| Technology is a beautiful thing. Use it wisely! Here | | | | the highway?), record an important conversation, |
| are a few tips to getting your technology to | | | | create product by interviewing experts or being |
| work for your optimum success. | | | | interviewed (for phone recordings, you'll need a |
| Get a backup, get a backup, get a backup. Need I | | | | $10 doo-dad from RadioShack that lets you plug |
| say more? If you put out a lot of content set it | | | | the recorder to your phone. For this you need at |
| up back up every day, if not once a week should | | | | least 1 corded phone) or create a recording every |
| be fine. And don't rely on your memory to do it | | | | time you speak in public (the big gurus make |
| either... look for a zip drive that has software that | | | | gazillions with this one use of the digital recorder |
| automatically does it for you. I like the IOmega | | | | alone). Not bad for a gadget that runs you less |
| drives (their 80 gig drive is perfect for most | | | | than $200. Olympus, the industry leader, has |
| systems and at $99.95 is affordable) You can find | | | | several new models that not only act as a digital |
| it here | | | | recorder but as an mp3 player as well. Check out |
| Label your peripherals wires. Sure, you know | | | | the WS-310M here. |
| what it's for now, but after a while your digital | | | | Keep your computer "clean." I set up a monthly |
| recorder wire, digital camera wire, webcam wire | | | | recurring appointment to clean out any programs |
| and all of those other ones start to look an awful | | | | I don't use that might be taking up memory |
| lot alike. | | | | unnecessarily, plus to archive or delete old |
| Get a nice big Ziploc bag and stuff it full of all | | | | documents I no longer regularly use. Keeping your |
| your software, then put it in a safe place. You | | | | computer "lean" makes it go faster and makes |
| know that disk that came with your computer | | | | finding things easier... saving you days, weeks or |
| when you bought it and you've never used? Well, | | | | even months of your life that you would |
| wait til the day you can't download something | | | | otherwise spend slogging through tons of |
| from your digital recorder without it (this has | | | | information you don't need. |
| happened to me!). All of a sudden it is your lifeline. | | | | Create a Parking Lot. Do you get a lot of ideas? |
| Keep an extra AC adapter for your laptop. When | | | | Do they end up on scraps of paper or strangely |
| my wire frayed and I contacted my computer's | | | | named documents you later can't understand at |
| manufacturer, they advised me that they don't | | | | all (if you can find them?) Your ideas are valuable |
| carry them for the "old" models. How old? Just | | | | and if you're managing your time wisely, you |
| over 18 months. | | | | know you can't work on them all know. Create a |
| Keep a folder with all your manuals and call it | | | | "Parking Lot" file and keep 2 sub-files in it: "Ideas" |
| "Electronics Manuals." If you're figuring you won't | | | | and "To Complete," (fragments of articles, |
| need that manual you won't... until you have an | | | | programs, etc.). In a third "Inspiration" folder you |
| important presentation in 3 hours and your printer | | | | can also keep articles, blog entries and e-mails |
| is spitting magenta ink at you. Keep it. You'll read | | | | that give you an idea for something you could be |
| it some day and chances are when you need it | | | | doing. Technology can be tremendously useful in |
| you'll need it in a hurry. Make it easy to find. | | | | keeping you productive and on track. |
| Your phone will be your best friend. If your | | | | Be diligent about keeping your contacts in order. |
| business is running like you want it to, you'll be on | | | | Set up a time each day, or at the least, each |
| the phone many hours of the day. Splurge for | | | | week to input the scraps of paper you collect into |
| one that sounds great and has a good battery life. | | | | your information database. Phone numbers, |
| A headset can save you lots of neck pain. You | | | | addresses, e-mail addresses, business cards, etc., |
| can't go wrong with almost anything from | | | | should be all in one place where you can search |
| Plantronics. I like my Plantronics MX500 with my | | | | them electronically. I use Outlook and find it just |
| Panasonic cordless phones. The Plantronics stays | | | | fine for my purposes. Some people prefer ACT! |
| with me and there are 3 Panasonics (I use a | | | | Software. Find it here: |
| Panasonic Triple Talk) so it is virtually impossible to | | | | And finally... step away from the computer, the |
| be without at least 1 charged phone. Find the | | | | phone and the recorder and go get some fresh |
| headset here. | | | | air! Technology is a beautiful thing but it is just a |
| Invest in a good digital recorder. They are | | | | tool that doesn't replace real, personal |
| versatile and easy to use. You can use them to | | | | communication and freedom. Let it work for you |
| capture ideas as they come to you (why is it that | | | | and it can create magic. |
| all good ideas come when you're doing 60 mph on | | | | |