At Home with Tech

Tick tock. That’s the sound of your day not being spent the way you want. Here are 7 ways to reverse that soul-sucking trend.

I don’t know about you, but there never seems to be quite enough time to get it all done. Sure, we’ve all got the typical obligations that come with 21st century life. But there are also so many “electives” to explore.

Time is still a finite commodity.
(As far as I know)

So, the trick is finding ways to be more efficient with it. Yes, there are countless folks talking about this very topic, but I’d like to just zero in on how technology can be your friend and help you squeeze some precious minutes back into your day.

Think you know it all? Well, to be sure…
Here are 7 tech tips to help you focus more of your life into your happy zone:

#1
Order Stamps Online
Why would you ever choose to waste a fraction of your existence in the post office buying stamps?
The lines are endless. It’s like Purgatory in there.
Even the stamp-dispensing square autobot will drain your life force.
Why not simply purchase your stamps from your home computer?
It’s wicked quick…

#2
Withdraw More Cash from the ATM
Yes, there was a time before time when there wasn’t easy money on almost every corner. But today’s 24/7 access to an ATM is a mixed blessing. Who wants to always be thinking about where the nearest one is when you need twenty bucks?

I know this idea may not appear like a fiscally responsible suggestion, but if you can control your spending urges, I think you should withdraw more cash than you think you want.

Here’s the trick:

• For those of you who haven’t fully embraced our cashless society yet, try visiting your favorite ‘magic money box ‘ less frequently… say once a week. Take out enough cash to get you through this interval and pledge not to return for another seven days.
  Rationing the use of this tech will save you time and can prevent you from going to the well more than your budget dictates.

#3
Shop for Your Groceries Online
I know… it goes against your hunting-gathering instincts.
And there’s a delivery fee.
But not having to go to the supermarket,
then not struggling with that damaged cart,
and not having to wait on a long line at the checkout…
Isn’t that worth a few bucks?

#4
Avoid Greeting Card Aisles
Stop feeling like you have to troll for greeting cards at the local CVS or Walgreens.
You know what I mean… searching up and down that forest of disorganized generic thoughts. Finding that perfect card, only to realize there’s no matching envelope, and having to start all over again.
It’s no longer a badge of honor to say to your loved one… “I spent an hour looking for the perfect card!”
(My mom used to like to say that.)
There’s got to be a better way!
Well, of course there is…

Go to Touchnote, Paper Culture, or even Hallmark online.
These websites contain virtually all the greeting cards you could ever want.
Plus they’ll mail them for you!
Whoah…. Now that’s really a paradigm shift.

#5
Don’t Wait On Line to Pay for Parking. Go Online!
Remember how you felt right after you missed that train, because you first had to wait online to pay for parking?
Let’s erase that recurring stomachache from your life.
Use an app and pay on your smartphone.

I use PayByPhone.
Brilliant…

#6
E-ZPass or Bust
All right, who here doesn’t have E-ZPass yet?
Please stand up and walk upstairs.
Now go to bed…. There’s no dinner for you.
And the rest of you should go get a good night’s sleep too!

Before you start your snooze, you should probably check in on your E-ZPass account just to make sure it’s current.
You don’t want E-ZPass to list the car you owned a decade ago.

#7
Greenlight Your Own Reruns
If you’re a blogger, repurpose ideas from older and underperforming posts for the other 7 billion people who didn’t read it the first time around.
(What? You hadn’t noticed?)

Now, you’ve suddenly got time to prepare to go skiing with your family!

See ya…!