The world of technology is incredibly fast-paced. So fast, in fact, that it can be hard for the average Joe to keep up. But even with the constant stream of innovations, you can still take advantage of what technology has to offer. In this article, we’ve gathered some of the best technology hacks from across the web that can help to protect your privacy, ease your workday tasks, and simply improve your life.
Location-Based Hacks
- Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network allows you to both secure your information and browse more privately. How does it work? A VPN provides you with access to the web using a remote server which hides things like your browser history and actual location.
- Google Search: If you don’t want your Google search results to be affected by location, you can type google.com/ncr. The “NCR” stands for No Country Redirect. This is a great way to search for services and products more generally.
- Fake GPS Location: This app gives you the ability to present yourself at a fake GPS location. Can’t afford to fly to Italy? Use this app to “travel” to Florence. Go to an Italian restaurant and use a fake Italy geotag for a fun prank on your followers.
PC Display Hacks
- Overclock a Monitor: If you’re a gamer, knowing how to overclock a monitor can help enhance your overall gameplay by increasing the refresh rate. It’s a great way to work within the existing limits of your current monitor if you can’t afford a new one.
- Protect Your Eyes: If your job involves staring at computer screens all day, make sure you have an ergonomic setup. Place your monitor 20-30 inches away from your face with your eyes level with the top of the monitor. Ideally, to avoid eye strain, your gaze should be pointing down at your work.
- Text Size: A good general rule to follow is that text should be at least three times bigger than the smallest size you can read from a normal sitting position.
- Turn Down or Increase the Brightness: Based on your ambient light surroundings, you may want to turn up or down the brightness on your monitor. Ideally, your monitor will “blend in” and not stand out as a source of light or be too greyed out and dark. If you work in an exceptionally bright office, consider applying a glare reduction filter to your screen.
Productivity Hacks
Here are some of the most useful apps we’ve found that have helped us streamline our lives and workflow:
- SelfControl: You won’t have to use self-control when you use the website which blocks social network sites for a set period of time.
- Omnifocus: This intuitive app allows you to create tasks, organize them by tag, and then encourages you to focus your attention on what can be accomplished in the moment.
- Things: A task-manager that can truly handle it all. You can group your areas of obligation under different projects like “Family” or “Work”. Easily customize your workflow and plan your day effortlessly.
- Asana: If you work with a team, Asana is one of the best apps to track progress on projects and stay ahead of multiple deadlines and due dates.
Proof Your Writing
- Grammarly: Never make an embarrassing typo on an email again! This extension helps corrects easy-to-miss typos and grammatical errors that might otherwise escape your notice.
- Hemingway App: If you have a tendency to write in an overcomplicated way, try using the Hemingway app. It helps point out sentences that can be simplified to aid in readability.
- iMindMap: For more visual writers who like to see their big ideas outlined, try iMindMap. It’s a great way to outline ideas for articles and book chapters.
- Dragon Dictate: If you need a lot of words and you’re working against a tough deadline, you may find success using a speech-to-text app like Dragon Dictate.
In Summary
There are so many things in our daily lives that demand our attention. However, it’s rare that we actually sit down and figure out what makes sense to tackle first and how we can make our time more productive. By following the tips outlined in this article, you’ll be on your way to becoming more mindful and you can use these tech hacks to your advantage at the office and at home.
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