Then… Now more productive

I feel that something has changed… and as I was reflecting this week I finally figured it out.  It all comes back to the fact that I am more organized and therefore can be more efficient in my professional life. I believe it all comes down to these three things: bookmarking, searching, and scheduling.

Jensen, Jennifer. img_3108.jpg. November 16, 2009. Pics4Learning. 30 Jan 2010 <http://pics.tech4learning.com>
Jensen, Jennifer. img_3108.jpg. November 16, 2009. Pics4Learning. 30 Jan 2010

Bookmarking

delicious

Then: my computer

Now: Delicious and Diigo

If you haven’t switched to a social bookmarking site like delicious or diigo (digg or stumbleupon) you really should think about doing so. What an amazing thing: accessing my bookmarks from any computer, at work, at home, on the go… I’m never without my favorite websites. I started with using Delicious, and now also have a Diigo account (that automatically adds to Delicious as well so I can have the best of both worlds).

diigo

The best part about social bookmarking (besides accessing from any computer) is the fact that bookmarks are saved with tags.  I always had issues with putting bookmarks in folders. I would save them in one folder, then not remember where I filed it when I needed it.  With tags I can give a site more than one tag and I never worry about finding it again when I need it.

To learn more read Social Bookmarking: Delicious vs Diigo , 10 Reasons to use Diigo or watch Social Bookmarking in Plain English.

Searching

delicious

googleThen: Google   Now: Delicious or Diigo

I use to ALWAYS use Google for searches.  Now I go to my Delicious account and search bookmarks to see what other people have marked as good sites. It sorts by highest number of bookmarks so I can start with sites that my colleagues think are good to begin with, not sites that have the most links. Some of the best information comes from blogs, or other non-commercial sites. I also use Diigo, but they don’t have as many sites bookmarked so Delicious is better for searching. (Diigo is better for a host of other things, including organizing and annotating websites)

I also rely on my PLN to get information.  I find that if I send out a question I get great resources to focus my search.  My PLN is invaluable to me and definitely allows me to be more efficient.

Scheduling

I have been trying to organize my calendar and tasks for years. I went from planners, to PDAs, back to planners, and now have finally found a perfect system (perfect for today at least).  I use Google Calendar, and sync to my Blackberry. With Google Calendar I can also code my appointments and do a search to collect data on how I spend most of my time.

These three things have made my life less reactive and more proactive. Since I can be more proactive, I am definitely more efficient and effective.

How has the web helped you be more efficient? Let us know…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back To Top
Skip to toolbar