Amidst the craziness of a workday, it can be tricky to take some time out to step back and actually reassess whether you’re carrying out tasks in the most productive way.
Now, I know this may seem like yet another Gary Vee-ultra-capitalist hustler barrage. However, the more productive you are in your workday, the more you-time you get outside those hours to do the things you love — which is always a huge plus.
Luckily for us, modern devices are fitted out with features that can boost productivity, making it easier than ever to set up a seamless workflow.
Whether you use a tablet or a laptop (like some of the new Windows Pro 11 devices powered by the Intel Vpro platform, built with productivity in mind), here are four essential productivity features you could utilise on your work devices to save time in your day.
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Timers and website limits
While you may have tried (and failed) to implement time limits on your phone’s apps, testing it out on your work device could be a powerful way to reconfigure your workflow.
Whether your vice is turning a two-minute YouTube video into a rabbit hole viewing session or spending 20 minutes trying to pick a Spotify playlist, setting a limit could help you get back on track more swiftly.
If your device doesn’t come inbuilt with limits, trying out online timers (like this Pomodoro method timer) could be the nudge you need to help kick procrastination to the curb for good.
Integrated voice typing
While this might not be a lesser-known feature of modern devices, it probably falls under the category of lesser-utilised. While many of us have become acquainted with sending voice memos to friends and family during the pandemic, applying the same practice to work could be beneficial.
Sometimes the psychical act of typing (or putting pen to paper) can stunt creativity and block ideas (it can feel like all of your thoughts just evaporate once you go to type them down), and voice-to-text features can erase that blockage.
Personalised widgets
It might seem obvious, but personalising the widgets on your desktop can help you maintain a flow while working.
How often have you urgently needed to open an app and not had it right at your fingertips or been late to an important meeting because your calendar wasn’t connected to your widgets?
Fill up your widgets with the appropriate reminders, tasks, news and shortcuts you use throughout the day, and you’ll notice a more seamless (and less distracted) workflow in no time.
Project desktops
Sometimes, to get a project done, it needs to be an all-encompassing thing that slaps you in the face every time you open your device. Creating individual desktops specific to certain projects is one way to do this (and also guilt you out of any procrastination), which is a feature available on the newest Windows 11 devices.
By creating desktops for specific projects, which let you organise different workspaces for each project in entirety, with the applications and files you need to get it done — which is what productivity is really all about.