6 useful life admin tools you’re probably not using

You’re up early and you’re almost ready for work. You’ve eaten, packed lunch, your teeth are brushed, bag is packed, you’re leaving on time and you’re pretty sure you have nailed it today. A quick pat of your pockets and a moment’s hesitation before you shut the door, you’re sure you’ve got everything. It isn’t until you get to work that you realise you’re computer bag is sitting on the dining room table. I’m sure this sounds familiar to most.

We all have lives jam-packed with work obligations, places to be, things to remember and not enough time to get it all done. The last thing you need when juggling a number of tasks is to forget something important. At Mobile Computer Services our computer support experts believe that a number of our clients are under utilising the many helpful online life admin and organisational tools that computers and mobile devices can provide. We have put together a list of six of our favourite computer admin tools that would make your life a lot more organised (and a lot easier).

Get Googling

Google offers a number of services that offer automation, ease of access and organisation to our lives. Did you know that Google has its own office style documents, file drive and calendar within its email account? Keep a calendar in Google to share with your family, share a Google sheet with your husband for the family budget, or keep family photos in the Google Drive for easy shareability. Any of the documents created and stored in the Google Drive can be viewed across devices (they have handy apps too) and updated by a number of people (with permission) for collaboration. How handy!

Sunrise

If you find Google’s calendar a little basic then the Sunrise calendar could be a better option for you. The calendar application syncs with Google calendar and iCal. It is supported by a number of third party applications like Facebook and Asana. It’s available as a web application, an iPhone app and on Android and it is completely free. The app makes organising events easy with the inclusion of features like recurring appointments, alerts, birthdays, Google Maps directions and reminders.

OneDrive

There are a number of ways to set up an easy method of sharing files at home. Windows OneDrive or HomeGroup allows for file sharing, collaboration and schedules that are synced across devices. Alternatively setting up a dropbox, using google docs, or enabling family sharing using iOS will all allow for files, photos and music to be shared seamlessly between devices on the home network. It’s also a handy way to keep track of your children’s activity online. One of our computer support specialists can set up file sharing for you and your family.

Lastpass

The free app for your Android or iPhone, LastPass, saves your passwords in one convenient place. Password protected itself, the app syncs across Mac and Windows, your phone and internet browsers to save you having to remember login and form information. For those concerned about safety, LastPass encrypts all of your information and a two-factor authentication process means that even if somebody knows your LastPass password they still can’t access your info.

Wunderlist

This may seem like an easy one but writing a to-do list before a busy day will ensure nothing is forgotten. If you find pen and paper to be a little too old school, take advantage of Wunderlist. This free app will not only allow you to create your own mobile to-do list but you can also share, assign tasks and create lists for others. That way you can make sure your kids know their chores and your partner knows what groceries you need for dinner.

Waze

There’s nothing worse than when you’re on your way somewhere and you’re made late by stand still traffic. When it comes to getting the kids to school, getting to a meeting or making it to an appointment wouldn’t it be great if you could just use your spidey senses to avoid traffic? With Waze, an application for Android and iPhone you can. The app is free and it is a community based navigation app. Users share real-time traffic info to help others avoid congested areas. Make sure you’re using a hands free phone holder when in the car.

Implementing some of these easy and helpful organisation methods can declutter your life.

There are so many tools available that have been designed to reduce stress in our lives, it would be silly not to jump onboard the tech train and start automating the easy stuff.

If you need a little extra assistance syncing your calendars, setting up a home network or enabling file sharing capabilities, get in touch with one of our computer support experts at Mobile Computer Services. We can come to your place and give you a hand with organising your life online. Simply give us a call to organise a time convenient for you.