by the demands and complexities of modern technology," as Alboher says.

Trapani extols the virtues of keyboard shortcuts, how to write a successful to-do list (Hint: Make it a "do-able to-do list" by breaking things down into tasks), and the highs and lows of cloud computing.

A program called KeePass gets a shout out from Trapani to manage the myriad of passwords we all have and can never remember. As is true of many of Life Hacker's tips, the program is free (and compatible with both Mac and PCs).

As someone running a small business out of her home office, Trapani also speaks to the "blurry work" life of always being in the office.

Her approach here is similarly sensible: "I have to turn off the phone's ringer when I'm ending the day so that I can cook dinner with my family. I have to make deals with myself. I've had days so busy that I have to set alarms as a reminder for myself. "Okay, 10-minute warning: You have to get ready for dinner or leave for the gym." Not only do I have a blurry work life, but I'm chronically running late and think I can change the world in 10 minutes. If I could, I would attach electric volts to my computer chair to prevent that one last post, one last e-mail."

And, of course, for all her productivity tips and tools, Trapani knows that there is still no magic solution: "I wish people would stop asking for that one productivity gadget that will solve all their problems. The bad news is that if you want to get and stay organized it takes sustained effort with imperfect tools and creating new habits over a span of time."

Life Hacker won't solve all your workday problems but it just might help make your day easier and more productive.

Internet | Productivity | Software