Let People Schedule Meetings with You with Tungle.me

If you’re too busy to respond to those emails asking “When is a good time to meet” try Tungle.me.  This app integrates with your  calendar (Google, Outlook, iCal, Facebook, and others) and shows when you’re busy and free.

A cool built in “Schedule a Meeting” feature allows co-workers, clients, families, friends, and anyone with your Tungle.me url to request a meeting during a time they know you’re free.

Filed under: Office, Personal, Social

Get Your News Faster with NewsRack

NewsRack is an iOS feed reader.

For those of us who still read RSS feed I found this app makes browsing through my feeds a lot faster.  Some of the features I really like:

1. Left and right keys toggle you between the feed list and feed article.
2. You can see the list of feeds and the article at the same time.
3. Only $7.99 from the mac store
4. Has tabs so you can open multiple articles at once (or click through links in articles)
5. Opens article in a webkit (I think) browser in the app
6. It even has integration with Delicious!!! (Something I didn’t know till I downloaded it)

Some of the minor inconveniences I’ve noticed:

1. Have to login to delicious (and any other site) every time app launches
2. Read articles listing doesn’t scroll when you navigate with keyboard (like Google Read)

Overall I think this is a great desktop app for getting through our web news a bit faster.  If you’ve used it, let me know what you think!

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Tools

Outlook Tasks (for Mac)

I recently moved into a working environment that uses Outlook. Not my choice of email clients, but in the name of trying out new things I started playing with the Task’s in Outlook.

So far, here are a few things I like:

• Shortcut to create a new task (command + N)
• Can set deadlines and reminders for taks
• Has a follow up feature
• Has a nice date picker

As with any app, there are always some cons

• No way to switch between mail, calendar, and tasks via keyboard
• Can’t add email to a task (like in Gmail)

Overall, I would say that if you’re already using Outlook for your Email, give the Tasks a go!  If you use Outlook Tasks, let me know what you think?

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Tools, Uncategorized

Get up and walk away for 2 minutes

Preferably outdoors.

With warm weather approaching, I thought I would post a little reminder about how helpful it is to get up from your computer (or work) and take a little walk.

• It clears your head
• Helps blood your circulation
• Opportunity to talk with people
• It inspires others to take a break too

Now, this is not to be confused with the procrastinations, I don’t want to work, I am easily distracted breaks.

Filed under: Office, Productivity

Take 2 Minutes to Clean Up Your Work Space

We all know how great it feels to have a clean work space.  This week take two minutes to clean up one draw or small part of your workspace.

Pick the space that is least organized, most messy, and the part that could use your attention the most.  But don’t go overboard.  Tell yourself you will give it two minutes and no more.

You can clean up a lot in two minutes and you will feel a lot better about your workspace.

Filed under: Office, Productivity, 2 minutes, Cleaning, Tips

Sign-up for a Free Backpack To Do Account in 2 Minutes

In this 2 minute post I am going to show you how to sign up for a free account with 37 signal’s Backpack To Do application.  This is in follow-up to a previous post about Online To Do List Tools.

1. Go to backpackit.com
2. Click on Pricing & sign up in the top navigation.
3. Find the link for “choose our free plan” underneath of the of the pricing chart
4. Enter in WIDESKYDESIGNS under referrer code
5. Enjoy! (and come back and share your experience)

If you want to use back pack with a group of people — partner or business — you will have to upgrade to a paid account.

Filed under: Office, Personal, Productivity, Tools, Uncategorized, 2 minutes, Tips

Returning most phone calls take less than 2 minutes

This goes for personal and business calls.

You will feel better about having the calls off of your todo lists, and the people you are calling will appreciate hearing back from you in a timely manner.

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Social, 2 minutes

2 Minute To Do List Online Tools

Actually, you don’t need any tools for your two minute to do lists because if it takes less than 2 minutes you do it right away.

However, there are times when you can’t get to it right away, but a 2 minute to do pops into your mind.  “I need to take out the garbage,” you think, on your drive to work.

For those times, there are a few to do list applications online that you can use.  Here are my favorites:

1. Backpack
2. Ta-Da
3. Remember the Milk
4. Things (for the mac)

All of these apps have online access, aswell as iPhone apps, for those savy 2-minuters on the go.

I have tried all four, put prefer Backpack.  Yes, they have a free version, but you have to search around for how to get the free account instead a paid one:  look for the links underneath of the normal signup table.

I’ll post more on tools and apps at another time, but I am trying to keep the post times within about 2 minutes.

Filed under: Office, Productivity, Tools, 2 minutes