Imagine the things you could accomplish with two extra hours every week. Only two! Think a few more now. One of the main elements to achieving a better work-life integration is finding more spare time. Unfortunately, the majority of us struggle to balance between work and leisure, rushing to complete tasks at work while juggling responsibilities at home. According to ValuePenguin, “More than 84% of Americans experience considerable stress at least once per workweek, which is not surprising.”
Adding more hours to your workday is not the answer. Therefore, whether you love technology or detest it, it might play a role in helping you reclaim some of your weekly time. Here are 5 tech hacks to improve work-life integration.
1. Configure email filters
The emails that would arrive in our inbox in an ideal world are the ones we require. The reality, however, is different. Being overwhelmed by a loaded email may be both stressful and a major waste of time. You can save time by creating email filters or, better yet, by utilizing email management like Clean Email or SaneBox to automatically sort your email. You can automatically create labels, filters, or folders with the majority of email service providers. Many allow you to set rules. Some people even color-code their emails.
You must go to your email provider's settings area to make changes. Additionally, email managers need some setup time. Flexibility and features are the main differences between your email service provider and an email manager. More capable email managers exist. However, if you don't require all the bells and whistles, the services provided by your email provider may be sufficient.
2. Schedule meetings automatically
A Dialpad survey conducted in 2022 found that 83% of professionals spend between 4 and 12 hours a week in meetings. Consider how many emails were exchanged to schedule those meetings. It makes sense to use a meeting availability calendar because it reduces coordination time significantly. If you work on a team, find out from your team leader if the office has a calendaring system.
Offices frequently utilize Google Calendar or an equivalent system. A built-in feature of Google Calendar allows coworkers to view one other's availability. Similar scheduling visibility is provided by Outlook.
OpenGrowth Hub is a wonderful tool, it enables you to communicate your availability to others inside and outside your organization. To make it simple for anyone who wants to meet with you to choose a time and schedule, you offer a URL with pre-determined meeting times. You automatically receive a meeting notification and the information is connected to your calendar.
3. Make use of your computer's talk-to-type feature
Using speech recognition software will enable you to take notes, create outlines, and do much more quickly. You can dictate emails or other documents using the talk-to-type feature on your computer. Though voice recognition software has advanced significantly, it still has flaws. This function works best for first writing, taking notes, and brainstorming.
4. Manage your passwords securely
You are aware of how time-consuming it may be if you've ever had to go through the process of changing your password. You can sign in securely and easily with a password manager that has an autofill feature. The majority interact with any browser, saving you many hours spent trying to figure things out or being shut out of what your tasks for the day.
5. Make things easier by hiring someone else
Weekday dinners, including planning, shopping, preparing, and cooking, can consume a significant amount of time in an already busy schedule. If you frequently find yourself rushing to the supermarket or spending 30 minutes chopping veggies, purchasing already prepared food can be a fantastic solution. The majority of people think this means spending a lot of money, but that's not always the case now. Freshly or Veestro pre-cooked meals can be purchased for less than $12 per plate. They are freshly prepared and brought to your door ready to reheat.
Our most valuable resource is time. We cannot get our time back once we have spent it. According to Gallup, “48% of Americans claim to not have enough time to do what they want to”. Try one of these applications to gain control over your time. Just keep in mind that there will be a little learning curve and that you will need to spend some time becoming familiar with the bells and whistles. Because of this, check for apps with excellent customer service reviews or phone assistance.
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